European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 21, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse L.a., heat Mak lakers hip clippers in of heat backs into playoffs the stars and stripes ports april 21,1992 Page 28 by the associated press it took the last seconds of overtime in the last of 1,107 regular season games to determine that the los Angeles lakers would go to the Aba playoffs for the 16th consecutive year. The lakers with a 109-108 Victory Over the Crosstown rival clippers were the Only one of four teams to succeed in clinching a playoff berth with a Victory sunday. Miami Houston and Atlanta lost games that would have guaranteed a spot to the postseason party. Sedale Threatt hit a 12-foot jumper with 4.5 seconds left in the extra period to give the lakers the Lead then the clippers Doc Rivers missed an off balance shot at the Buzzer. Threatt scored 24 Points and Byron Scott had 27. Danny Manning led the clippers with 34 Points. The win gave the lakers a 43-39 record As they edged Houston for the last playoff berth. The rockets left the door open earlier sunday when they lost 10097 to Phoenix. Miami could have clinched the final Eastern conference spot but lost 109-93 to Boston which sealed the no. 2 seed in the conference with a 109-93 Victory Over the left the door open for Atlanta but the Hawks lost 112-108 at Cleveland giving the berth Back to the heat. Miami and Atlanta each finished with 38-44 records with Miami getting the first playoff berth among the four most recent expansion teams on the basis of having a better conference record than the Hawks. Houston could have clinched the final Western conference berth but fell at Home 100-97 to Phoenix despite 39 Points 16 rebounds and seven blocked shots by Hakeem Olajuwon. With those outcomes the first round pairings in the Eastern conference have Miami playing Chicago Indiana Facin Boston new Jersey meeting Clevian and Detroit meeting new York. In the West its Utah and the los Angeles clippers Seattle and Golden state san Antonio and Phoenix and Portland against the lakers the rockets who have reached the playoffs seven straight years could have sealed a postseason spot with a Victory in any of their last three games but lost All three. The lakers stayed alive with an upset Victory on saturday at Portland. Jeff Hornacek scored 18 Points for the suns already assured of the no. 4 playoff spot in the Western conference. They beat Back a rally led by Olajuwon who scored 11 of Houston a final 14 Points. The rockets trailed 94-83 with 3 38 to play then closed to 98-97 on Olajuwon a final Basket before Kevin Johnson a two free throws with 16 seconds left completed the scoring. Olajuwon had 39 Points 16 rebounds and 7 blocks. A nobody Cun say we did t try to win this game a Phoenix coach Cotton Fitzsimmons said. A i told the team that if Houston gets in have to earn it by beating a it was a Day when the lid was on the casket a rocket coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. A balls would be on the rim and come out. We missed Little things and had lapses. It Wasny to a Day to have a game like Page 21 for Aba playoff analysis Atlanta trying to make the playoffs for the seventh consecutive year led 108-107 in the final minutes before Mark Price scored five Points in the final 9.6 seconds for Cleveland. Price Sank a go ahead 3-Pointer with 9.6 seconds left and two clinching free throws in the final second. Price scored 22 Points and Larry Nance 20 for Cleveland. Rumeal Robinson led Atlanta with a career High 31 Points Kevin Willis had 21 and Stacey Augmon 20. A we had the Opportunity to get into the playoffs and just did no to do it a Robinson said. A a it a very disappointing. All year we be been playing hard. We be had injuries and setbacks. Its a shame it came Down to one game for us. We lost too Many close games this in other games with playoff implications Karl Malone scored 34 Points and Utah limited san Antonio to a season Low 14 Points in the fourth Quarter As the jazz clinched Home court advantage through two rounds of the Western playoffs by beating the spurs 101-90. John Stockton had 17 Points and 21 assists for the jazz who won the Midwest division by eight games Terry Cummings led the spurs who wound up As the fifth seed in the West with 21 Points while Rod Strickland had 16 Points and 11 assists. Tim Hardaway scored 29 Points in Golden states 108-106 Victory Over Seattle setting up a rematch Between the two teams in the opening round of the playoffs. Utah and Golden state both finished with 55-27 records second Best in the Western conference but should the two teams meet in the second round the jazz would get an extra Home game because they beat the warriors 3-1 in the season series. Playing without Chris Mullin who was injured late in the third Quarter the warriors eld off the sonics in the final minute ensuring the two teams will meet in the first round. Had Seattle won the sonics would have played Utah and the warriors would have played san Antonio. Chicago beat Detroit 103-85 in a game that featured the leagues scoring and rebounding champs. Despite what is believed to be a mild Back Strain Michael Jordan scored 32 Points to finish with a 30.1 average and his sixth consecutive scoring championship. Dennis Rodman had 13 rebounds for an 18.7 average highest in the Aba since 1972 when Wilt Chamberlain averaged 19.2.inside sport Kenya s Hussein repeats in Boston a Page 21love retains heritage Crown a Page 22 a jays tribe win on monday giants astros tie for Lead a Page 25 Page 25 looking for room Laker guard Sedale Threatt looks for room to Man Uever under the Basket but finds obstacles in he clippers James Edwards 53 and Loy Vaught during first Quarter play at the forum on sunday. The lakers won in overtime to make the playoffs. Rangers Ca a ,v<s2i p. 26 a i
