European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 01, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse . Green soaring Over nets cookie Blaylock scored 19 for lakers turnaround stuffs Early critics by John Nadel Inglewood Calif. A the los Angeles lakers lost five of their first seven gainer and put their Aba powerhouse status in jeopardy. Now they re erasing those doubts. The lakers extended their winning Streak to 12 games tuesday night beating new Jersey 110-89 at the forum where they have a 16-1 record after loss ing three of their first four games. 4the lakers Are a totally different team out Here a the nets Reggie Theus said. The string of wins is the longest of the season in the Aba. A a we be improved tremendously from the beginning of the season a magic Johnson said. A if you look from where we started to where we Are now we Are headed in the right direction. A and the Only thing i see ahead of us is better things. So in a Happy with our progress.�?�, Progress is putting it mildly. Since their sluggish Start the lakers have been on a Roll winning 29 of 35 games. Before beating the nets tuesday night they completed a perfect five game seven Day Road trip sunday with a convincing 104-87 Over the Boston celtics at Boston Garden. At 31-11, the lakers have the same reared they had at this time last season when they won a league Best 63 games. Actually the lakers poor Start was a Little misleading. Their Early schedule was difficult and they were playing under a new coach Mike Dunleavy who replaced Pat Riley after he left to become a television commentator. After,.losing at san Antonio in their season opener the lakers were beaten in overtime by Portland at the forum. Then came a Victory Over Sacramento and close Home court losses to the new York kicks and Phoenix finally the lakers won at Houston and lost to Dallas Befoy heating up. A Jal turned . Around several things. It took a while for the lakers to adjust to Dunleavy s system and it took time for free agent acquisition Sam Perkins to get rolling. Neither starting Center Vlade Divac nor shooting guard Byron Scott was effective Early. They have been lately. Johnson is having another great season As is Forward James worthy and several reserves have done their parts. Especially . Green who filled in for an injured worthy against new Jersey tuesday and scored 19. A the lakers Are making Dallas Cen Quot Ter James Donaldson look like a poor Prophet. After the Mavericks beat los Angeles 99-86 on nov. 16 in the seventh game of the season Donaldson said a anybody can look up and see this Isnit the Laker team that dominated us for the last few Vears. Its still the lakers on the uniform Tai but not the lakers on the the Way the lakers Are playing now Donaldson May change his mind. A. A a a a a. Friday february 1, 1991 a the stars and stripes a Pago 23 a i. A a. A. A a a. A a a. A a a watch giants contend again by Bob Glauber a. A a. New Day the single worst move by an nil Gen Cral manager or his coach is to Wake up the Day after his final game and Start Mak Irig decisions about next season. A you done to make decisions based on emotion a new _ York i arits general manager George Young was saying less than 12 hours after the giants won super bowl xxv in Tampa. A a you be always got to and look at your situation. Perspective is one of the biggest things in my life. In be always said done to make a decision on monday if you can wait until a t for Young and coach Bill Parcells there is precious Little time to enjoy the a glow of the giants 20-19 Victory Over the Buffalo Bills in perhaps the greatest super bowl Ever. They must submit the 37-Man plan b protected list this week and then begin looking around for a few Good free agents. Then its time for the april 21-22 draft. Here a what they face in attempting to maintain a level of Success the. Giants have enjoyed Over the last decade will Parcells be Hack Parcells has All but said hell be Back but he has not made a definitive statement to that effect. What he seems to be doing is trying to be As diplomatic As possible in making a Pilch for a renegotiated contract. The giants Are prepared to extend his contract which has a year left on. I Money is the Only thing in the Way. But teams done to let go of super Bow winning coaches and Parcells does no to seem ready to retire. Look for him to be Back. A when you re very leg notional and when you re very tied to the sol nation that a not the time to do it a Parcells said monday night on. His radio show a a it a certainly my intent to come Backbun you have to evaluate where you Are what you want to do. Once i finish this work on plan b and scouting that i must do what in a going to do is get away for a few Days and it wont be too Ping after that when a decision will be made a 1 a will it be 1987 All Over again rarely team caved in As swiftly and dramatically As the giants did after their 39-20 Victory Over the Denver Broncos four years ago in super bowl xxi. A a a a will it happen again a Parcells offered an emphatic a a not on monday. A a a 1 a we have a much More mature team now a he said. _. They also have a much More mature a Oach which will make All the difference. A the Hosteller Simms dilemma. So you think the Jeff Hostetler is. Phil Simms quarterback situation is a major problem for Parcells every coach should have such troubles. The Only problem Here is that one Many a ego is going to be bruised big Deal. Besides if Parcells believes its time the 35-year-old Simms becomes a backup then hell convince him it s a great career move. And Well guarantee you this if Hostetler is quarterback there will be at least one occasion where Simms Quot will Start. Hosteller a style lends itself to injury and there a every indication head need time to. Quot Quot heal from the pfc East pounding he a. Sure to absorb. Incredible Stal no team in history has Ever had two super bowl winning quarterbacks on its roster at the same time. A the free agent Market. Young has become a master at plucking gems out of the plan a Veteran free agent and waiver wire markets. Special Teamer Reyna Thompson made the pro bowl this year and tight cad Bob Mrosko another plan b signee was a valuable Blocker. Veteran free agents Everson Wall and Dave. Duerson added depth to the secondary. A analysis a new York quarterback hero Cit Hosteller. Headed for Battle with Phil Simms the giants Are sure to lose a Bunch of players to plan a but Young will make up for it with his shrewd judgment of other teams castaways a the draft. The areas of concern a pass Rushing defensive . Giants Rush was notoriously weak throughout the season. Had it not Betin for the Brilliant play of the secondary it Quot would have Cost them. Wide Baker Ami Mark Ingram showed improvement in the playoffs but the giants still heed a game breaking receiver. Quot a. Line backing depth. Lawrence Taylor played like he was 31, Carl Banks and Gary reasons entering their eighth seasons. A cornerback. Perry Williams May be lost to plan a so depth is needed. A tight end Mark Bavaro faces shoulder and knee surgery in the off season. If he returns at All it would be a minor Miracle. a a a a the hold outs. Normally this Isnit an area of grave concern since the giants had a number of hold outs this season but still won the Sypor bowl. But. Look at two of the 11 players who Are unsigned left tackle jumbo Elliott and left guard William Roberts. The giants do the bulk of their running behind those two and since offensive linemen generally need an entire training Camp to get their timing Down hold outs could damage Early sea son performance. Assuming both arrive by a reasonable Date -1 to k for Rod n e y h a m p t o a Quot to enjoy a productive year As the feature Back j a the prognosis. A trademark of parcel is teams is that they Are competitive. You wont see a repeat of 1987, but you re not looking at a team that at this time next year will be Yelling a three peat a in the super bowl winning locker room. A they la make the playoffs but so will the Washington redskins Philadelphia eagles and Dallas . There a Only room for one in the super bowl. Its Joe Gibbs turn next year. And its Marv Levy a turn to win it All. _
