Notes on a Scorecard - May 10, 1993

Leave it to the Kings. . . .

Both basketball teams were done for the season, they had the whole town to themselves, they could have taken a giant stride toward their first second-round Stanley Cup series victory ever, and they fell on their faces. . . .

The last six goals Sunday at the Forum belonged to the Vancouver Canucks, who took advantage of the Kings’ disappearing act after the opening minute of the second period. . . .

Kelly Hrudey didn’t remind anybody of Jacques Plante--or even Robb Stauber--but this was a team defeat. . . .

Of course, this was also a team victory for the Canucks, one of the most talented and best coached teams in the NHL. . . .

The good news: The Kings were also tied, 2-2, when they cleared customs after four games of their opening series against Calgary. The bad news: Vancouver is not Calgary. . . .

*

So what was so surprising about the Phoenix Suns beating the Lakers, 112-104? . . .

Actually, even the most ardent L.A. haters might admit that the Lakers deserved to win in regulation after overcoming an 11-point deficit and being victimized by a difficult, but incorrect call. . . .

NBC’s instant replay showed that a Charles Barkley stuff barely failed to beat the 24-second clock and should have been disallowed. . . .

Maybe the NBA should adapt the NHL’s rule that resulted in a reversal of a bad no-goal call after the replay showed that Luc Robitaille’s shot in the second period had flown over the goal line before Kirk McLean gloved it. . . .

Now that the Clippers have been eliminated from the playoffs, the real suspense begins. . . .

Will Donald Sterling sell the franchise to Billy Crystal? . . .

If not, The Donald’s first move should be to give Elgin Baylor permission to trade Danny Manning. . . .

Last year, the Clippers were faced with a similar situation. Power forward Charles Smith said he would not re-sign and, instead, become an unrestricted free agent after the 1992-93 season. . . .

The Clippers were second-guessed when they traded Smith before the season, but the two players they acquired, point guard Mark Jackson from the New York Knicks and center Stanley Roberts from the Orlando Magic, now represent the backbone and future of the team. . . .

Ron Harper isn’t worth the $4-million option on his contract unless you believe he should be paid more than Michael Jordan. Part of that money could be better spent elsewhere. For instance, on a badly-needed outside shooter. . . .

An effort should be made to re-sign Ken Norman. Not so Gary Grant. . . .

John Williams ought to be put on a conditioning program and be required to report to training camp at a prescribed weight. . . .

Roberts should cut down his quality minutes at the dinner table and attend Pete Newell’s big man camp. . . .

*

Of the three fighters who left the ring at Thomas & Mack Center with at least a share of a world championship Saturday night, heavyweight Lennox Lewis was the least impressive. . . .

Junior-welterweight Julio Cesar Chavez was himself, stopping game Terrence Alli in the sixth round, and middleweight Gerald McClellan was a revelation, dethroning Julian Jackson in the fifth. . . .

“You’re lucky that Chavez isn’t a little bigger,” a Latin fan chided a British flag-waver after Lewis had beaten Tony Tucker clearly, but without passion across 12 rounds. . . .

Lewis was methodical, rarely threw combinations, gave Tucker too much respect, showed an unwillingness to mix it up inside, and was not the crowd pleaser that Riddick Bowe was in the same ring when he beat Evander Holyfield. . . .

Lewis’ power punch, the right, didn’t live up to advance billing, either, but he said Sunday the hand was damaged in training and that he was unable to spar the last two weeks. . . .

Now there is talk of Lewis defending his World Boxing Council title next against Holyfield, not Frank Bruno. Holyfield is supposed to challenge Bowe, but negotiations are not going smoothly. . . .

Eric Podolak, a club fighter from Pittsburgh who was stopped by Hector Camacho in the fifth round, was introduced as “The Steel City Orphan.” . . .

One of the streets leading into the arena on the Nevada Las Vegas campus is Tarkanian Road. . . .

The same people who criticized the lack of security at tennis matches after Monica Seles was stabbed will claim there is too much security at the World Cup next summer.