European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 03, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 32 the stars and stripes sports thursday n6vember 3, 1994 can National basketball association preview Sun mates by Shaun Powell new Day top of the line Phoenix suns is it Charles turn the top players of the 80s Are now aging stars in the 90s. Hakeem Olajuwon won his title last year. Now Charles Barkley has perhaps his final shot at one. For sure the suns arc loaded. Barkley can afford to take a few nights off and Phoe Nix is still capable of winning by 20. That s what Hap pens when you have offensive firepower in Danny Manning Dan Majerle Kevin Johnson and Wayman Tisdale. -. They la need to play a Little d and grab a few boards but tire Siusis have everything it takes to give Barkley his Chance. Seattle supersonics the sonics we july like to fast Forward to the playoffs. That s the Only Way they can truly erase the bitter Mem Ory of Dike be Mutombo clutching the basketball while lying on his Back Hee hawing Over the nug gets stunning playoff upset of Seattle. Seattle can t accomplish much by winning another 63 regular season games. They can play frenetic defense. Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton can have. All Star years again Sarunas Marciulionis can make a solid comeback from two years Worth of leg injuries and coach George Karl can fuss find yell All he wants. But the season will not begin for the sonics until Antonio spurs David Robinson is on his sixth coach in six years. The flurry of changes among the spurs has frustrated their Best player. Robinson feels his time May soon be run Ning out which is Why he s putting a lot of Stock into this season. The spurs May have the ingredients to take Robin son further than he has Ever gone before. Sean Elliott is Back Avery Johnson is Back Dennis Rodman is still around although currently suspended. An map season by Robinson which is a Good possibility vill Keezah spurs in Contention. Houston rockets Western conference hey the rockets did win the title last year right then Why Are they listed fourth in this Section Well they re vulnerable that s Why. Asking them to win one title with a backcourt of Kenny Smith and ver Rion Maxwell is one thing. Asking them to do it twice is something else. Besides Smith May not be the starting Point guard come april because Sam Cassell is coming on Strong. Any team cd by Center Hakeem Olajuwon will not go quietly or quickly however and the rockets must he reckoned with when May arrives. Golden state warriors the warriors arc a poor Man s Phoenix suns. They can score with the Best of pm. That s Why they Are never out of games. Even when they re Down big after three quarters the warriors Are dangerous. They probably have the game s next marquee name in Latrell Sprewell the Best big guard out West. A healthy Tim Hardaway will do this team some Good same for Chris Mullin out until Christmas with a knee injury. A Happy Chris Webber he sulked Over playing Center and for coach Don Nelson will do them even better. Middle of the Road Denver nuggets everybody remembers what the nuggets did in the play offs. Everybody forgot about their regular season when they showed growing pains and could t win on the Road. Re Charles Barkley expected to Lead Phoenix to the top of the West in 1994-95, eyes a move past Portland s Mark Bryant. So where does the destiny of this year s team lie probably somewhere in re still Young so a conference championship May be asking too much. But do expect the nuggets to go two rounds in the play offs again. This team is ready to play its games on Abc. The nuggets have a stopper in Dike be Mutombo a three Point specialist in Dale Ellis and a handful of Twenty something pups just itching to Blossom and mature. Defense will continue to push the nuggets ahead. But unless Jalyn Rose is Rookie of the year material the Lack of a True Point guard May be limiting. Utah jazz John Stockton and Karl Malone begin their 10th sea son together with the jazz. They re still among the top at their respective positions but we can t say the same for Utah which appears to be falling behind the pack of contenders. Sure they be appeared in the Western conference finals two of the last three years give them credit for their resiliency. But everyone else improved their personnel while Utah remains the Best two in two team in the league. That s Why the jazz will play once again to the same old tune. Portland Trail blazers _ the blazers had their Chance at a title. Twice. Now they re simply trying to avoid Lotter Yville. The principle parts which helped Portland to two finals Are now old shop worn expansive and half As Good As they once Wert. So this begs a question do the blazers stay Content with barely making the playoffs or do they Start Makin changes now for the future they have few marketable players. Neither Terry Porter Jerome Kersey Buck Williams nor Clyde Drexler will bring much in return. The blazers lived the Good times with them no they must experience the bad or mediocre. F Bottom of the Heap Dallas Mavericks a _ last april the woeful Mavericks were anxious to reach the finish line. Next april they May push for a playoff spot seriously. A lot has happened to the worst team in recent Aba history and All of it Goodr they have a promising Point guard in Jason Kidd a Wise Tutor in Veteran coach Dick Motta and an in -1gtitrrg7ehabilitation project in Roy Tarpley. They la fall Short of the playoffs this time. But by coming close the mavs will have travelled very far in a very Short time. Sacramento Kings Heck All the Kings want to do is Clear the 30-Victory Hump something they Haven t done in eight years. They re not expecting much from Bobby Hurley who in essence starts his Rookie year All Over again but True Rookie Brian Grant could Surprise you. The player who could mean the difference Between 29 and 31 wins is Walt Williams. The Brittle swing Man has averaged Only 58 games a year however. Los Angeles lakers the lakers Are still dizzy from their rapid fall from glory. They have Young Talent in Nick Van Exel and Cedric Ceballos but no the big question this year at the forum is whether the fashionably late will bother to show at All. Minnesota Timber wolves the Timber wolves did t move South to new or leans after All. But they la stay South in the standings. Stacey King is their starting Center remember. At least they re drafting better Landing Christian laettner Isaiah rider and now Donyell Marshall. Los Angeles clippers the clippers Are rebuilding with Young players and a Nev coach. A yes. This May be a new season but some things never change
