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From: lor@ucla-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.sport.hoops
Subject: Re:  Philly to go all the way (???)
Message-ID: <2091@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Date: Fri, 9-Nov-84 15:33:38 EST
Article-I.D.: ucla-cs.2091
Posted: Fri Nov  9 15:33:38 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 12-Nov-84 11:35:01 EST
References: <4114@decwrl.UUCP>
Organization: UCLA CS Dept.
Lines: 37


	Isn't it too early to say which team is going to win the NBA title?
This is just the second week of the season. You can only see the strength
of the teams on paper, but cannot see other mandatory factors for a title.
Injuries, momentum, improvement of rookies and decline of veterans, and
mental attitudes are all important ingredients determining the title.
On paper though, neither Boston nor Philadelphia has the best talents.
The Lakers have the best talents in the world. Three number one draft picks,
numerous NCAA, NBA, final four, Championship Series MVPs and titles. Two sure
Hall of Famers (Kareem and Magic). The most beautiful and entertaining
basketball ever seen. But these showbiz men cannot win NBA titles. They
don't have the mental attitudes and beef to win titles.

	Why isn't it time to pick a winner? Take last season, 
in the preseason and early going, everybody said Philadelphia 
was the most dominant team for a decade and  a cinch
to repeat. But the team lost the aggressiveness, hit by injuries,
and was worn-out in the playoffs. Look at their franchise players.
Before the all-star break, Moses Malone was considered as
the ultimate basketball player, a player in a league above. Wayne Gretsky
was quoted as the 'Moses Malone' in hockey and Martina Navratralova 
the 'Moses Malone' in women's tennis. What happened then?
Malone got injured before the break and after he recovered, nobody 
mentioned his name any more. Malone wasn't even named in the first-team 
all-NBA. Neither was the 'Doc'; he even lost his status as one of the
two best forwards in the league.  NBA only had a Bird and a King! 

	I think this is only the right time to predict the NFL champion. 
After the half-way mark, everybody sees Miami, rather than the 
preseason-best-team-in-the-universe Raiders, is the team to beat!



					Eddy Lor
					...!ucbvax!ucla-cs!lor
					lor@ucla-cs