Bill Reynold's Assorted Basketball Thoughts

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

Says don't bet the ranch that Mercer will be a Celtics next season...


        5.29.99 00:23:42
        BILL REYNOLDS
        Pippen & Co. take note: NBA's now for the young

FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH:
<snips>
The demise of the Utah Jazz is just another
sign that the NBA is changing right in front of our
eyes.

First it's Michael and the Bulls, off to the basketball
graveyard. Then it was the Rockets with its front line
older than water. Now it's Stockton, Malone and the
rest of the Jazz, who went out in the second round
Thursday night to the Trail Blazers. Bang the drum
slowly.

Forget the Pacers and the Knicks for a second. They are
the last remnants of the old guard. The future is the
Spurs, the Trail Blazers, maybe the Lakers, the other
young teams that are fighting to make the next step.

The future is Duncan, Iverson, Kobe, the other youngs
with their hip-hop culture. The past is Barkley and
Malone, Olajuwon and and Pippen.

The torch has been passed.


Look up ``Basketball Dysfunction'' in the
dictionary and you will see a picture of the Lakers.


Yes, Bill Russell was one of the all-time
greats. But let's not forget he also had the good
fortune to play alongside many great players, something
other superstars did not.


Karl Malone looked liked Father Time in
Thursday's loss.

Memo to the Nets: John Thompson retired about
10 years ago, in case you didn't notice.

The real ``Star Wars'' is Kobe and Shaq.

 Mark Jackson forgot more than what most young
point guards know.

 A month ago Lamar Odom was thought to be a lock
to be the number one pick in the draft. Now that
appears shaky, as Lamar's off-the-court baggage has
people concerned.

Ah, Spike and Reggie. A very contemporary
rivalry.

 If they banned every NBA player who smokes
marijuana there wouldn't be a league.

Fall River's Chris Herren, angling to get into
the first round of next month's NBA draft, visits
Atlanta and Indiana next week for individual workouts.

No one in the NBA has any more heart than John
Stockton.

What's the message when Latrell Sprewell has a
sneaker commercial?

Tim Duncan would have made the Celtics look
very different.

I would like the Knicks a lot better if those
tired celebrities weren't in the first row.

Don't bet the ranch that Ron Mercer will be a
member of the Celtics next year.


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