NBA CHAMPIONSHIP : LAKERS VS. CELTICS : Notebook : Cooper Says He’s ‘Kind of Doubtful’ for Game

Will Michael Cooper, who has a sprained right knee, play this afternoon in Game 6 of the National Basketball Assn. finals?

According to those two noted medical experts, Dr. Earvin Johnson of Los Angeles and Dr. Larry Joe Bird of Boston, the prognosis is as simple as it can get.

“There’s no question we need him,” Johnson said Saturday afternoon after the Lakers had worked out at the Forum. “And he’ll play--unless he can’t walk.”

Said Bird before the Celtics’ workout: “Michael Cooper will play tomorrow. I don’t want to sit here and talk about Michael Cooper not playing.

“It’s a big game. He’ll play.”

And what does the patient himself say? Well, for one thing, Cooper admits he’s not cut out to be patient about being a patient.

“I’m so very rarely injured, I don’t know how to act or respond,” said Cooper, who has played in 518 consecutive games, counting the playoffs.

Yes, Cooper said his knee--which he injured in a collision with Boston’s Dennis Johnson in Game 5 Thursday--is sore and stiff and he didn’t do much at practice besides running a little bit.

And, he added, “it’s kind of on the doubtful side” whether he would play today.

“But I don’t think my injury will determine the outcome of the game,” he said.

Besides, he said, “the Celtics are injured too, or have you forgot?” Sarcasm intended.

Boston forward Kevin McHale, when asked about Cooper’s injury, said:

“We’ll take Michael Cooper. He’s hurt? We’ll take him and Kurt Rambis and play the Lakers another seven-game series after this one is over.

“Cooper has a lot of heart, a lot of soul. It’s too bad (he’s injured). It really is. But I have a hard time giving sympathy to people with injuries. It’s part of the game.”

Laker Coach Pat Riley, on the $500 fine Boston Coach K. C. Jones was assessed for saying it looked like referee Earl Strom was wearing a Laker uniform in Game 4 Tuesday:

“I got fined $5,000 for saying a lot less than K. C. But fines right now? Who cares? We’ve got more important things to do, play basketball.

“That’s per diem for the guys in this league.”

Riley was fined in 1983 for comments he made about the officiating after Game 1 of the finals against Philadelphia, in which the Lakers did not shoot a free throw in the second half. The 76ers swept the series in four straight.

K. C. Jones, on the difference between coming here now and at the outset of the series:

“We only had two days off between the end of the Detroit series and the finals. One day’s practice against the Lakers in the finals? We were not prepared whatsoever.”

Dr. Jekyll: In two games here, the Lakers averaged 133.5 points a game and shot 58% from the floor.

Mr. Hyde: In three games at Boston, the Lakers averaged 106 points and shot 47%.