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Peter May's Sunday Globe Column
[The Boston Globe Online][Boston.com]
[Boston Globe Online / Sports]
PRO BASKETBALL
It may be Indiana that sets the pace
By Peter May, Globe Staff, 01/17/99
They're the fashionable pick now that Michael Jordan has departed and
the Avis crowd can finally talk without a laugh track about winning
a title. Yup, it's your Indiana Pacers, who nearly dethroned Jordan last
spring. They're back, determined, hungry, and everyone's favorite in the
East.
Knicks boss Dave Checketts anointed them the team to beat. Coach of the Year
Larry Bird is now, officially, on the hot seat. ''That's all right,'' said
former coach Bill Fitch. ''Larry has asbestos pants.''
Bird says he welcomes the attention, pressure, and scrutiny. Last year, we
all figured that Bird's return home was a hoop Hallmark card. We also
figured that Indiana would make the playoffs after taking a sabbatical the
year before. Few envisioned them taking the Bulls down to the wire.
Let's hope they remember how they got there and how disappointed they felt
after Game 7. If they don't, the coach will be there to remind them.
''We're going to work their butts off,'' Bird said. ''I think all this is
good for us. They worked hard last year and hopefully they'll do the same
and come back and work even harder because they know what's at stake. We
still have to be better. And we still have to be tougher in certain
situations.''
The Pacers figure to have everyone back - Rik Smits is a lock to re-sign.
They've been working out in Indianapolis as a group and are, like everyone
else, awaiting the starter's gun from NBA headquarters. Many teams are
expecting to open camp Tuesday.
What Bird is not looking forward to is the schedule. The NBA sent out a note
last week saying it would brief teams Tuesday as to when they might get the
real thing. Market Square Arena is booked for much of February and Bird
fears his team may have to spend an inordinate amount of time on the road.
That makes it even more important that the team start strongly.
But historically, the Pacers have been a slow-starting team. They were 5-6
in their first 11 last season and really didn't get rolling until
mid-December. They were 5-8 through November the year before and 1-6 in one
of the two years they made it to the conference finals under Larry Brown.
''It's going to be tough,'' Bird said. ''We may open at home and then go out
to the West Coast. I don't know. But these guys are veterans and they should
understand what it takes and how important it is to get off to a good start.
Our time is running out here. We want to do it now.''
Popular Popeye
The Celtics will have some competition for Popeye Jones. Jimmy Sexton, who
represents the rebound machine (he's usually near the top in
boards-per-minute), said he received 17 calls regarding Jones. Most were
offers that started at the new veteran exception figure ($1.75 million), but
some were better. The Celtics' offer reportedly was underwhelming, but they
could use Jones and he is not averse to staying. ''We like him. We're
fans,'' said Boston general manager Chris Wallace. The Pacers also wouldn't
mind having him around, although they are more interested in a serviceable
backup center in the event that something happens to Smits ... Chauncey
Billups is available, in case anyone is interested. One rumor had the Knicks
talking to the Raptors in a deal involving a re-signed Charlie Ward...
Speaking of the Raptors, they are penciled in as Boston's opponent for the
home-and-home exhibition games. Dee Brown is psyched ... Reports from
overseas indicate that Vlade Divac looked a little Shawn Kemp ish in his
debut for Belgrade Red Star. A much-anticipated duel with Arvydas Sabonis,
however, did not materialize as Sabonis decided to sit out the game, fearing
injury. Both are free agents. We also hear that Dino Radja's team briefly
considered approaching Smits when Radja's knees started to bother him ...
Guess who's working out with Utah? Thurl Bailey, who last played for the
Jazz in 1991-92 (he was traded to Minnesota for Ty Corbin). He has spent the
last couple of years in Europe and would be looking for a spot at the end of
the bench. He knows the staff, system, and players. He also turns 38 in
April. The Jazz seem disinclined to bring back Antoine Carr and may have
some interest in local boy Travis Knight... Speaking of grizzled vets, John
Salley, last seen on NBC, also is hoping to reenter the league. After Salley
collected a championship ring from the 1995-96 Bulls, Chicago went out and
signed Robert Parish, and Big John retired at the tender age of 32 ... If
you're wondering how the Lakers are going to fare without Nick Van Exel
running the point, you're not alone. The latest name to surface for the job
is Kevin Johnson, who supposedly retired from the Suns but is still
interested if the situation is right. The Lakers also are looking for a way
to pry Horace Grant from Orlando.
Fitch's burg
Fitch is home in the Houston area, cranking up his satellite dish and
waiting for the right call. Sacramento called before offering the job to
Rick Adelman, but Fitch passed. ''I'm going to stay interested,'' he said.
''For me, this [lockout] helped. I haven't had all these games to watch.''
We asked him about his old team, the Clippers, now in the hands of Chris
Ford. ''I wish Chris well,'' Fitch said. ''It's not as bad as it looks. We
got killed last year because we lost [ Bo] Outlaw and [ Loy] Vaught. But the
situation there is a lot better than it was when I first got there.'' The
big problem, other than the obligatory Clipper shortcomings (read:
ownership/management), is the lack of guards. Fitch loves the young
forwards. ''I really like Lorenzen Wright, and [ Rodney] Rogers, on his good
nights, is terrific,'' said Fitch. ''He just needs to have more of them. And
I love [ Maurice] Taylor. He's got great potential. They just need to
address the situation in the backcourt.'' Fitch had to use Darrick Martin
and Pooh Richardson at point guard last year, which may be one reason the
Clippers are interested in Sherman Douglas (who certainly knows Ford). Fitch
also is high on Eric Piatowski, although he said, ''He's more of a
30-minute-a-game shooting guard.'' Fitch had two years left on his contract
when the Clippers let him go. Let's hope he doesn't have to jump through
hoops to get what's his; some of his predecessors have had to do that and
more ... Ford, meanwhile, is at his third NBA post. He has plenty of
company, however, including Pat Riley, Mike Dunleavy , Don Nelson , Bernie
Bickerstaff , Del Harris , and Lenny Wilkens. The clubhouse leader, however,
is Larry Brown. He's on his sixth NBA gig ... We hear that Jayson Williams's
dissent movement in the union got some covert oomph from the NBA. Williams
had more than a few people in his pocket when he descended on the players
meeting the day an agreement was hatched. He was preparing to ask for a
vote. It's interesting to read the comments of Antoine ''Captain'' Walker
and Keith Van Horn in the wake of the settlement. Both said they thought
they could find a way to make ends meet making $85 million-plus. That must
make David Falk happy.
Where to now?
The status of the Big Three - Scottie Pippen, Antonio McDyess , and Tom
Gugliotta - is still the hot topic. Sexton said Pippen is leaning toward the
Rockets, no big surprise. Asked about doing a sign-and-trade, Sexton said,
''We're not going to do one without knowing where we're going.'' In other
words, forget that big deal with the Grizzlies. McDyess? Who knows? His new
agent also represents Van Exel, which could point to a return to Denver.
(Somewhere, Allan Bristow is chuckling over that possibility.) Houston is
another possibility, although it would not be if Pippen got there first.
Houston's four returnees account for about $17 million in salary and their
three first-rounders eat up another $2 million-$3 million. That leaves about
$10 million for Pippen or McDyess if the Rockets jettison their other guys.
It's a mystery why McDyess isn't a lock to stay in Phoenix, although the
Suns were not as enamored with him, especially early on, as others were.
He's still a work in progress, but there aren't many better places to play.
The Suns are somewhat handicapped in the free agent market because of the
rule that makes them keep some free agents on their cap for 300 percent of
what they made last year ( Rex Chapman, Cliff Robinson). Still, they look to
be the front-runners for Luc Longley, which at least gives them a widebody
to play against Shaq, Hakeem, David, and the rest. He's no Jim McIlvaine,
though. Googs is another tough one to peg. Minnesota can pay him the most
and wants him. In most instances, that would be sufficient, and he probably
will end up there. We've also heard a couple sign-and-trade rumors involving
him ... Thomas Hamilton may resurface this week in, of all places, Miami.
Maybe Riley will do an Ike Austin with the perpetually overweight Hamilton,
who never seemed to understand the picture when he was with the Celtics. The
Heat also plan to re-sign Mark Strickland, a very active 6-foot-9-inch guy
who is another one of those run-through-the-wall types that Riley likes ...
The Celtics' search for a big man won't include dipping Down Under for 1997
draft pick Ben Pepper. ''I can't see it happening this season,'' Wallace
said of the 7-footer, who is playing for the Victoria Titans in Australia.
Pepper is averaging about 15 points and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes a game.
His coach is Brian Goorjian, an American who used to be with Jerry Tarkanian
in Las Vegas ... Vaunted agent Steve Kauffman reports that a handful of
teams have called expressing interest in Dominique Wilkins. The Rockets are
one, and can you envision him with Pippen, Hakeem, and Charles? ''I don't
know what's going to happen,'' said Kauffman, adding that Wilkins would sign
for the $1 million minimum now available for veterans. ''He may have
deficiencies, but he can score points. Eddie Johnson is still in the league.
Why not 'Nique?'' Kauffman said Wilkins understands that he may be a utility
player at best. ''He might not have been able to do that a year or two
ago,'' Kauffman said. ''But he just wants to be in the league.''
This story ran on page D10 of the Boston Globe on 01/17/99.
© Copyright 1999 Globe Newspaper Company.