WESTERN
     
     
      CONFERENCE
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      Western
      Conference
      will
      clearly
      be
      the
     
     
      force
      to
      reckon
      with
      as
      four
      possible
      ring
     
     
      bearers
      take
      home
      in
      the
      west.
      Two
      of
      the
     
     
      newer
      rule
      changes
      will
      greatly
      help
      the
      West-
     
     
      ern
      teamsas
      well.
      The
      new
      ‘no
      hand-checking’
     
     
      rule,
      also
      called
      the
      ‘“New
      York
      Knick
      rule’’
     
     
      will
      make
      people
      play
      defence
      the
      old-fash-
     
     
      ioned
      way,
      with
      their
      feet,
      and
      eliminate
      hand
     
     
      slapping
      and
      jersey
      grabbing.
      The
      shortened
     
     
      three
      point
      line
      (decreased
      toa
      uniform
      22
      feet,
     
     
      down
      from
      23’9
      on
      the
      top)
      will
      increase
     
     
      scoring,
      and
      help
      out
      some
      of
      the
      perimeter
     
     
      threats
      that
      the
      West
      boasts.
     
    
   
   
    
     
          
     
    
   
   
    
     
      IV1
      )
      Hakeem
      Olajuwon,
      Rockets.
      Last
     
     
      year’s
      MVP,
      top
      defensive
      player,
      and
      playoff
     
     
      MVP
      will
      be
      looking
      to
      take
      his
      Rockets
      back
     
     
      to
      the
      title
      this
      year
      in
      a
      vastly
      improved
     
     
      Western
      Conference.
     
     
      game
      that
      gives
      opposing
      centers
      nightmares,
     
     
      look
      for
      him
      to
      be
      in
      the
      top
      five
      in
      boards,
     
     
      blocks,
      and
      scoring.
     
    

    
     
      OTHERS:
      David
      Robinson,
      Spurs;
      Shawn
     
     
      Kemp,
      Sonics;
      Charles
      Barkley,
      Suns;
      Karl
     
     
      Malone,
      Jazz;
      Latrell
      Sprewell,
      Warriors.
      |
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Sam
      Cassell,
      Rockets.
      Cassell
      was
     
     
      prime
      time
      in
      the
      playoffs
      last
      year,
      coming
      up
     
     
      really
      big
      in
      crunch
      time.
      He
      has
      a
      sweet
     
     
      stroke,
      and
      is
      as
      cool
      as
      ice
      under
      pressure.
      He
     
     
      should
      move
      into
      the
      starting
      lineup
      passing
     
     
      Kenny
      Smith
      early
      in
      the
      season.
     
    

    
     
      OTHERS:
      Terry
      Dehere,
      Clippers;
      Isaiah
     
     
      Rider,
      T-Wolves;
      Harold
      Ellis,
      Clippers;
     
     
      Rodney
      Rogers,
      Nuggets;
      Nick
      Van
      Exel,
     
     
      Lakers.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ‘
      Donyell
      Marshall,
      T-Wolves.
     
     
      Ma
      1
      passed
      up
      his
      senior
      season
      as
      a
     
     
      Huskie
      to
      enter
      the
      draft
      early,
      and
      he’s
      ready
     
     
      to
      show
      the
      league
      his
      versatile
      floor
      game.
      He
     
     
      can
      shoot
      ‘the
      three,
      post
      up
      inside,
      is
      an
     
     
      excellent
      leaper
      and
      shotblocker,
      and
      can
      flat
     
     
      out
      score
      points.
      His
      lone
      weakness
      is
      a
      body
     
     
      which
      is
      not
      ready
      for
      the
      physical
      play
      he’ll
     
     
      soon
      beaccustomed
      to.
      OTHERS:
      Jason
      Kidd,
     
     
      Mavericks;
      Cliff
      Rozier,
      Warriors;
      Lamond
     
     
      Murray,
      Clippers;
      Brian
      Grant,
      Kings.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
      F
      Charles
      Barkley,
      Suns
     
    

    
     
      F
      Shawn
      Kemp,
      Sonics
     
    

    
     
      C
      Hakeem
      Olajuwon,
      Rockets
     
     
      G
      Latrell
      Sprewell,
      Warriors
     
     
      G
      Mitch
      Richmond,
      Kings
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ‘*The
      Dream’’
      has
      a
      (
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Admiral
      D
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Best
      Shooter:
      Dale
      Ellis,
      Nuggets
     
     
      Robert
      Pack,
      Nuggets
     
     
      (Most
      Underrated:
      )
      Loy
      Vaught,
      Clip-
     
     
      pers
     
    
   
   
    
     
      (Most
      Overrated:
      Sam
      Bowie,
      Lakers
     
     
      Danny
      Manning,
      Suns
     
     
      Shawn
      Kemp,
      Sonics
     
    

    
     
      Best
      Shotblocker:
      Dikembe
      Mutumbo,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Nuggets
     
    
   
   
    
     
      (Best
      Rebounder:
      Dennis
      Rodman,
      Spurs
     
     
      (Best
      Defensive
      Player:)
      Hakeem
     
     
      Olajuwon,
      Rockets
     
    
   
   
    
     
      (Best
      6th
      Man:
      Doug
      West,
      T-Wolves
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      Rockets
      will
      find
      their
      ride
      to
      the
      NBA
     
     
      finals
      for
      the
      second
      year
      ina
      row
      to
      haveailittle
     
     
      turbulence..
      they’ve
      basically
      kept
      a
      pat
      hand
     
     
      while
      everyone
      else
      has
      improved...Hakeem
     
     
      Olajuwon
      (27.3,
      11.9)
      is
      the
      best
      center
      in
      the
     
     
      league...Cassell
      (6.7),
      Smith
      (11.6)
      and
      Vernon
     
     
      Maxwell
      (13.6,
      5.1
      apg)
      combined
      for
      235
     
     
      three
      pointers
      last
      year
     
    
   
   
    
     
         
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      U
     
    

    
     
      Surprise,
      surprise.
      The
      run
      that
      the
      Nuggets
     
     
      put
      on
      in
      the
      playoffs
      wasn’t
      a
      fluke,
      they’re
      a
     
     
      legit
      title
      contender...
      Mutumbo
      (12,
      11.8,
      4.1
     
     
      bpg)
      starts
      off
      their
      running
      game
      by
      blocking
     
     
      everything
      in
      the
      thin
      air
      of
      the
      mile
      high
     
     
      city...Pack
      (9.6)
      and
      Mahmoud-Abdul
      Rauf
     
     
      (18)
      are
      a
      pair
      of
      incredibly
      fast,
      if
      small,
     
     
      shooting
      guards
      forced
      to
      play
      the
      point.
     
    
   
   
    
     
          
     
    
   
   
    
     
          
     
    
   
   
    
     
      n
      (29.8,
      10.7,
      3.3
     
     
      bpg)
      has
      one
      of
      the
      best
      low
      post
      games
      in
      the
     
     
      league
      and
      is
      a
      periennal
      MVP
      candidate...the
     
     
      reacquistion
      of
      Sean
      Elliot
      (12.1)
      helps
      out
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      sie
      MIDWEST
      Jeeummeee
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      their
      scoring,
      as
      does
      the
      arrival
      of
      Chuck
     
     
      Person
      (11.6)...the
      only
      problem
      is
      the
      attitude
     
     
      of
      mega-rebounder
      Dennis
      ‘‘the
      worm’’
     
     
      Rodman
      (17.3
      rbg),
      which
      could
      hurt
      their
     
     
      fragile
      team
      chemistry
     
    
   
   
    
     
      fe
     
    
   
   
    
     
      A
      SA»
     
    
   
   
    
     
      D
     
     
      Yara
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Newcomer
      Rony
      Seikaly
      (15.1,
      10.3)
      isthe
      best
     
     
      center
      the
      Warriors
      have
      had
      since
      Robert
     
     
      Parish
      in
      the
      late
      ‘70’s...the
      most
      dangerous
     
     
      scoring
      team
      in
      the
      NBA...Latrell
      Sprewell
     
     
      (21.0),
      Chris
      Webber
      (17.5,
      9.1),
      and
      Chris
     
     
      Mullin
      (16.8)
      can
      hit
      for
      40
      any
      night...willrun
     
     
      many
      teams
      into
      the
      ground
     
    
   
   
    
     
      HY
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Talent,
      talent,
      talent...
      Manning
      (20.6,
      6.8,
      3.8)
     
     
      and
      Barkley
      (21.6,
      11.2,
      4.6)
      are
      two
      of
      the
     
     
      most
      dominating
      presences
      in
      the
      game...need
     
     
      acenter
      in
      the
      worst
      way...Dan
      Majerle
      (16.5,
     
     
      192
      three
      pointers)
      needs
      to
      rebound
      from
      a
     
     
      poor
      shooting
      year...
      Wayman
      Tisdale
      (16.7)
      is
     
     
      yet
      another
      talented
      front
      liner,
      but
      not
      the
     
     
      answer
      in
      the
      middle
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      best
      regular
      season
      team
      last
      year
      wa
     
     
      knocked
      out
      in
      the
      first
      round
      of
      the
      playoff
     
     
      which
      may
      give
      this
      team
      something
     
     
      prove...Shawn
      ‘‘the
      Rainman’’
      Kemp
      (18.|
     
     
      10.8)
      is
      the
      best
      young
      forward
      in
      th
     
     
      game...playmaker
      Gary
      Payton
      (16.5,
      6.0
      aps
     
     
      was
      one
      of
      last
      year’s
      most
      improved
     
     
      players...can
      run
      with
      anyone...often
      play
      ou
     
     
      of
      control
     
    
   
   
    
     
          
     
     
        
     
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
         
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
           
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
            
     
     
       
     
     
         
     
     
        
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
     
         
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
         
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
     
        
     
     
         
     
     
       
         
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      [November
      15,
      1994|