The Suns come to Chicago on Monday, and it’s another ho-hum night against another bad team for the Bulls.
The Suns lost their first four games, and there’s not even Charles Barkley to provide entertainment.
The Suns are shooting about 40 percent and allowing opponents to shoot almost 50 percent from the field and they’re getting outrebounded by more than 10 per game. Iron man A.C. Green, fighting back spasms, is playing only to keep alive his streak of more than 800 straight games, and he’s averaging about 15 minutes a game. They’ve started Green, Joe Kleine and Danny Manning at center, Robert Horry is shooting 27 percent and only Sam Cassell has been consistent, averaging 19 per game.
Kevin Johnson and John “Hot Rod” Williams remain out, and when the Suns return home from this road trip, they’re looking at seeing the Bulls again, the Lakers and the Rockets in three games. Can anyone count to 50 losses?
It wasn’t much fun seeing Barkley hit them for 33 rebounds in the home opener last week, prompting team President Jerry Colangelo to repeat the oft-stated notion that while the Suns had a great honeymoon period with Barkley in 1993, Barkley was too undisciplined to sustain winning.
Colangelo said: “He’s an individualist and a great player who, in my opinion, doesn’t necessarily make players around him better. The last couple of years, a number of players on our team underachieved.”
Now they’re doing it without Barkley.
Armstrong report: So what ever happened to that cute B.J. Armstrong? It seems he’s lost his job, and most of his playing time, to that cute Mark Price. And, at least for Armstrong, it’s not going to get better until he gets traded again, which could be soon.
After winning the starting point guard job in Golden State last season and averaging 12.3 points and a career-high 4.9 assists, Armstrong is averaging just 16 minutes off the bench as the Warriors lost three of four to open the season. He is averaging five points per outing and has taken a total of seven shots in four games.
“Personally, if I had my choice, I’d be a starter,” Armstrong said. “I feel more comfortable starting the game. I’ve kind of gotten in that groove in my career.”
And it should get worse for the former Bull.
With small point guards Price, Armstrong and Bimbo Coles, the Warriors said they’d use Latrell Sprewell at small forward some to give the guards playing time. But in trading Rony Seikaly, the Warriors held out to get swingman Donald Royal, leaving less time for Sprewell to go to small forward. And since Armstrong is a shooter, like Price, when the Warriors need a spark off the bench, they’re going to the quicker Coles.
“I was sort of surprised they signed Mark Price because I thought they needed more help in the front court,” said Knicks forward Buck Williams, who talked with the Warriors in the summer.
Armstrong was surprised, too. And not happy.
Motivation from dad: Even though the Bullets won their opener over Orlando, what stuck out most was Chris Webber starting at center and ending with one rebound. It also was noticeable to Webber’s dad, Mayce, who called his son after the Bullets’ second game.
The message: You’re 6 feet 10 inches tall and weigh 250 pounds and you got one more rebound than a dead man.
“My father has never criticized me before,” Webber said, “never one time in my whole life. My first reaction when I heard was to cry. Then I thought, `He’s right.’ “
Too bad for the Spurs: Webber got a career-high 21 rebounds the next game.
“I’m going to call my father tonight and tell him I got his message,” Webber said.
Webber also hopes Nike is getting his message. The former Michigan star is taping over the logo on his sneakers because he says Nikes don’t have to cost so much as to lead to violence among poor kids trying to get enough money for the shoes. Nike says Webber just wants more money in his shoe contract.
Wallace soars: Biggest rookie surprise could be the Knicks’ John Wallace, who has scored in double figures in each of the team’s first four games off the bench and appears that he will soon replace Buck Williams as first big man off the bench. “You can’t get all jittery; you just have to perform,” says Wallace, who slipped to No. 18 in the draft because of questions about his character. The Knicks aren’t ready to declare him a find yet. He already has been charged with disorderly conduct when he was pulled over for playing his stereo too loud, then challenged a police officer; skipped the rookie orientation session; and was fined for being late to the Knicks’ first exhibition game. . . . They were lined up around the block in Japan for autographs of–Adrian Caldwell? “They were in awe to see an NBA player,” said Caldwell, just barely one. “It’s good when the guys at the end of the bench can get some glory.” . . . He stayed in the game, but the 76ers’ Jerry Stackhouse was fuming when the last shot in an attempt to beat the Pistons last week went to Lucious Harris. Stackhouse said: “It’s a tough pill to swallow.” . . . Working on a six-year, $12.2 million contract, Rod Strickland isn’t too happy and dumped agent Mark Termini for David Falk. . . . The Hawks have put together three straight West Coast wins, including in Seattle, after opening with losses to Miami and Detroit. General Manager Pete Babcock said the team started slowly because the players do too many community-service projects. . . . It could be the last look at Muggsy Bogues when the Bulls are in Charlotte later this week as Bogues reportedly is contemplating retirement becaus of knee problems. Trainer Terry Kofler said: “When it’s grinding bone on bone, like it is for him, you’ve got to worry about walking with a permanent limp or having a knee replacement.” . . . The generation gap continues. Robert Parish is a grandfather and Rick Mahorn, back in Detroit, attended high school with Allen Iverson’s mother in Connecticut. . . . What ever happened to Jason Kidd? Mr. Former Triple Double was outscored by Tyus Edney 24-3, by Damon Stoudamire 28-8 and by Lindsey Hunter 16-12 and is averaging 3.2 turnovers. “It’s going to come and once it does, we’ll be fine,” he says.
The Spurs, another team on the verge of exiting from contention with their center out, play Portland, Utah, the Lakers and Indiana in the next week. “David’s (Robinson) absence has guys down,” said coach Bob Hill. “I tried to put on my psychology hat and talk to them, but they’re just down.” . . . The Rockets, facing the Lakers Tuesday night in the latest big game of the week, were 39-6 in November since 1993 after opening 4-0. . . . Charles Barkley gave out autographed basketball cards of himself instead of candy to trick-or-treaters. . . . The Warriors’ Donyell Marshall asked to be traded, but with a nine-year, $42 million deal, there aren’t many takers.
