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[David A Wickerham <aw623@freenet.buffalo.edu>]

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   [INLINE]
   A rivalry reborn
   JUNE 30, 1997
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
   Dave D'Alessandro
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
   [INLINE]
   
   If you were watching closely last week, you witnessed the rebirth of a
   rivalry -- once rooted in the spirit of competition, now renewed by a
   mutual distrust.
   
   It is a conflict almost as old as the NBA itself, dating to Wilt vs.
   Russell, and escalating through Doc vs. Bird, before dissolving in a
   two-team race for the '90s abyss.
   
   Now the traditionally ruthless Philadelphia-Boston rivalry is being
   carried on by two coaching giants, both new to their teams and the
   business of management, and neither willing to give an inch in their
   interpretation of the facts regarding an aborted trade.
   
   The genesis of this dispute between Larry Brown and Rick Pitino, of
   course, is L'affaire Dino.
   
   When a trade involving the Celtics' Dino Radja and the Sixers'
   Clarence Weatherspoon and Michael Cage was called off by the Sixers --
   ostensibly because of the condition of Radja's left knee, but also in
   part because the Sixers weren't aware of a $2.4 million trade bonus
   Dino had coming to him -- it fouled up Pitino's plan to put his
   rebuilding scheme on the fast track.
   
   Pitino was understandably incensed, insisting Radja had passed his
   physicals and -- he really said this -- that Radja looked great in
   one-on-one games with assistant coach Winston Bennett.
   
   Brown believed Pitino's claim was a tad disingenuous, and said so.
   
   "We make our first trade," he says, "and this guy with the choir eyes"
   -- that's Pitino, whatever that means -- "is telling everybody he
   can't believe how Radja can play tennis with a 45-year-old orthopedic
   surgeon who can't run up and down."
   
   The worst part, Brown implied, is Pitino attempted to hoodwink the
   Sixers into believing Radja can play at all.
   
   Pitino countered by implying the Sixers twisted the medical facts.
   
   "When Dino left us two weeks ago, he looked great," he says. "Then
   they found something totally different. Where the truth is, I'm not
   sure on this one."
   
   That's his way of calling Larry a fibber. So Pitino's first thought
   was to file a grievance. His second thought was to recognize the first
   thought for the idiocy that it was.
   
   The Celtics couldn't win this one, because a deal is not a deal until
   the principals pass their physicals.
   
   But Pitino waited to retract his request for arbitration just long
   enough to make Brown sweat over the subsequent Keith Van Horn-to-New
   Jersey deal, one in which Cage had to be included.
   
   There's more to this, of course. Pitino undoubtedly felt burned that
   the player he really wanted (Van Horn) was chosen by a team that
   didn't plan on keeping him.
   
   And if that's not enough intrigue, consider this story that has been
   circulating: Brown and Pitino met on an L.A. golf course in early May,
   just after Pitino removed himself from consideration in Boston, which
   effectively made Brown the leading candidate.
   
   Larry, being his candid self, told Rick how enticing the job was,
   relating every detail regarding money and perks. Shortly thereafter,
   the story goes, Pitino decided to put himself back in the Boston
   picture.
   
   All's fair, we guess. And it seems these two are prepared to take that
   management philosophy to the extreme.
   
   TOP OF THE CLASS
   
   Before the free-agent market opened last Tuesday, the 12 highest
   salaries next season belonged to Shaquille O'Neal ($12.86 million),
   Horace Grant ($11.76 million), Alonzo Mourning ($11.25 million), Juwan
   Howard ($11.25 million), Gary Payton ($10.5 million), Larry Johnson
   ($9.7 million), Dikembe Mutombo ($9.6 million), David Robinson ($9.5
   million), Reggie Miller ($9 million), Hakeem Olajuwon ($8.6 million),
   Derrick Coleman ($8 million) and Penny Hardaway ($7.6 million).
   
   Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing undoubtedly were going to vault to
   the top of the list, and Brian Williams was expected to sneak into
   this upper tier somewhere.
   
   DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS
   
   Muggsy Bogues is steamed. Seems that Hornets coach Dave Cowens said
   recently that the point guard should retire, that he couldn't imagine
   anyone in the league trading for him and that he probably couldn't
   pass a physical anywhere.
   
   "They weren't too concerned last season when they asked me to play on
   one damn leg," Bogues says, accurately enough. "Now that I'm feeling
   fine, they're pushing me out the door. As far as I'm concerned, I'm
   playing next season -- in Charlotte or somewhere. First it was, 'He's
   short,' and then it was my knee. If they don't want me, trade me,
   because I'll be playing somewhere."
   
   The rest, ear-witnesses say, was unprintable.
   
   Upshot: Bogues has one year left at $1.8 million, and David Falk says
   he'll try to find another team for him.
   
   STILL UNKEMPT
   
   During the TNT draft telecast, Hubie Brown caused a stir in Seattle by
   stating the Sonics and Shawn Kemp had "resolved the situation." That
   was news to the Sonics (and probably to Kemp), who will spend the
   summer trying to persuade their petulant star to stick around.
   
   "From the coaching staff's standpoint, nothing has changed," coach
   George Karl says. "I don't know what to say about it. To me, it's just
   a matter of waiting."
   
   Indeed, Karl is still awaiting Refrain Man to return one of his calls.
   
   It's unlikely this will be resolved amicably, however.
   
   Kemp's teammates think of him as something of an ungrateful clod,
   though they stuck up for him in April and talked Karl out of
   suspending him.
   
   That saved the money-obsessed Kemp about $100,000. His teammates also
   feel Kemp betrayed them by not discussing his trade demands before
   going public with them.
   
   SCATTERSHOTS
   
   Heat officials are considering acquiring Derrick Coleman. His agent,
   Harold McDonald, wrote Pat Riley and told him how much his client
   would love to play in Miami. We would love to see the look on DC's
   face when Riley starts quoting 13th century Chinese military
   strategists. . . .
   
   Given the way the Cavaliers drafted, will the shackles finally come
   off Mike Fratello's offense?
   
   "All I've heard from (Derek Anderson and Brevin Knight) so far is
   about scoring and transition -- (so) I guess we'll have to run next
   year," Fratello says, teasing as usual. . . .
   
   Gary Fitzsimmons, the Cavs' voluble personnel chief, is being
   considered for the Golden State G.M. job. But Jim Lynam is still in
   the picture.
   
   It's sounding more like Jerry Stackhouse likes Philadelphia after all,
   judging by his reaction to Keith Van Horn's negative impression of the
   Sixers.
   
   "Everybody has his opinion, but we have some guys with talent,"
   Stackhouse says. "If that's how he really feels, we'll really look
   forward to playing against him. I think we're about to end that
   (downward) spiral. I'd advise a young player to jump on." . . .
   
   The Suns are already thinking about rebuilding. They called the
   Raptors a day after the draft and offered Cedric Ceballos and Steve
   Nash for Tracy McGrady. Isiah Thomas' response: Click.
   
   Any minute now, the Knicks will give coach Jeff Van Gundy a three-year
   extension averaging about $2.3 million.
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