U.S. Is Up to Its High-Tops in Olympic Hoopla

Closed practices, limited interviews, restrictions on access to the press, supervised free time. John Thompson learned a lot from watching past Soviet basketball teams.

Unfortunately, he forgot one major lesson: They always lost.

The Clippers set an Olympic record: First NBA team to draft two first-round picks who led the U.S. Olympic basketball team to a defeat at the hands of the Soviets. If the Clipper stars can’t beat the Soviets, things look grim for their NBA future.

TOM LALLAS

Los Angeles