NBA: Last night's attendance of 39,514 at the Alamodome
for the Knicks-Spurs NBA Finals Game One was the second-
largest in Finals history. The record is 41,732 for a
Lakers-Pistons game at the Silverdome in '88 (FT. WORTH
STAR-TELEGRAM, 6/17)....New Lakers coach Phil Jackson, asked
about the chance of Michael Jordan playing for the Lakers:
"The chances of Michael coming back, Dennis [Rodman] coming
back, maybe even Scottie [Pippen] being here are very, very
slim." Jackson, on Jordan: "I think he's retired. He's
moved his weight equipment out of his home, he's kind of
moved into a different form of life, and I think, unless he
really feels strongly about coming back, I think he's pretty
much set on the idea that this is it for him" (NBC, 6/16).
...New Wizards coach Gar Heard will earn "roughly" $1M
annually in his three-year contract (WASHINGTON POST, 6/17).
...ESPN.com's David Aldridge, on why the Wizards chose Heard
over Isiah Thomas: "Thomas got submarined when the Wizards
called around, particularly when Washington talked with
Detroit and Toronto. Successful people usually make a lot
of enemies over the years, and Thomas is no different. This
time, his enemies got him" (ESPN.com, 6/16).
OTHER NOTES: The AHL's Beast of New Haven announced
yesterday it "would suspend operations" for next season with
"hopes of returning in two years." The Beast is "without
two of the basics -- ownership of a franchise or an NHL
affiliation" (HARTFORD COURANT, 6/17)....Greater K.C. Sports
Commission President Kevin Gray, on the city possibly
getting an AFL franchise: "Once the NFL got involved [with
the AFL], we kind of backed off. That was out of respect to
[Chiefs Owner] Lamar Hunt. I know he had some interest in
exploring ... but I don't know what's come of it" (K.C.
STAR, 6/16)....An editorial in today's Minneapolis STAR
TRIBUNE, on the WNBA Lynx: "The Lynx offer a breath of fresh
air. Women's professional basketball provides a fun,
reasonably priced, summer sports option that is blessedly
too new to be burdened yet with management, financial or
player scandals -- or pleas for bigger, fancier venues"
(Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 6/17)....In St. Paul, Charley
Walters writes, "The Portland, Ore., group seeking major
league baseball has decided to focus on the Expos rather
than the Twins" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 6/17).....The
Lightning are lowering some ticket prices and raising some
others for the '99-2000 season. The average single-game
ticket will increase by $.06 and the average season-ticket
price will increase by $.38. About 5,000 seats will be
cheaper next season (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 6/16).
