European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 02, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday february 2, 1991 the stars and stripes Page 23 % or Unsel National basketball association bullets by Jan Hubbard. A new Day v. A a a the problem with some coaches is that they think they Are god. R they have an attitude that their philosophy and their system Are divine gifts they think players should genuflect when they walk by. Some players also act like they Are god although its not always on purpose. Take Wes Unseld for instance. When he was a player with the bullets he competed at Center despite being Only 6-foot-6. He did that by efficiently utilizing his 260 pounds to distribute considerable pain to those who dared to venture in his space. The Unseld Elbow was a fearsome thing. Get hit with it once even accidentally and you were guaranteed to see your maker. Off the court Unseld was a Nice Guy Wes Unseld a cooperative Down to Earth. He has remained the same Way those close to him say despite being an obviously special person. He has achieved immortality by making the Hall of Fame. He is one of Only 27 Aba head coaches. But still he does no to act like he thinks he a above everyone. And if he wanted to he rightfully could. Because Wes Unseld once actually was god. At least in a play. It happened when he was in College at Louisville. It was a French language play and god had to be a tall Man. Unseld fit the role Learned the lines and Well the rest is history. A i thought it was Good casting a Unseld said. A a and so perhaps it be surprising that in his latest venture Unseld seems to he working a few miracles. The Washington bullets had modest Talent last year when they weren to Good enough to make the playoffs and they have even less this season they rely on new York castoffs Bernard King and Darrell Walker but at 20-24 they re a game up on the kicks. With King pouring in 49 Points thursday night the bullets won at Madison Square Garden and broke out of their tie ii the standings with the year Forward Harvey Grant is a legitimate candidate for the most improved award. But John Williams is fat and Ledell Eackles was. Unseld relies on no names Charles Jones aj.,English and Haywoode Workman. Who Are these Guys and Why Are they offering More than the a Bernard Kings 49 Points thursday fired the bullets ahead of new York in the standings. Kicks do Quot the bullets not Only were not Good enough to make the playoffs last year but they also did no to have their lottery pick because of a previous Trade. Why Are they better than anyone a to be honest with you a unsold said a i spend the better part of my Day wondering How we re going to compete Wilh some but they do because of King and Walker and Grant. And also because Unseld refuses to allow them not to compete. A was anything Quot Unseld said a i beg,.i scream i holler in a silent i Bitch i threaten. I do whatever it takes to get Max and no one should underestimate the threaten part although some do. Atlanta. Hawks assistant coach Kevin Lough cry who was the bullets head coach and hired Unseld As an assistant said a the physical part is overrated. You can to go to practice and slap players 7 a you done to Unseld said in agreement. A but you done to let them slap you around either. If they want to get physical 1 would. I Start it but i m not going to take any Bull from anybody. 1 Unseld said he has gotten physical with players before but he would t say who. Lie did break up one fight Between the Bohets and pistons by lifting Bill Laim Beer off a pile and throwing him into the seats. And Mel Proctor the bullets play by play Man said he once was kidding Unseld about something and Unseld lifted him up and twirled him Over his head in an air Lance a approach with his players is a Little More Subtle. Its actually simple he tells them to work hard and they might be surprised. The message is easier to deliver because Unseld has the total backing of bullets owner Abe pol in and also because King and Walker Are such warriors. Nets have right Stoff for blocks by Bill Barnard a basketball writer the Best shot blocking team in the Aba Isnit san Antonio new Ork or Houston despite the presence of David Robinson Patrick Ewing Akem Ola Juwon each of whom averages Well Over three mocks per game. The new Jersey nets Lead the Aba in blocked shots although their leading shot Blocker Chris Dudley is ranked eighth in notes the league. Sam Bowie and Derrick Cole Man also Are in the first 20. Boston is second in the Aba in blocks but the celtics Leader Kevin Mchale is ranked Only 10th. Robert Parish is the Only other Boston player in the top 30. La he Orlando. Magic meanwhile have had More shots blocked than any other Aba team and Are last in blocked shots. A 1 he Atlanta Hawks have a team Rule that it a player is Given a gift for appearing on a pos game show he has it Over to a teammate. A a it a part of our new closeness a guard Doc Rivers said., Quot if a Guys named player of the game and gets something he a got to give it up to the Guys on the Bench who cheer for s As Good a reason As any to explain a team that has won 14 straight games at Home alter losing six straight at the Omni. A Golden state coach Don Nelson recently had his Rookie players Over to his House for dinner. / a i wanted them to know i can be their Friend a Nelson said. A i done to really hate rookies. I just wish they were a the Cleveland cd Valliers play a league High 27 times on consecutive nights and they Are 3-13 in the second games of those Back to Back sets. A after scoring 30 Points a fourth highest local in one Quarter in Aba history a in Ilie fourth Quarter against Seattle last saturday night Vernon Maxwell missed his first 10 shots in Houston s next game. A a. A. A a Mcl Lale the subject of off season rumours that he would be traded to Minnesota his Home stale is probably relieved that none deals came through and not just because the celtics Are winning. When the celtics travelled to Minneapolis to play the Timber wolves this week Mchuley had to scrounge about 30 tickets for relatives and friends not counting the two luxury boxes that family members bought for the game. Walter Berry who made Clear his distaste for playing defense in three Aba seasons spread among Portland san Antonio Houston and new Jersey must be a Happy Man now. Quot at last look he was averaging nearly 35 Points fyr at Lutico Madrid in the Spanish league. Quot no from Page 21 nuggets 123, nets 119 u Lii 4 v e 1 in 11 a la a m s score to a Cai car High 45 Points and added 11 rebounds and 12 assists As Denver won its fifth straight game. The neg cts have w on seven of nine after a 6-28 Start. A a Adams shot 13 of 30 from the Field including 3 of 9 on three pointers and made 16 of 19 foul shots. He scored Only five Points in the first Quarter and had 13 at halftime before breaking Loose. Denver led 105-92 with six minutes left but the nets went on a 19-2 burst led by Drazen Petrovics .10 Points trailing 111-107 the nuggets rallied As Reggie Williams scored seven of his 28 Points in the last 2 24. _ Reggie thus scored 28 Points and Derrick Coleman had 23 Points and 16 rebounds for new Jersey. Petrovic and Chris Morris scored 22 each. Spurs 106, bulls 102 r san Antonio a David Robinson scored 31 Points and had 17 rebounds and Rod Strickland led a late push that sent san Antonio Over Chicago. / a. Strickland who finished with 22 Points scored six straight As the spurs overcame a 9594 deficit in the final two minutes. Michael Jordan scored 36 Points but was held to Only one Basket in the last 20 minutes by Sean Elliott and Willie Anderson. Elliott scored 18 for the spurs. Warriors 135, clippers 119 a Oakland Calif. A Mitch Richmond capped a sensational month by scoring a season High 40 Points and making a career High seven steals As Golden state won its fourth straight game. Richmond is averaging 30 Points in his last 11 games nine of them victories the warriors have won 16 of the last 17 at Home against los Angeles. Chris Mullin added 32 Points and Tim Hardaway had 24 Points and 12 assists for Golden state. Ken Norman scored 24 Points for the clippers. Supersonics 97, rockets 94. Houston a Sedale Threalt had 18 Points As Seattle a reserves outscored Houston a Bench 53-9. Shawn Kemp added 17 Points and 17 rebounds As. The sonics ended an eight game Road losing Streak. 9 t
