Charles Barkley says he knows. The New York Knicks are about to acquire a point guard, Barkley says, who’ll make them better than they were before Doc Rivers was hurt.
The Phoenix Suns star isn’t saying who, but he does talk to Magic Johnson quite a bit.
Magic in New York?
Why not?
Who would be better?
The Knicks, on the court, need someone to break pressure, get to the basket and get their stagnant offense easy points. Johnson has on a barnstorming tour and would love to return to the NBA, especially in the wide New York spotlight. And the NBA, without Michael Jordan and with a lot of bad, uninteresting teams, needs some excitement.
Can the league really accept a Seattle-Cleveland finals?
Commissioner David Stern can make things happen.
Johnson isn’t going to play for a bad Los Angeles team. So a deal could be worked out because the Lakers get nothing for him now. The Lakers could get some players now and some future Knicks’ No. 1 picks to rebuild. Those picks would be valuable because the Knicks figure to be a lottery team in a few years.
Sure, the Lakers owe Magic $14 million next season and Jerry West might not want to help make Pat Riley a winner again. But stranger things happen.
As for the Knicks, something has to happen unless, of course, the Bulls get there first and grab Derek Harper from Dallas.
“I’m not convinced that with Charles Smith and Hubert Davis we have what it takes to get it done,” says Knicks President Dave Checketts. “We have to add a piece to this puzzle to win it all this year. And I’m convinced we can do that.”
The Knicks continue to pursue Harper, Philadelphia’s Jeff Hornacek and Indiana’s Vern Fleming, among others, but can’t wait too long. John Starks, who has been helping out at point guard, is losing what shooting touch he had. He is 41 of his last 125 (32.8 percent) while the Knicks have shot 43.8 percent the last 10 games.
“We still have Patrick (Ewing) and John and Oak (Charles Oakley) and Mace (Anthony Mason),” says Riley. “We have guys who have been here a long time. I think it’s fair to expect this team to perform better.”
But it isn’t good enough to win any titles. The Knicks need some Magic for that.
Big deal: Cleveland’s Mark Price made first-team all-NBA as point guard last season. Now he’s becoming a shooting guard. Price has been playing “big guard” considerably this season, even starting there against the Lakers last week in a mini-backcourt with Terrell Brandon.
“We create a lot of havoc with our quickness,” Brandon said.
The Cavaliers also won four straight after inserting Bobby Phills, who had played a total of 269 minutes in the last two-plus seasons, into the starting lineup.
Phills, a 6-5 swingman from Southern, explained: “Like when somebody close to you dies, you don’t ask why. You just pray their soul is taken care of. There are so many things you can’t control because the decisions are made by other people. You just have to be confident things will work out.”
Shaq’s still rappin’: The referees are not impressed with Orlando’s Shaquille O’Neal. He got himself tossed again Wednesday, in a 92-90 loss to Atlanta, after complaining about the officiating. He was thrown out for arguing twice last season and he was fined heavily earlier this season.
Disputing a non-call, Shaq and teammate Jeff Turner were ejected by referee Bennett Salvatore. Larry Krystkowiak and two fans joined them later for what Salvatore said was similar abusive conduct.
“They were all ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct,” Salvatore said. “The fans go under the same heading.”
But Atlanta’s Craig Ehlo said: “We were in their faces (defensively) and they couldn’t handle it.”
Faint praise: Some holiday votes of confidence, sort of, for troubled coaches: “Allan’s not a very lovable guy,” said Charlotte President Spencer Stolpen of Allan Bristow, “but he’s right for this franchise at this particular time.”
Dallas owner Don Carter, after rookie coach Quinn Buckner was booed at home last week when the Mavericks tied a league record for most consecutive home losses in one season with their 13th: “When I get in a boat with someone, we’re on that boat together. I’m not going to bail out on them.”
And Minnesota’s Jack McCloskey, after the team lost nine of 10, on coach Sidney Lowe: “It’s too early to do anything about the staff.”
Firing out: Spud Webb doesn’t think Sacramento personnel director Jerry Reynolds’ resignation last week was voluntary.
“I’m not buying that,” Webb said. “I don’t see many people quitting their jobs these days.”
The Kings’ new owner, Jim Thomas, is said to be a meddler in the George Steinbrenner mold. He also doesn’t like to spend for talent. Credit Reynolds for being the one to trade Rodney McCray for Bill Wennington.
Unhappy trails: Clyde Drexler is due back from a sprained ankle in a week but that doesn’t leave everyone happy in Portland. The Blazers have won four of five without him.
“We’re playing more team ball now without him dominating the ball,” said one player. “You can see the spark in everybody else.”
“Who brought this up?” Drexler asked. “There’s no question the morale is up, but nine of 10 times I have the ball I’m looking to pass. That’s all I have to say.”
Buck Williams, on the last year of his contract, sees the future: “I won’t be spending next Christmas in Portland. That’s certain. I understand it in a business sense, but I think I’ve been valuable in more than just business terms.”
Around the league: Slimming down after the holidays, the Los Angeles Clippers’ John Williams supposedly is at 290 and may return in early January. Phoenix’s Oliver Miller was told he would start if he got down to 275. He reached 280 and coach Paul Westphal gave in. . . . In the Rockets’ three-losses-in-four-games slide last week, they shot 15 of 81 from three-point range, including 2 of 20 against Denver and 5 of 27 against Phoenix. “We have to take the ball to the basket more,” Mario Elie said. . . . The Clippers are trying to renew the Danny Manning-for-Glen Rice deal. . . . Golden State’s Chris Mullin, upon his return from a 10-month layoff with two hand injuries, missed 14 straight shots at one stretch against Portland and Philadelphia. “I don’t see it getting much worse,” Mullin said.
Robert Parish on the new Boston Celtics: “They’re even waiting for us in Dallas.” . . . Olden Polynice on the new Detroit Pistons: “We give everybody too much respect. We have to start disrespecting people. We have to start a fight or something.” . . . Dino Radja on his 0-of-14 shooting against San Antonio last week, the third-worst game in league history and one that equaled Boston’s worst, set by Bill Russell: “I tied a Bill Russell record. Unfortunately, it was the wrong one.” Danny Ainge saw the bright side: “Hey, he got up 14 shots in 18 minutes. He’s my idol.” . . . Hoping to bolster falling attendance, the Pistons are offering $7 discounted tickets Jan. 13 against the Knicks for all fans in bowling leagues. Should be some interesting shirts.
