A 76er Miracle? Don’t Bet on It, Says Barkley

Could the Philadelphia 76ers pull off a miracle and win four straight from the Boston Celtics?

Charles Barkley wouldn’t advise you to bet on it. Even before Saturday’s game, the 76er rookie said: “I ain’t going to say but one thing. If we lose, we’ll be in the Bahamas by the end of next week.

“That’s the bottom line.”

Cleveland’s Benny Ayala lost a fly ball in the clouds during the second inning against Boston and was charged with a two-base error. The skies cleared by the sixth inning, and Ayala singled in the go-ahead run as Cleveland won, 4-1.

Said Cleveland Manager Pat Corrales: “Benny looked a little ugly in left, but he was Robert Redford at the plate.”

Trivia Time: With 354 days at the helm, Doug Rader had the longest reign of the 11 managers preceding Bobby Valentine at Texas. Who had the shortest reign? (Answer below.)

Quiz Time: What three former managers of the Texas Rangers now are managing different teams in the major leagues? (Answer below.)

All-in-the-family dept.: On Friday night, Ray Knight hit his first home run of the season, a two-run shot, to help the New York Mets beat the San Francisco Giants, 3-2, in 12 innings. The next day, wife Nancy Lopez, seeking her first win of the year, shot her second straight 69 to take the halfway lead in the $175,000 LPGA tournament at Chatham Township, N.J.

Who would you take in the draft if you had your choice among Ed Pinckney, Keith Lee, Chris Mullin and Karl Malone?

Phoenix Suns General Manager Jerry Colangelo said he would take Pinckney.

Of the 6-9 Villanova center, he said: “Pinckney impressed a lot of people with his blue-collar work against Georgetown. He gets up and down the floor very well and he’s a good rebounder.”

Add Mullin: Peter Vecsey of the New York Post asked NBA players to rate the St. John’s guard and got divergent opinions.

Said Walter Davis of Phoenix: “He’s going to be an excellent all-around player. He’s got everything but speed. His unselfish style is going to rub off on a lot of guys. People like to play with someone like him.”

Said James Worthy of the Lakers: “I don’t believe he’s got great natural talent, or is going to be a great pro. He’ll be more along the lines of a Bill Bradley, a great role player, that is, as long as he’s playing for a thinking team that makes the extra pass.”

Add Lee: Washington Bullet General Manager Bob Ferry told the Sporting News: “I’m not sure he’ll make it big in the NBA. He has soft hands, with the ability to catch the ball in a crowd, but his defense leaves a lot to be desired and he has poor lateral movement. This is very important in the NBA.”

Said Houston Rocket Coach Bill Fitch, looking to next season when Patrick Ewing joins the New York Knicks: “If I was Boston I’d be ready to buckle my belt for a tough battle. If all those guys who are hurt on the Knicks get healthy, they could win it all.”

Trivia Answer: Eddie Stanky. He had a one-day reign in 1977. After succeeding Frank Lucchesi, he managed the Rangers to a victory, then proclaimed he was homesick and quit.

Quiz Answer: Billy Martin (New York Yankees), Pat Corrales (Cleveland) and Whitey Herzog (St. Louis).

Quotebook

Whitey Herzog, after finally benching a couple of players who were fighting slumps: “Patience is a great thing, but sometimes patience gets you fired.”