European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 14, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 22 b the stars and stripes thursday March 14, 1991. Lakers win Clinch playoff berth thursday March 14, 1991 by the associated press Miami a Byron Scott hit Long junipers on three consecutive possessions in the final three minutes to help the los Angeles lakers hold  Miami heat 102-95 tuesday night to Clinch an Aba playoff Herth. The lakers appeared in control when they led 88-75 with 5 30 left. But Theyna failed to score on their next six possessions and the heat closed to 88-84 with tour minutes logo. After each team missed two shots Scott took Over. Three baskets m a Row from farther out each time gave the lakers a 94-87 Cushion with 1 18 remaining. I hey led by at least my Points the rest of the Way. Scott to missed with 21 Points while magic Johnson had 21 Points 14 assists and 11 rebounds his kith triple double this  103, hornets 100 Charlotn c. A Pervis Ellison so cd a career High 28 Points As in airy and Decd Washington snapped a me game losing Streak. The bullets losers m 15 of then previous 17 games played without their two leading Seviers Bernard King the leagues second leading scorer at 29.5 Points per game Sal out with a strained lower Hack. Harvey irani1, averaging 18.4, missed his fourth consecutive game with a sore right ankle. Tom Hammonds replaced King and responded with a career High 19 Points Belt ire leaving with a Cut Over his left Eye.  tackles had 18 Points and Reserve John Williams a season High 15,bulls 131, Timber wolves 99 Chicago Horace Grant and i Hucl Jordan scored 20 Points each leading surging Chicago to its 23rd consecutive. Inane Victory while sending Minnesota to its 11th straight Road loss. Grant and Jordan sat out the fourth Quarter As Chicago won its fourth game til a Row and kith in its last 18. 1 he bulls Are 28-3 at Chicago stadium. A scuttle s Shawn Kemp rebounds in front of Buck Johnson at Houston  93, supersonics 91 Houston Kenny Smith had 24 Points including tour tree throws in the final 17 seconds and Hakeem Olajuwon scored 32 Points to Lead Houston. Olajuwon scored ins Points off the Bench. Otis Thorpe added 18 Points and 11 rebounds Tor the rockets. Kemp led Seattle with 23 Points and 16 rebounds. Ricky Pierce scored 19 Points and Benoit Benjamin 14.76ers 133, Hawks 129, 20t Atlanta a Ron Anderson whose 3-Point Basket tied the game in regulation scored seven Points in the last 22 seconds of the. Second overtime to give Phila Delphia the Victory. Andersons 3-Point shot with 22 second left in the second overtime gave the 76er-a 129-128 Lead their first since Early in Tiv. Second Quarter. He added two free throw with eight seconds left and two More with three seconds to go handing the Hawk their third straight Home loss following string of 22 Home victories. 7 Charles Barkley had 34 Points Ander a son 27iand Armon Gilliam 25 for Phila Delphia. Dominique Wilkins paced atlant with 29 Points Jobb Battle added 2fi Kevin Willis 17 and Glenn Rivers 16,clippers 126, nuggets 123, of Denver a Ron Harper scored 8 to his 23 Points in overtime including a Par of 3-pointers As los Angeles snapped five game losing Streak. After Michael Adams who had it Points gave Denver a 113-112 Lead on v free throw 15 seconds into overtime. Harper drilled a 3-Pointer to put the Clipper ahead for Gdud with 4 26  129, pacers 117 Oakland Mitch Richmond recovered from a series of three straight gamer in which he scored less than 20 Points. Leading the warriors with 28. Tim Harda Way added 26 Points and eight assists the warriors Are 7-0 this season a Home against the Central division the first time since 1971 -72 that they will finish the season unbeaten against Central do Sion teams the pacers arc 0-4 in Road games against the Pacific division and Las to the warriors for Only the third time in nine games. Celtics 110, Kings 95 Sacramento Calif. Lany Bird contributed 13 Points a game High 10 assists and 8 rebounds but it was Reggie. Lewis who paced six Boston scorers in doa Hie figures with 27 Points As the celtics claimed their 10th straight win Over Sacramento. Boston which has not lost to Sacramento in More than five years trailed 59-5&Quot at halftime. A. A a but the celtics who have won five straight games including three in a Row on the Road outscored Sacramento 31-20 in the third period while out rebounding the kinas13-3.o Neal planning to return to leu by the associated press. Shaqille o Neal says he plans to come Hack to Louisiana state Tor his Junior year. I lie Connecticut huskies would like to end his Sophomore season on. Thursday. A a ,. A of Neal the nations Best big Man on. Tuesday said he s not in any hurry to leave 22nd-ranked leu for the big Bucks he sure to earn in the Aba where he would probably he the no. 1 Overall pick this june. Most Likely i la return love leu. 1 love my teammates. Pm haying fun a he said As the tigers 30-9 prepared for their Mcaa Midwest regional first round game against Connecticut 18-10 on thursday in Minneapolis. Quot right now in a not thinking about the Aba. If i decide to go pro ill let you know. Right now i in thinking about  most important to leu is that o Neal the nation s leading Reh under is off the injury list. A hairline fracture in his left leg sidelined of Neal Tor leu s last two games the tigers lost both including an Sec tourney game with Auburn. A. The leg is a Little sore a Tut As Long As i can run i can play Quot said o Neal adding that he wont Wear a Brace. Quot i May wrap it Quot he added. A pm not really conscious of it. Pin told if you really focus on a injury w Hen you go out there to play you re going to get injured. I m just going to go out and play 11 i get Hurt i get Hurt Quot a coach Date Brown feels o Neal a return Quot should get a the tigers Hack on the right track. A we be just got to gel Back on the Roll. We had warn seven straight conference games and we be got to get Hack in the Fow a Brown said. Comi coach Jim Calhoun said of Neal is the most dominant Center his club has seen. A i Don t remember us  Guy who averages 27.7 Points almost 15 rebounds and had 135-blocked shots Quot he said. A the can change the complexion of a game completely. Well try to find ways to attack  basketball in thursday  first round Midwest games i 7ih-ranked East Tennessee state 28-4 meets Iowa Quot 20-10no. 6 Duke 26-7 faces Northeast Louisiana 25-7and no. 11 Nebraska 26-7 opposes Xavier of Ohio 21-9.a. A \ first found  also scheduled on thursday in College Park. \1d fast Louisville Tkv. Southeast and Salt Lake City West. ,.east second seeded Syracuse 26-5 knows that Richmond has an impressive list of. Big name Mcaa tournament victims and does t want to get on that list Quot they won t catch us off  coach Jim Breheim said of the spiders who come to Cole. Field House As the 15th  v. A Richmond 21-9 has Wii 15 of its last 17 games including the colonial athletic association. Tournament title to earn its fifth trip to the Nch Aas in eight years. Quot we be been there Quot coach. Dick Tarrant said a and most of the time we be done of. But we got no respect at All from the selection . One team that got much More respect than the spiders is third seeded Oklahoma slate which is making its first trip to the tournament since 1983. Y a tile cowboys 22-7 open thursdays games against new Mexico 211-9. Alter that its North Carolina state 9-id  Mississippi 21-7followed by Purdue 17-1 f against Temple 21-9 Southeast Florida state can score but  coach Pat Kennedy feels his team got to the final 94 with defense. A i think this has been my Best defensive team a said Kennedy whose seventh seeded team will meet Southern Cal on thursday in Louisville. A a we be got a lot of weapons on offence. Maybe More than any flu team i be had but we be gotten Here on . A Florida state trailed Louisville by 20 Points Early in the second half of the metro conference title  seminoles 20-10 then outscored Louisville. 40-13 in the final 17 minutes to win the game and an automatic berth. Southern Cap seeded k the will be making its first Mcaa tournament appearance in five years under coach George Raveling and its first since 1985. In the other games second seeded Indiana 27-4. Faces newcomer coastal Carolina third seeded Kansas 22-7 meets new Orleans 23-7and no 6 pitt20-10 meets no. 11 Georgia 17-12. A a a. A West.  a Home court Edge in the West it belongs to Fth seeded Brigham Young 20-12which has to Kavo. Only from Provo to Salt Lake City to play seventh seeded Virginia 21-11 in its opening round game. The cougars Are led by 7-foot-6 Center Shawn Bradley the nation s top shot Blocker 165who also averages 1,5.2 Points and 7.8 rebounds. But at 210 pounds Braa Ley s first year of College basketball also has been Market by a bruising sometimes losing Battle with Shorter but Kier foes. Quot Quot a a Quot i think i be done pretty Well against Tough big Guys he said hut admits that Quot the defenders collapse on me and players tend to push and shove and grab a lot Mere than i m used  the Cavaliers boast a pair of Strong Stocky centers -6-9, -240-Pound Sophomore Ted jellne1 and Matt Blundin a 6-7, 232-Pounder who was a backup quarterback on the football team. \ in the other first round games third seeded Setnor Hall 22-k faces no. 14 Pepperdine 22-8no. 6 new. Mexico slate 23-5 meets no. 11 Creighton 23-7ai the no. 2 seed Arizona 26-6plays newcomer St. Fiuty Eis. A. 24-7which beat Fordham in a play in game k make the main tournament