Notes on a Scorecard - April 11, 1995

The San Antonio Spurs have taken the Lakers to school twice in the last couple of weeks, beating them, 107-84, at the Alamodome and, 101-87, at the Forum. . . .

So what does Spur guard Doc Rivers--the former Atlanta Hawk, Clipper and New York Knick--think about the Lakers? . . .

“They’re very good,” he said Sunday night. “They’re one of the few teams in the league that can match up athletically with us.” . . .

“They’re cocky,” Rivers said. “I mean cocky in a positive sense. They don’t think they can lose. That’s Del Harris. He should be coach of the year.” . . .

As for most valuable player, the Spurs unanimously vote for their center, David Robinson. . . .

“If David’s not an MVP, I don’t know who is,” said San Antonio assistant Dave Cowens, who won the honor as the Boston Celtics’ center in 1972-73. . . .

“Shaquille O’Neal plays with a lot of heart, but he doesn’t understand the game like David or do many of the things that David does. David shoots well from the field and at the free throw line, rebounds, gets assists, defends and blocks shots. He has no weaknesses.” . . .

“David has really risen to the occasion and that’s what an MVP is supposed to do,” Cowens said. . . .

Cowens was alluding to the Spurs’ 12-0 record since Dennis Rodman, who was supposed to be indispensable, suffered a shoulder separation and was put on the disabled list. . . .

Harris on the Spurs: “I said in December that they were the best team in the league and nothing has happened to change my mind. David Robinson is making it possible for every one of these guys to become a better player. They do everything well.” . . .

Harris was less complimentary about his own team after Sunday’s loss, saying it has yet to make a total commitment to defense. . . .

“The only vehicles that keep functioning in the playoffs are those fueled by defense and rebounding,” Harris said. . . .

After shooting 36% at the Alamodome on March 29, some Lakers blamed it on the building. Sure enough, the Laker shooting against the Spurs improved all the way to 39% Sunday. . . .

The Lakers have had 17,505-seat sellouts at the Forum for their last three games--against Orlando, Utah, and San Antonio--but still rank 23rd among the 27 teams in the league in home attendance. . . .

Their average is 14,174. Only Portland, which sells out the 12,888-seat Memorial Coliseum every game, Philadelphia, Atlanta and the Clippers have drawn fewer fans. . . .

Watch Out, Jazz: The Lakers have lost by at least 14 points 12 times this season, but have rebounded to win their next game 11 times. They play tonight at Utah. However, the Jazz will have pay-back in mind after suffering its most lopsided defeat of the season, 113-90, Friday at the Forum. . . .

Spectator Ed O’Bannon, holding his baby son, got a huge ovation when he was introduced at the Laker-Spur game. . . .

The Philadelphia 76ers may have the most improved player of the year, Dana Barros, and the most improved player of the month, Shawn Bradley. . . .

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One of the best boxing matches that could be made would be Pernell Whitaker against Felix Trinidad. . . .

After the flurry of trades and free-agent signings, the American League East continues to shape up as the best division in baseball. . . .

Gino Torretta, the 1992 Heisman Trophy winner from Miami, may have found a professional league where he can be a star--the World League of American Football, in which he plays for the Dusseldorf Rhein Fire. . . .

Larry Holmes was a lot more gracious after his defeat by Oliver McCall than he was in victory during most of his 7 1/2-year reign as heavyweight champion. . . .

My idea of a good winner is Jim Harrick, who still refuses to gloat about his accomplishments this season or point out that his critics were dead wrong when they said UCLA could never win an NCAA basketball title with him as coach. . . .

Remember the name Talking Man. The Canadian 2-year-old champion and winner of the Gotham Stakes could be a major factor in the Kentucky Derby. . . .

That G Malleah, a little-known 4-year-old who was bred in Arizona, set a world record of 1:06 3/5 for six furlongs in a $27,300 handicap Saturday at Turf Paradise in Phoenix shows the importance of track conditions.