mlt@mb2c.UUCP (Mark L. Tompkins) (09/16/85)
With the NBA season fast approaching ( the Pistons started selling tickets yesterday ), I find myself wondering about a trade Detroit and Washington made in the off-season. Detroit sent Dan Roundfield to the Bullets for Rick Mahorn and Mike Gibson, who played in Italy last year. What I want to know is: Can Mahorn do anything on the basketball court except be a goon? The only times I've seen him play were against Detroit, and at least once in each of those contests I saw him take a cheap shot at somebody. Twice I saw him floor Isaiah Thomas with blind picks. In fact, as soon as the trade was finalized, Thomas called Mahorn on the phone and called a truce to the whole matter. I'm beginning to think the Pistons made a big mistake. The *only* reason they blew out New Jersey in the 1st round last year was because Round- field dominated Buck Williams. True, he was injured a lot during the season; he missed about half the year. But this trade still leaves them without a Williams-type power forward, which they need to rise to the top of their division. Also, Roundfield is one of the few Central Michigan alumni playing in the NBA ( Guess where I went to school? :-) ), so I really didn't want to see him go. Mahorn surely does not fit that mold, and neither does Kent Ben- son, Earl Cureton, Gibson, or anyone else they've tried at that position. Is anyone out there a Bullets fan who has seen Mahorn play more than a few times? What should I expect? I guess the reason Detroit got him is because Bill Laimbeer doesn't like to get too physical ( I've noticed ) and they thought Mahorn could be the "enforcer" that they need. Myself, I don't care much for "goon" basketball; I guess that's why I've always liked the Lakers fast-break type of game. If I want to see people beating the hell out of each other, I would prefer to see it on the football field. ( Or the rasslin' ring :-) :-) :-) ) Thoughts, comments, derogatory statements, and flames most welcome. Mark Tompkins P.S. How 'bout it, Nets? Mahorn and Benson for Buck? :-) :-)
star@cdstar.UUCP (J Quillard) (09/19/85)
> Can Mahorn do anything on the basketball court except be a goon? Yes, he can rebound, block shots, and DUNK with authority. From five feet in, he's very effective beacuse of his size, stregnth, and leaping ability. I've seen him hit a 15 foot jumper on occasion. His main contribution is defensive intimidation. > .. in each of those contests I saw him take a cheap shot at somebody. Yeah, so he has a short fuse and a mean streak, but he puts out 110% for every game. His fouls are not always clean, but they are effective at preventing baskets. Seeing Mahorn play leaves the impression that he is a bully, but not a killer. (But he loves to blindside guards!) > Is anyone out there a Bullets fan who has seen Mahorn play more than a few > times? What should I expect? What you will get is a player who gives his best effort whenever he plays. You should expect his aggressive style of play to inspire the team on some nights, and to motivate the opponents on other nights. > I guess the reason Detroit got him is because Bill Laimbeer doesn't like to > get too physical ( I've noticed ) and they thought Mahorn could be the > "enforcer" that they need. Myself, I don't care much for "goon" basketball; > I guess that's why I've always liked the Lakers fast-break type of game. Right, Laimbeer is not a physical player, as proof look at his sub-par playoff performance against the Celtics. Laimbeer was battered and it seemed to shake his offensive confidence. Until the rules are changed, "goon" basketball will continue to be played, exactly for reasons like the intimidation of Laimbeer. If you deck a player on a breakaway, they will remember it next time, and if they are weak of intestinal fortitude, it will affect their game. > If I want to see people beating the hell out of each other, I would prefer to > see it on the football field. ( Or the rasslin' ring :-) :-) :-) ) But on the football field everyone has pads! Its more exciting to see a 7 foot cannibal eat a 6 foot 4 guard's finger for a snack. Grrrrr. :-) There should be more severe fines and manditory suspensions for altercations on the court. The most severe penalty should be for players who leave the bench during a fight. Special award goes to Ray-Ray Williams who decided the best place to get tangled with Kurt Rambis was the Laker bench. No wonder no one want to sign Ray-Ray this year!! The Lakers didn't even have to leave their bench to get a piece of the action!! If there are doubts about the merits of "goon" basketball, consider that the Cleveland Cavs almost beat the Celts in the playoffs, by using all 6 fouls that each big man had to give, nearly "beating" the series away from the Celts. The drawback in this case was that the refs got so used to calling fouls against the Cavs, that when a call was questionable, it automatically went against the Cavs. These bad calls may have cost the Cavs the series, at least Cav coach George Karl thought so. REWARD OFFERED or RANSOM PAID for any CELTICS home tickets!! {wjh12,talcott}!cdstar!star J Quillard @ Cambridge Digital Systems