There are some things the Dallas Mavericks just have to live with, and one of them is the sight of Charles Barkley in a Philadelphia 76ers uniform.
As fans so frequently remind Mavericks General Manager Norm Sonju on his weekly radio show, Dallas could have had Barkley instead of Sam Perkins in the 1984 National Basketball Association draft. Perkins was the fourth overall pick out of North Carolina; Barkley was taken as an undergraduate from Auburn with the next pick.
And as Sonju so frequently replies: (1) Who could have known? and (2)
Dallas already had a small forward in Mark Aguirre.
While Aguirre is hoping people will notice his improved image, Barkley is becoming the biggest rave this side of the Bulls` Michael Jordan. One of the hottest debates in the NBA today is whether Barkley has reached the plateau of Jordan, Boston`s Larry Bird and the Los Angeles Lakers` Earvin ”Magic”
Johnson.
Once known as ”the Round Mound of Rebound,” Barkley now is neither round nor dominant only on the boards. Down from 275 pounds as a rookie to 235 now, the 6-foot-6-inch strongman leads the league in field-goal percentage
(.624), and ranks second in scoring (30.0) and rebounding (13.2). As if that was not enough, Barkley worked on his outside shot over the summer and ranks 10th in three-point field-goal percentage at .412 (14 of 34).
The last person to lead the league in three statistical categories was Wilt Chamberlain, who was the top scorer, rebounder and shooter in 1965-66.
”I just thank the Lord for giving me this body,” Barkley says. ”This summer, I made up my mind to be better. Right now, I`m just in a groove, I guess.”
One member of the 76ers` front office said Barkley was particularly inspired by a comment from Utah coach Frank Layden, who is not among those convinced Barkley is an elite player. The opinion was cast Nov. 30, moments after Barkley had 43 points (15 of 20 from the field), 14 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals against the Jazz.
”He had one of those games we see great players have,” Layden said.”
From the foul line, from the floor, making some nice passes . . . it was almost a perfect game. You saw quickness, strength and the ability to play 45 minutes and you have to be impressed.
”But then, you also have to ask why he isn`t one of the league`s elite. I don`t think he is. I don`t think he does it every night. That`s not meant as a put-down, it just has to do with the way I rate guys.
”To me, elite is Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan. Then there`s a gap and there`s Barkley. Then there`s another gap, and there are all the others. To get into that top class, at least in my opinion, he`d have to have more nights like this one where he just takes over a game and wins.”
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Barkley, though, insists he was not affected by Layden`s comment.
”Isn`t Frank Layden entitled to his opinion?” Barkley asked. ”The players` vote is good enough for me. Let me ask you: Frank`s a coach, but is he an elite coach. Hey, my peers say I`m one of the five best. That`s good enough for me.”
Barkley was referring to the Sporting News` All-NBA team, of which he has been a member the last two seasons. That team is selected by players.
Some people might reserve judgment on the issue for another season or so. But most NBA people accord Barkley that elite status. Consider this statement from Bulls coach Doug Collins:
”Barkley is playing MVP basketball,” Collins said. ”He`s playing as well as anybody in the league. He`s the most devastating player in the game, end to end. When he gets in the open court, who`s going to stop him?”
At no time have the adjectives flown as freely as they did recently in New York, where Barkley scored 40 to beat the Knicks. The highlight came when he took off from the baseline, hung in the air and dunked over New York center Patrick Ewing.
Someone asked Knicks coach Rick Pitino if he thought Barkley was moving in on the Big Three.
”Moving?” he asked. ”They`d better move over.”
Statistics say that Barkley is not one of the league`s best players, but the best. For the past two seasons, he has won the Schick Award, which is based on a computerized computation of offensive and defensive numbers.
”When you see him every day, every night, sometimes you take the great things he does for granted,” 76ers coach Matt Guokas said. ”Still, you tell yourself he`s not a machine, he can`t flip the switch and do those things every game. That`s humanly impossible. But then, darn if he doesn`t do it.”