CONTENTS

20
NBA PLAYOFFS

The Pistons vs. the Bulls has been a rough-and-tumble matchup in the NBA Eastern Conference finals
BY JACK McCALLUM

Home court mastery left run-and-gun rivals Phoenix and Portland knotted at 2-2 in the NBA West
BY HANK HERSCH

28
OFF AND RUNNING
Lenny Dykstra is hammering the ball at a better-than-.400 clip for Philadelphia's surprising Phillies
BY STEVE WULF

34
THE FLYING DUTCHMAN
Arie Luyendyk, who had never won an Indy Car race in 75 tries, drove to the fastest 500 victory ever
BY SAM MOSES

42
DOWN HOME GOLF
Every year Corning, a small city in upstate New York, gives the women's tour a warm and towering welcome
BY SONJA STEPTOE

46
STILL DOING GREAT
The dynastic Edmonton Oilers won the Stanley Cup once again, and this time without Wayne Gretzky
BY JAY GREENBERG

54
To EARN OR TO LEARN
Todd Van Poppel, the top high school pitcher, says he wants to go to college before he cashes in on his arm
BY PHIL ROGERS

62
AMERICAN DREAMERS
Fifteen years after his family tied Saigon, Mike Nguyen, scholar-athlete, is off to UCLA to play football
BY BRUCE NEWMAN

78
PURE HEART
When Secretariat was making racing history, he took the author on an exhilarating and memorable ride
BY WILLIAM NACK

DEPARTMENTS

4
LETTERS

15
SCORECARD

68
TENNIS

72
BASEBALL

99
FOR THE RECORD

100
POINT AFTER

COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN IACONO

PHOTO

DOUG HOKE

REAL HARDBALL

Sure, the game was softball, but there was nothing pliant in the competitiveness that Lisa Fernandez of UCLA and the other players brought to the NCAA championships in Oklahoma City.