Larry Johnson

At the start of the season, my pick to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals was the Indiana Pacers. Although I'm still going with my original choice, the more I see Orlando play, the more difficult it is to pick against the Magic.Orlando destroyed the pitiful Golden State Warriors, 132-98, on Sunday to extend its winning streak to four games. The Magic had lost three straight before the streak, and many asked if the team finally was showing some of its flaws. But the Magic started the streak with a win over the Phoenix Suns.

The Charlotte Hornets and Seattle SuperSonics completed a long-rumored trade yesterday that is a first step toward making both the Hornets and Sonics serious contenders to end the Chicago Bulls' title reign.The first part of the deal sent unhappy Kendall Gill to Seattle for Eddie Johnson, plus Dana Barros and a first-round draft choice.The key player was Gill, 25, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard who averaged 16.1 points in three seasons with the Hornets. He is considered one of the rising young stars of the NBA, but he grew disenchanted with the Charlotte management, feuded with teammates and said he would leave the team as a free agent after next season.

LANDOVER -- "Eighteen thousand fans saw the guy throw the punch, but all three officials somehow missed it," said Washington Bullets co-captain Harvey Grant.The phantom punch Grant was referring to was tossed by Charlotte Hornets star Larry Johnson late in the second quarter in the direction of Washington guard LaBradford Smith, who had fought too aggressively through a pick."He definitely swung at me," Smith said. "But you know how they treat superstars in this league."Instigated or not, the blow should have resulted in an automatic ejection for Johnson.

Denver's Dikembe Mutombo is not your usual NBA rookie, and not only because he is fluent in seven languages.The No. 4 selection in last spring's draft studied linguistics and diplomacy at Georgetown, and when he first came to Denver before the draft, he quizzed Nuggets personnel on the city's hotly contested mayoral race.The 7-foot-2, 250-pound center charmed and chopped up the NBA early. He was the only rookie to make the All-Star team,chatted with Arsenio Hall and has a shoe and clothing line with Adidas.

B.A.S.S. Inc. faces $75 million fraud suitA $75 million lawsuit was filed yesterday against B.A.S.S. Inc., the largest fishing organization in the country, alleging the group's founders have defrauded B.A.S.S. members.The action was filed in U.S. District Court in Wichita, Kan., by Bradley Murray and Larry Neff, both of Wichita and life members of B.A.S.S., the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society. The complaint alleges that B.A.S.S. founder Ray Scott and other B.A.S.S. officials have conspired since 1969 to loot B.A.S.

Participants for the 1992 Slam-Dunk contest to be held tomorrow in Orlando, Fla.:Player. . . . . . . TeamNick Anderson . . . OrlandoStacey Augmon . . . AtlantaTerrell Brandon . . ClevelandCedric Ceballos . . PhoenixLarry Johnson . . . CharlotteShawn Kemp. . . . . SeattleJohn Starks . . . . New YorkDoug West . . . . . Minnesota

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- I reached into my wallet at lunch yesterday and realized that if a friend had not paid me the $5 he owed me, I would have had to borrow money to eat. And I wondered if this ever happens to Larry Johnson.The Charlotte Hornets and Johnson, the first pick in the NBA draft, have all but agreed on a $3.3-million-a-year contract for six years. After taxes, this comes to about $5,600 a day. And I thought about what it would be like to go through:A Day With Larry Johnson's Salary.

BOWIE -- Playing three seasons of basketball in a city where battling the odds is a way of life, Nevada-Las Vegas guard Anderson Hunt said he knew quitting college a year early to test himself in the professional ranks was a big-time gamble.Some say Hunt already lost the roll of the dice after failing to be selected in the NBA draft last month. The other four UNLV starters -- Larry Johnson (No. 1), Stacy Augmon (9), Greg Anthony (12) and George Ackles (29), all seniors -- were chosen.Hunt's college coach, Jerry Tarkanian, said he doubted the wisdom of Hunt's decision.

Loyola College, preseason co-favorite with Syracuse to win the NCAA lacrosse championship, is in a precarious position at midseason.The Greyhounds could be left out of the NCAA playoffs if they lose this Saturday. And their opponent, neighborhood rival Towson State, is capable of beating anybody.It no doubt pains Loyola fans to consider the possibility their team won't even make the playoffs. Last year Loyola went to the NCAA championship game and lost to Syracuse. Most of the players from that Greyhounds team have returned.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Charlotte Hornets prepared for th Washington Bullets yesterday, but they talked about another team: Nevada-Las Vegas.Kentucky coach Rick Pitino said on ESPN Sunday that he believes UNLV could compete strongly with the Hornets. Pitino, former coach of the New York Knicks, went so far as to spell out matchups if the two teams played. The Hornets didn't know whether to laugh or be insulted, but they were confident that it was ridiculous to think any college team could beat them.