Trivial Matters

Finals Exam

BRIDESMAID REVISITED Swept by the Lakers last year, the Nets were
again heavy underdogs entering this year's NBA Finals with the
Spurs. Since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976, which is the only team
to have lost in the Finals in consecutive seasons to different
opponents?

a. 76ers
b. Jazz
c. Lakers
d. Trail Blazers

NO SHOW Entering this postseason, who had the most career
regular-season points among active players who had never played
in the Finals?

THIS WEEK'S MATCHUP NBA players have to relish every trip to the
Finals, because you never know if you're going back. Match the
player to the team with which he reached his only Finals.

1. Dave Corzine a. Bullets
2. Tree Rollins b. Magic
3. Micheal Williams c. Pistons
4. Bill Willoughby d. Rockets

CALL TO ORDER Place these Finals MVPs in order of career points
scored in the Finals.

a. John Havlicek
b. Magic Johnson
c. Michael Jordan
d. Jerry West

ANSWERS

BRIDESMAID REVISITED: c. The Lakers lost the 1983 Finals to the
76ers, then were beaten by the Celtics the following year. The
last team to lose in the Finals in consecutive years was the
Jazz, who lost to the Bulls in both 1997 and '98.

NO SHOW: Before making it to his first Finals with the Spurs this
year, Kevin Willis had scored 16,990 points in 18 NBA seasons.
Dominique Wilkins, in 8th place on the career scoring list with
26,668 points, is the alltime leader among those who never
reached the Finals.

THIS WEEK'S MATCHUP: 1. a (1979); 2. b (1995); 3. c (1989); 4. d
(1981)

CALL TO ORDER: West (1,679 points); Jordan (1,176 points);
Havlicek (1,020 points); Johnson (971 points)