THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 8, 1994 TAG: 9406080514
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BOB MOLINARO
DATELINE: 940608 LENGTH: Medium
That's not to say, though, that the championship round doesn't shape up as a monumental battle. For the Knicks and Rockets, the struggle will be to capture America's discretionary viewing time.
{REST} Sure, people will watch. It's still easier to sit in front of a basketball game than to learn the names of the Vancouver Canucks.
Even so, professional basketball's lingering presence in June was more tolerable the past 14 years, when every team that won the title was led by Michael Jordan, Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird or Julius Erving.
This year, we get Patrick Ewing vs. Hakeem Olajuwon. Both are accomplished centers. But the matchup looks better in the headlines than it will on the court, where double-teaming and wrestling holds take the grace right out of the game.
When the Knicks play, grace on the court is as unexpected as good manners on the streets of New York.
It seems impossible that a coach as outwardly stylish as Pat Riley could produce such an unstylish team. When the Knickerboxers take the floor, every trip down court should be scored on a 10-point-must system.
Judging from the way they play, it wouldn't surprise anyone to learn that the Knicks refer to their team doctor as the cut man.
A noted New York columnist and TV magpie, a Knicks apologist, bawls that if you don't like watching New York play, don't.
People aren't. Ratings during the Indiana-New York series were off by as much as 30 percent from last year's Eastern Conference final.
The highlight of the playoffs so far has been the 25-point fourth quarter by Indiana's Reggie Miller that upset the Knicks in Game 5 and momentarily silenced self-promoter Spike Lee.
Miller's performance was like water to a thirsty fan. For one quarter, he set us free from the bump-and-grind monotony of the playoffs. For one period, he took back the game from the thugs. For a few moments, basketball was a spectacular, elegant game again.
Elegance is beyond the Knicks. Most likely, it will be beyond the Rockets. New York will see to that.
Neither the Knicks nor Rockets are particularly impressive. Neither team has the look of a champion. But, then, that's the direction the NBA is headed. Take this postseason, which has been littered with unfortunate, embarrassing and suspicious episodes.
From the Bulls-Knicks series, the three most remembered moments are Scottie Pippen's sit-down strike, a frightening player brawl that involved fans, and a questionable call that helped the Knicks to a key home victory.
Elsewhere, San Antonio's Dennis Rodman contributed to the playoff weirdness by getting himself tossed for dirty play. Utah owner Larry Miller set a fine example by trying to fight some Denver fans. Houston's Vernon Maxwell foolishly chased a TV cameraman. Ewing unaccountably failed to score a basket in a game against Indiana.
Finally, in Game 7 of the Pacers-Knicks series, Mike Mathis, NBC's favorite referee, made what nearly everyone agrees was a flagrant flagrant-foul call on Miller.
Point is, except for a game here or there, most of the debate this postseason has been about the many things that are wrong with the sport: the egos, the fights, the uninspired play, the unreliable refs.
Although it is probably beyond the Knicks and Rockets to return to the NBA some of its lost prestige, their series will, at least, bring the season to a close.
All's well that ends.
by CNB