Notes on a Scorecard - April 18, 1994

What if an NBA game were scheduled and neither team showed up? . . .

I thought it might happen Saturday night at the Sports Arena. . . .

After all, hadn’t the Clippers and Lakers already packed it in for the season? . . .

Actually, it turned out to be a delightful couple of hours, Dominique Wilkins giving a recital of his skills and the Lakers slashing the Clippers’ lead to one point after trailing by 20 with 10 minutes left. . . . The lame duck coach, Magic Johnson, said he couldn’t complain about the Lakers’ attitude this time. . . .

But the loss was their sixth in a row. So much for the magic. The euphoria wore off less than halfway through Johnson’s coaching career after his Lakers won five of their first six. . . .

Lack of talent, more than lack of effort, caught up with them. . . .

Magic’s successor is going to need patience, a free agent such as Horace Grant or Danny Manning, and a productive draft pick. . . .

It is no secret that Jerry West covets Rick Pitino of Kentucky, who coached the New York Knicks to the Atlantic Division title in his second and final NBA season of 1988-89. . . .

College coaches who impress West, but don’t have NBA experience, are Roy Williams of Kansas, Gary Williams of Maryland and Bob Huggins of Cincinnati. . . .

Laker assistants Michael Cooper and Larry Drew are longshots. . . .

The Clippers might also make a change, but owner Donald Sterling can’t be eager to eat the remaining two years on Bob Weiss’ three-year contract. . . .

Besides, who would want to occupy that hot seat? . . .

Funny. Lenny Wilkens nearly signs with the Clippers, but, instead, moves from Cleveland to Atlanta to replace Weiss and becomes the leading candidate for NBA coach of the year. . . .

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In the aftermath of the Kings’ most disappointing season ever, Barry Melrose, who coached them to their most surprising season ever the year before, deserves another chance. . . .

He also deserves a general manager who is on the same page with him. . . .

Welcome to L.A., but not the playoffs. This is the first time since the Lakers moved from Minneapolis in 1960 and the Kings began operations in 1967 that no postseason NBA or NHL games will be played here. . . .

Spring football practice isn’t the same any more, according to John Robinson. . . .

“Things have changed a lot,” Robinson said after the conclusion of the second spring of his second stint at USC. “The academic schedule is a lot more demanding. Five or six kids have missed practice each day because of afternoon classes.” . . .

“Improving our ability to run the football is a goal,” he said. “But we can’t and don’t want to go back to being a dominating running team. In the old days, teams stayed in the same defense and let you run them into the ground. Now they’ll put nine guys on the line of scrimmage and force you to pass.” . . .

The Trojan opener is still set for Sept. 3 against Washington at the Coliseum, where officials say earthquake damage repair is on schedule. . . .

The cover of the USC spring brochure billed quarterback Rob Johnson as a Heisman Trophy candidate. . . .

“That’s no distraction,” Robinson said. “I wish I had seven Heisman Trophy candidates. I’ve gone to the banquet in New York twice and would love to go a third time.” . . .

Junior college transfers who caught the coach’s eye during the spring were defensive end Marcus Bonds, outside linebacker Israel Ifeanyi, inside linebacker Errick Herrin and wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson. . . .

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Former two-time lightweight champion Mando Ramos of Long Beach will become the first inductee into the Olympic Auditorium Boxing Hall of Fame during ceremonies before the Hector Lopez-Rod Sequenen fight Saturday night. . . .

Kennedy McKinney’s decision victory over Welcome Ncita Saturday on ABC reminded me of a brisk, well-contested Gillette or Pabst Blue Ribbon fight-of-the-week in the late 1950s. . . .

Holy Bull will try to become only the 22nd Kentucky Derby winner and the first since Winning Colors in 1988 to lead wire-to-wire. . . .

Like Brocco in the Santa Anita Derby, Holy Bull never felt the whip in the Blue Grass Stakes. . . .

Don’t leave Angel games early this season. The traffic outside Anaheim Stadium isn’t that heavy and the home club has a fighting spirit. . . .

After Tim Wallach’s two-run double gave them a 16-2 lead over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the seventh inning Sunday, radio announcer Rick Monday said, “Now the Dodgers have broken it wide open.”