The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, June 29, 1978, Page Page 9, Image 9
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I team. ha?
v m m ms
By Bob Dudek d
Gamecock Staff Writer ^
Bill Walton's selection as Most 41
Valuable Player in the National b
Basketball Association is a victory v
for "team" basketball. v
In the new age of gorilla dunks,
l ur\_ Tl_ If
uiic uii uiic cuiucats, tuiu L?r. J 8,
Bill Walton stands out as a team
player. The former UCLA ailAmerican
hustles on both ends of
the floor, leading his team not only
in scoring and rebounds, but also in
assists and blocked shots.
Walton's statistics are not
breath-taking, but respectable. In
58 games last season, Walton
averaged 18.9 points and 13.2
rebounds per game. Quite a
comedown from Kareem Abdul
Jabbar's 27 and 28 point scoring
averages when he was making
winning the MVP an annual event.
I SCORING AVERAGES do not
win games, however. The 1977
playoff series between Portland
and Los Angeles is a good example.
For Los Angeles to have won the
series, Jabbar needed an outcfon/lmit
notvtA a..L.2?U
I0MU1UUI5 game CVC1 y nielli, WHICH
he didn't. Portland, on the other
hand, did not need superstar
performances from Bill Walton,
only consistent ones.
Although Walton was out scored h
by Jabbar, he remained the s
$ dominant force in the series bv h
| blocking shots, rebounding and L
dishing out assists. As a result, v
I Portland took Los Angeles four f
straight games. r
Hie 1977 championship series j
between Philadelphia and Por- i
i tland is also an example of the
m importance of team play. The c
m series saw Philadelphia's in- t
I
a
to ^?^?_mmaamtrnmrnmrnmmhmm
| THIS IS THE END!
CHECKMATE EAST CLOSING FOREVER . .
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i! NO-GIMMICK SALEI \ H
EVERYTHING / D
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2 PC & 3 PC VESTED ^
SUITS Reg. to $165
SPORT COATS^i
SLACKS Reg. to $25.
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^ I DISTINCTIVE MEN'S CLOTH
; award /
iketball <
ividual superstars: Dr. J, George p<
Icginnis. Darrvl Dawkins. and ci
All World" Lloyd Free defeated a]
y the upstart Trailblazers. The ir
ictors were a lesser known, but m
fell disciplined unit.
TTie key to Portland's fortunes
ai
"George McGinnis has st
P<
spent so many years as
an intimidating th
superstar that he has jjj
never had time to learn
much about the game
he plays." In the case ta
of Bill Walton, it's just ^
J c<
the opposite. He is an *r
intimidating snnprstar c<
" r
because he took the ^
time to learn the game 0
he plays.
2*
"{
ias always been, and will m
eemingly continue to be, the si
tealth of Bill Walton. With Walton til
n the lineup last year, Portland h<
vas 50-10; without him they did a
ree-fall. If Walton returns healthy ji
ipyf vonr Knth montollw oi?#l
>v<?v J | MVUI I1IV1IVU11J OIIU liJ
physically, Portland could again to
>e awesome. pi
The mental health of Bill Walton pi
toes not begin and end on the to
>asketball court, however. A si
NTORY
UR FAMOUS BRANDS INCLUDED IN SALE .
LUBMAN PURITAN MARC PIERCE HAM
ISA CAREER CLUB?TAILORS BENCH BOAST
AKS ASHER EDELWEISS SKIWEAR
OR MEN LADIES 8. CHILDREN
EDUCED BEYOND BELIEF
$2990 $4990 $7990
*?? SlAQO l4fl
g. TU JOY.YD ' | 7 J7
$990$1290$1590
MATE EAST
INO (acrow from Vet* Ho*p.) HOURS ? /W
)OOStS
concept f
X Volleyball, one
ways to pass a i
alitical science major while in ternoon, is enjoyed
allege, Walton has at times students everywh
iluded to the possibility that he competitors froi
lay give up basketball for the Michigan Unive
ai-auiB U1 me. Roger Williams C
WALTON'S FRIENDSHIP with Participants 1,1 th<
Lithor Jack Scott points out the weiser Super Sta
Dlitical activism he had while a Championship,
udent at UCLA is still an imjrtant
force in his life today. I
Before the NBA draft his senior I
ear, the often aloof Walton
irPflfpripH nnt tn nlou i#
? w J/i?J M I1UI
rafted by a team on the West
>ast. His rookie year became a
lur because of injuries. He still
lade news by getting fans and t ' "
jortswriters upset over his long
air, which was tied back in a pony
lil while playing. MM*1
The next three years have seen IWIUl
ralton take his place as the top EM* 111
;nter in the NBA. 1977 gave the ; IWHI
ailblazers a championship. Last IMJM I
jason gave Bill Walton the > HffiD I*
jveted Most Valuable Player MAT! DEI
ward. Time will undoubtedly ffivp L
ralton a place somewhere in the I
>mpany of Bill Russell, Wilt I u
hamberlin, Oscar Robinson and I _
her NBA greats. M4"A1
In an article in Newsweek (May I*I\?A I
I, 1978), Pete Axthelm said, STAR1
George McGinnis has spent so
6 . .. *VT .. ' FOR INFORM
any years as an intimidating
iperstar that he has never had 25
me to learn much about the game Outside
i plays. Centers In Mail
In the case of Bill Walton, it's
ist the opposite. He is an in
midating superstar because he
ok the time to learn the game he ft M d
ays. With the increasing em- W0WI
lasis on individual flair, it's good
see a team player is still condered
most valuable.
. ^
JjllL At H*
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