The Vault
EXCERPT | June 2,1986
Punching It Up
The Lakers-Rocketsfeud before Kobe and Artest
The contretempsthat have heated this year's Rockets-Lakers playoff series are nothing newbetween the teams. SI's Jack McCallum chronicled the Western Conference finals,and all its shenanigans, 23 years ago.
The situation wasas improbable as the final shot itself—a twisting, half-blind, turnaroundprayer launched by a guy who is supposed to clutch in the clutch. The ballbounced on the front of the rim, again on the back and then, just as the finalbuzzer sounded like a doleful foghorn for the home fans in the L.A. Forum, itdropped through the basket. The Rockets had beaten the Lakers 114--112, theirfourth straight win and the one that sent the revved-up Rockets into thefinal.
Trailing 3--1 ingames, blowing leads of as much as 14 points, the defending champion Lakers hadfailed to pull away even though their personal Marquis de Sade, Akeem Olajuwon,was in the locker room. And then, with a second left and the score 112--112,L.A. coach Pat Riley chose not to contest the inbounds pass that Rodney McCraywould send so easily to 7'4" Ralph Sampson.
McCray might havebeen looking to pass to Olajuwon had not L.A.'s Mitch Kupchak taken care ofthat five minutes earlier. He had bumped and shoved Olajuwon until the Rocketscenter roughly elbowed him away. Kupchak shoved back, and Olajuwon startedswinging. Referee Jess Kersey then showed the best defense of the series,charging Olajuwon and driving him toward the L.A. bench, where that notedpeacemaker Maurice Lucas applied a headlock. For a moment it looked as though ahockey game had broken out. Olajuwon and Kupchak were ejected.
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Putting Randy Johnson's 22-year career in perspective as he inches closer to300 wins
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Michael Farber and Allan Muir debate who is the front-runner to succeed RedWings center Henrik Zetterberg as the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy aspostseason MVP. Also get complete coverage of the Eastern and WesternConference finals, including predictions, breakdowns of key matchups andnightly roundtable discussions from our panel of NHL experts.
At thePreakness
SI horse racingexpert Tim Layden weighs in on the big news of the 134th running of thePreakness Stakes—Calvin Borel's decision to get off Derby winner Mine That Birdand ride Kentucky Oaks' runaway winner Rachel Alexandra—provided she can securea starting spot.
"It was astunning choice that Borel viewed as a no-brainer," Layden writes."Borel stood outside Barn 36 at Churchill Downs and shrugged his shoulders.'I got no choice,' he said. 'This filly is the best horse in the country. She'sthe best horse I've ever been on.' Historians at the Daily Racing Form havesurmised that Borel would be the first jockey in Triple Crown history to winthe Kentucky Derby and take a different mount in the Preakness." FindLayden's full coverage of the Rachel Alexandra story, plus ...
• Gene Menez makeshis picks for the Preakness as racing looks for its first Triple Crown winnerin 31 years
• Mark Beechchecks in with live race-day coverage from Pimlico
• Photo gallery ofthe race and the event's happenings, on and off the track
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Disorder on the Court
The Nasty '90s
1994
Bulls-Knicks A playoff brawl begun by New York's Derek Harper and Chicago's JoJo English (in white) spilled into the stands, near NBA boss David Stern.
1998
Heat-Knicks As Miami's Alonzo Mourning battled Charles Oakley in a first-roundmelee, New York coach Jeff Van Gundy was glomming on to Mourning's leg.
1999
Lakers-Rockets At it again. In this midcourt pileup, L.A.'s Shaquille O'Nealwas on the bottom, being pummeled by Houston's Charles Barkley.
GALLERIES BROWSE SI COVERS
Manny who? The Dodgers have made spring buzz in happiertimes
May 18, 1981
Fernandomania was at its height: The rookie Valenzuela was 7--0 with fiveshutouts and drawing huge crowds.
May 27, 1974
Power hitter and bad boy turned fan favorite Jim Wynn led L.A. on a nine-gamewinning streak.
June 17, 1968
Don Drysdale became the goose-egg king, reeling off 58 straight scorelessinnings.
PHOTO
Photograph by JOHN W. MCDONOUGH
¬†SPLITDECISION Ref Kersey got between Kupchak and Olajuwon—and took Olajuwon for aride.
PHOTO
PHIL VELASQUEZ, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES/AP PHOTO
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MARK LENNIHAN/AP PHOTO
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PAT SULLIVAN/AP PHOTO
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JOHN W. MCDONOUGH (ANTHONY)
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DAVID E. KLUTHO (ZETTERBERG)
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LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER/ZUMA/ICON SMI (BOREL)
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MANNY MILLAN (VALENZUELA)
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ERIC SCHWEIKARDT (WYNN)
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SHEEDY & LONG (DRYSDALE)
THREE PHOTOS