What was Bill Walton Doing in 1984?

11/1/1984

After shooting 70 percent in the third quarter tonight and opening a 12-point lead in the fourth, the Knicks stumbled and lost, 107-105, to the Clippers at the Los Angeles Sports Arena.

Bernard King led the Knickss with 25 points, including 5 of the team's last 7. But he missed a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Two free throws by Derek Smith put the Clippers ahead to stay, 100-99. Marques Johnson's leaning jumper in the lane increased the lead to 3 points. The Knicks cut Clipper lead to a point three times and got possession with 46 seconds left after Darrell Walker had blocked a Smith layup.

After a timeout, Ken Bannister inbounded the ball to Pat Cummings, who tried to get the ball to King. However, Bill Walton, who guarded King in the late stages, stripped King of the ball. Walton finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

The Clippers, who entered the league in the 1971-72 season as the Buffalo Braves, moved to San Diego for the 1978-79 season and then moved to Los Angeles last June without league approval.

After splitting their first two games on the road, the Clippers opened their home season tonight. Mayor Tom Bradley of Los Angeles tossed the ceremonial first ball.

They started a front line that included 7-foot-2-inch James Donaldson and 6-11 Walton against the much smaller and undermanned Knicks. But the Knicks got a break when Donaldson picked up three quick personals, forcing Walton to move from power foward to center.

Part of this blog's efforts to see what the Big Red, Dead-Head was doing in the year before we heisted him from da Clipjoint. As noted earlier, it is not as if he was out the entire year. In fact, he played much of the season and played quite well.