WARRIORS TORPEDOED : Thompson Proves Potent Replacement for Lakers’ Foul-Plagued Top Gun

Mychal Thompson, the Lakers’ backup center, was going to a postgame interview when a fan approached him Saturday at the Oakland Coliseum Arena.

“Mychal Thompson, I’ve never seen you play that well,” the fan said after Thompson came off the bench to score 23 points and grab 12 rebounds in the Lakers’ 133-108 playoff romp over the Warriors.

Replied Thompson: “I had to play well because the captain (center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) was out with foul trouble.

“We were missing our No. 1 weapon (Abdul-Jabbar). He’s like a nuclear missile, and I guess you could call me a World War II torpedo.

“I knew a lot of people in the Bahamas (his birthplace) were watching me, and I didn’t want to let them down. And I also knew that if I didn’t play well I’d hear about it from the guys in the locker room and I didn’t want to face them. I’d have to dress in another room if I didn’t play well.

“But my main motivation is that I didn’t want to see (Laker Coach) Pat Riley roll his eyes at me if I didn’t play well.”

However, Riley didn’t give Thompson any dirty looks after he replaced Abdul-Jabbar early in the third quarter. Abdul-Jabbar left the game when he was called for his fourth foul just 15 seconds into the second half.

Thompson scored 15 points in the third period, hitting 7 of 10 shots, including 5 in a row from the same spot--just to the left of the basket inside the key. He also led the Lakers with 5 rebounds in the period and outplayed Joe Barry Carroll, the Warriors’ starting center.

Said Warrior Coach George Karl: “Kareem wasn’t playing well. And Mychal Thompson created an asset coming off the bench. It forced my hand, and we had to go at him.”

Overall, Thompson made 10 of 18 shots and 3 of 8 free throws. He also blocked 2 shots.

It was Thompson’s second-best all-around offensive output since he came to the Lakers from the San Antonio Spurs after a midseason trade. He had 24 points and 12 rebounds in the regular-season finale against Seattle.

“I feel like I’ve been rejuvenated since I came to L.A.,” Thompson said. “I feel like I’m 22 years old instead of 32. I guess winning cures all ills.”

Thompson scored a career-high 40 points in the playoffs in 1982 when he was playing for Portland against the Kansas City Kings, who have since moved to Sacramento.

“This game was definitely a better all-around game for me because we won,” Thompson said. “But I can definitely improve my free throw shooting. We made 29 of 39 free throws, and I was the main culprit on most of the missed free throws.

“Maybe my mind was drifting off to the beach in the Bahamas when I went to the line.”

The Lakers, who have a 3-0 lead against the Warriors in the best-of-seven series, can sweep with a win today.

Asked which team he’d rather face in the Western Conference final, Seattle or Houston, Thompson said: “Seattle. I like the Pacific Northwest. Texas is too flat and too hot.

“Of course, I’d like to face Boston in the final. I think everyone from here to Kilimanjaro would like to see Boston and the Lakers in the final. But we’re taking it one game at a time.”

Said Abdul-Jabbar: “He (Thompson) gave us the effort we needed. He was getting second shots.

“I wouldn’t say that Mychal is like a World War II torpedo and I’m like a nuclear missile. He can play this game. He just hasn’t had the opportunity.”

Thompson likes playing with Kareem so much that he said he hopes he can convince Abdul-Jabbar to change his mind about retiring at the end of next season.

“Maybe I can take him to the Bahamas with me this summer and convince him to play another three to four years,” Thompson said.

The Lakers didn’t run any special plays for Thompson. He scored his points on offensive rebounds and off passes from Laker guards Magic Johnson and Byron Scott.

“Magic and Byron were penetrating and dishing the ball off to me for easy layups,” Thompson said. “You’ve got to credit them for my points.

“Taking Kareem’s place is impossible. I was just trying to scrap for every point. And it wasn’t very easy because J.B. (Carroll) was beating on me.”

Said Riley: “Mychal was outstanding. He kept breaking to the open spot. Mychal is one of the smartest players in this league. He knows how to play basketball.”