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Notebook Lakers' Horry one win away from fifth ringPosted: Friday June 07, 2002 9:13 PMUpdated: Saturday June 08, 2002 2:20 AM LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Los Angeles Lakers are within two wins of a three-peat with plenty of margin for error. And Robert Horry is that close to his fifth championship ring -- a feat accomplished by only 20 players in NBA history. "Hopefully I can be another one of those guys," Horry said quietly after a solid performance Friday night in the Lakers' 106-83 victory over the New Jersey Nets that gave them a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals. The best-of-seven series continues Sunday night at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J., where Game 4 and a fifth game, if necessary, will also be played. "We play better on the road sometimes than we do at home," said Horry, who had nine points, 10 rebounds and four assists in 43 minutes. "We know it's far from over." Horry's best work in Game 2 came on defense, where he held New Jersey's Kenyon Martin to six points and five rebounds. Martin scored 21 points in the Lakers' 99-94 win in Game 1. "Ain't no telling how he's going to play in New Jersey in his comfort zone," Horry said. "I'm just playing basic defense." Horry won two championship rings with Houston in 1994-95 and two with the Lakers the past two years.
No more 'ticky-tack' foulsTeam owners have asked officials to stop calling "ticky-tack fouls," commissioner David Stern said before Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Other than to say owners made the request this year, Stern refused to elaborate. "Our system for recruiting, training and evaluating referees continues to become more intense," Stern said. "Every single play is broken down, statistical analysis is done. "Obviously, all refereeing and officiating is a serious subject. It's a contentious subject, especially if you are on the wrong side of a call made in an error." Stern also said Friday that the league's competition committee has agreed on parameters of instant replay, which likely will be used next season to determine whether last-second shots come before or after time expired. "What's on the table, and what I think is a good idea, is the period-ending, half-ending, game-ending situation where the clock is going to zero, and that will be reviewed," he said. Stern first spoke about instant replay last week in Sacramento during the Western Conference finals, saying it was likely to be installed in a limited fashion by next season.
Shaq's toeLos Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson said he plans to sit down with Shaquille O'Neal after the season to discuss what can be done about the star center's arthritic right big toe. O'Neal said a couple months ago he thought there was an 80 percent chance he'd have surgery on the toe this summer, but expressed uncertainty on the matter earlier this week. "There are a variety of options for Shaquille," Jackson said before Game 2 of the NBA Finals. "Until we look at all of those options and adjust and weigh them, we won't make anything but suggestions to him." Jackson said the major thing to discuss was how O'Neal could avoid coming into training camp overweight. O'Neal had surgery late last August on his left little toe, affecting his ability to report to camp in top shape. "Some major adjustments have to be made," Jackson said. "Things just can't go along as they are because ... we can't go forward if he's going to play 50 games or 55 games or 60 games a year."
Big BentleyWhen the valet in the tunnel at Staples Center took the keys from Shaquille O'Neal to park his Bentley before Game 2, the attendant looked like a kid lost in the Shaq-adjusted driver's seat. The Los Angeles Lakers' star wheeled the luxury car with the sparkling chrome wheels into the tunnel, made a slow-speed, but still tire-screeching, U-turn, then hefted his 7-foot-1, 350-pound bulk out of the car. The attendant, around 5-foot-9, slipped behind the wheel, sat on the front edge of the seat -- with the back reclined some 45 degrees -- and still seemed barely able to reach the gas pedal. Careful not to mess with O'Neal's seat adjustment, the valet slowly and cautiously drove the expensive vehicle up the ramp to the parking area.
Pssst. Need a ticket?Staples Center president Tim Leiweke, noting both the Lakers and Clippers play at the arena and that each have a season-ticket base of some 16,000 to 17,000, was vague when asked which team would play host to the 2004 All-Star Game and which fans would be able to buy tickets. Saying he didn't want to create any unrealistic expectations, Leiweke said: "The Clippers and Lakers are our partners. We're going to work with both of them and the NBA to make sure this is a weekend for the celebration of basketball in Los Angeles, and that includes the Clippers and the Lakers." NBA commissioner David Stern, who announced Friday that the 2004 All-Star Game would be at Staples, also spoke cautiously about ticket availability "The way we're doing it is really designed to minimize expectations with respect to great tickets for season-ticket holders," he said. "We always have large numbers of tickets that are necessary to deal with our sponsors, licensees, international visitors. "We're going to try to come up with a program to deal with as many season-ticket holders as we possibly can."
Yao Ming's futureCommissioner David Stern doesn't seem to be concerned whether Chinese star Yao Ming will play in the NBA next season. Coach Rudy Tomjanovich will be among the representatives of the Houston Rockets who will go to China to meet with officials of the Shanghai Sharks regarding the availability of 7-foot-5 player. The Rockets have the first pick in the June 26 Draft. "From a league perspective, either we sign him or we won't," Stern said. "And if we don't, it will be like Arvydas Sabonis. He will be here eventually." Sabonis, who played for the national team of the former Soviet Union, joined Portland well past the prime of his career. He retired following the 2000-01 season. |
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