A Roundup of the Week May 7-13
PRO BASKETBALL—After the Trail Blazers had run their Western Conference semifinal playoff series lead to 2-0 with a 122-112 home court victory—Portland's Terry Porter led the way with 27 points—the Spurs rallied to even the series at San Antonio's HemisFair Arena. In Game 3, the Spurs never trailed en route to a 121-98 triumph. David Robinson, who during the week received the league's Pivotal Player award, scored 28 points and blocked eight shots, and Rod Strickland chipped in with 17 assists and committed only one turnover. Terry Cummings took over in the fourth game, leading San Antonio to a 115-105 win with 35 points. Robinson added 21 and continued to shut down his man; Cliff Robinson, who stepped in to play center for Portland's injured regular, Kevin Duckworth, shot 25.6% in the series' first four games. The winner of the Spurs versus the Blazers figured to meet the Lakers in the Western Conference finals, but the Suns broke a 21-game losing streak at the Forum with a 104-102 victory in Game 1 and went on to take a surprising 3-1 series lead (page 30). In the Eastern Conference, the Pistons took an identical lead over the Knicks. In the series opener, New York was outscored 35-15 in the third quarter and shot just 32 for 90 from the floor in the game as Detroit won 112-77. New York kept the score close in the second game, but Isiah Thomas hit three of his five three-pointers down the stretch, and James Edwards had a career playoff high 32 points in a 104-97 Piston win. The victory was Detroit's 12th straight in playoff competition. That streak ended in Game 3 as Patrick Ewing scored 45 points and New York won 111-103. The game marked the first time in this postseason that the Pistons allowed an opponent to score 100 or more points. But Ewing suffered from foul trouble in the fourth game, playing just six minutes and scoring no points in the first half, and Detroit had six scorers in double figures, including Edwards with a team-high 19 points, as the Pistons prevailed 102-90. The Bulls played Game 4 without Scottie Pippen, who went home after the death of his father, but Michael Jordan filled the void by scoring 45 points to help Chicago grab a 3-1 lead in its series with the Sixers (page 26).
CYCLING—RAUL ALCALA of Mexico defeated Atle Kvalsvoll of Norway by 43 seconds to win the 1,107-mile Tour de Trump. Alcala earned $50,000 (page 42).
GOLF—GREG NORMAN shot an even-par 216 for 54 holes to win the rain-shortened Memorial tournament by one shot over Payne Stewart and earn $180,000, in Dublin, Ohio.
Dottie Mochrie had a four-under-par 68 in the final round for a 16-under-par total of 200 to beat Chris Johnson by nine strokes and win an LPGA event and $52,500 in Chesapeake, Va.
Jimmy Powell fired an eight-under-par 208 to win a Senior tour event and $67,500 in Oklahoma City. Rives Mcbee, Jim Dent, Terry Dill and Mike Hill tied for second, three strokes behind.
HARNESS RACING—MY GURU ($17), Doug Brown at the reins, defeated Chatham Light by 1¼ lengths to win the George Morton Levy Memorial and $120,000, at Yonkers Raceway. The 4-year-old pacer covered the mile in 1:54[3/5].
Beach Towel ($2.80), driven by Ray Remmen, beat In The Pocket by half a length to win the William E. Miller Memorial and $157,505, at Rosecroft Raceway. He paced the mile in 1:52⅗ a track record for 3-year-olds.
HOCKEY—As the Campbell Conference finals between the Oilers and the Blackhawks began, the past offered a clear pattern: Five times in Edmonton's 11-year history, the Oilers had reached the conference finals and five times they had won. Contrast that with the impotent record of recent Norris Division champions, none of which had reached the Cup finals since the current playoff format was adopted in 1982. Last week the Oilers again reached the Stanley Cup finals. Edmonton's Mark Messier turned the Campbell finals upside down in Game 4 with two goals and two assists as the Oilers won 4-2 at Chicago Stadium to square the series 2-2. In the fifth game, Jari Kurri scored the game-winner in a 4-3 Oiler victory. Kurd's goal was the 89th of his career in the playoffs, tying him with former teammate Wayne Gretzky for the NHL postseason record. Messier was one of eight Oilers to get a goal as Edmonton rolled to a series-clinching 8-4 win, and Messier ran his scoring streak to 10 consecutive games. In the Stanley Cup finals, which began early this week, the Oilers would face the well-rested Bruins, who completed a sweep of the Capitals in the Wales Conference finals. Boston did it with defense, allowing six goals in its four-game blitz. After building a two-games-to-none lead at home, the Bruins prevailed 4-1 in Game 3 in Washington. Boston's Andy Moog excelled—he had 25 saves—even though he did give up a score to John Druce that broke a 117-minute scoring drought for the Caps. The net remained elusive for Washington in Game 4, and the Caps had only 14 shots on goal, including only three in the third period. Cam Neely led the Bruins' offense with a pair of goals. Final score: 3-2 (page 52).
HORSE RACING—CRIMINAL TYPE ($17.40), Jose Santos up, beat Ruhlmann by a neck to win the Pimlico Special and $600,000, at Pimlico. The 5-year-old horse covered the 1[3/16] miles in a track-record 1:53.
MOTOR SPORTS—RICCARDO PATRESE, driving a Williams-Renault, defeated Gerhard Berger, in a McLaren-Honda, by 5.1 seconds to win the San Marino Grand Prix, in Imola, Italy. Patrese averaged 125.985 mph over 61 laps of the 3.13-mile road course.
SOCCER—In a pair of World Cup tune-up matches, the U.S. beat Poland 3-1 and tied Ajax of Amsterdam 1-1.
TENNIS—JUAN AGUILERA upset top-seeded Boris Becker 6-1, 6-0, 7-6 to win the German Open and $125,000, in Hamburg.
Monica Seles defeated Martina Navratilova 6-1, 6-1 to win the women's Italian Open and earn $100,000, in Rome.
MILEPOSTS—APPROVED: By voters in Cleveland, a tax on alcohol and tobacco that will help finance the building of a downtown stadium-arena complex for the Indians and the Cavaliers, to be completed in 1994.
FIRED: As coach of the Calgary Flames, TERRY CRISP, 46, who in his three seasons with the Flames guided them to a 144-63-33 record and their only Stanley Cup.
As coach of the Boston Celtics, JIMMY RODGERS, 47, under whom the Celtics had a 94-70 mark the past two seasons.
NAMED: As basketball coach at George Washington, MIKE JARVIS, 45, who guided Boston University to a 101-51 record and two NCAA tournament appearances in his five seasons with the Terriers.
SUSPENDED: By the National League, Cincinnati Reds infielder MARIANO DUNCAN, 27, for one game, for bumping umpire Mark Hirschbeck during a game on May 9. Duncan was also fined an undisclosed amount.
TRADED: By the New York Yankees, outfielder DAVE WINFIELD, 38, to the California Angels for pitcher MIKE WITT, 29. As a major leaguer with 10 years' experience and five years with the Yankees, Winfield claimed that he could refuse to be traded. The Yankees contended that a clause in Winfield's contract permitted the deal. The issue probably will be resolved by an arbitrator. And by the Los Angeles Dodgers, second baseman WILLIE RANDOLPH. 35, to the Oakland Athletics for outfielder STAN JAVIER, 25.
