Scott Is Jamming as Lakers Place Dallas in Gridlock

Having failed to show a single shred of evidence that they have any better ideas, the Dallas Mavericks might want to send out a search party in hopes of rounding up Too Tall Jones, Bob Lilly and Randy White.

A little Doomsday Defense, the way it once was practiced by the football Cowboys, might come in a little handy right now against the Lakers, instead of the matador variety practiced by the Mavericks so far in the National Basketball Assn. Western Conference finals.

Short of gang tackling, there may be no way for the Mavericks to fend off the head of steam the Lakers are building with a 123-101 win Wednesday night in the Forum, which gave them a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Byron Scott scored 30 points, one shy of his career playoff high, and the Lakers shot a sizzling 61.5% to put away the Mavericks, who once again offered token resistance after vowing to play a more physical style of game than they did in Game 1’s 15-point Laker blowout.

“We took a lickin’--it’s simple as that,” said Maverick owner Donald Carter, who probably would have liked to crawl inside his 10-gallon hat after watching his team taken to the woodshed once again.

The next two games of the series will be in Dallas’ Reunion Arena, where the crowd is “rabid,” according to Laker Coach Pat Riley. Maybe if there were a little more mad dog in the Mavericks, they wouldn’t be in the position they’re in now. And what position is that?

“Sitting on the back of our heels in awe of them,” said Dallas center James Donaldson, who has become the shortest 7-foot 2-inch person on earth by following in the even larger footsteps of 7-4 Mark Eaton.

“And we can’t be doing that,” Donaldson said. “I think they know in their minds they can beat us. This isn’t an excuse, but they’ve caught us on many a night when we’re not playing as well as we can play.

“We have to come out and prove it, that we can play as well as we can possibly play, and then see if they can beat us. No more words, no more talk, just go out and do it. And we haven’t done that yet.”

There’s no need to consult your thesaurus for a few words to describe the way the Lakers are playing in this series. Not when Mychal Thompson is around.

Asked why the Mavericks didn’t make a tougher stand, Thompson said: “Because we wouldn’t let ‘em. . . . When the Lakers make up their minds to do something, we’re like congressmen, we get it done.”

And unlike President Reagan, Dallas Coach John MacLeod has no veto power to nullify Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who had 19 points in just 24 minutes, a team-high 7 rebounds, and a Magic-like no-look pass on a give-and-go that resulted in a rare Magic Johnson jam. There was no re-count to stop Johnson, who had 15 points and 19 assists, and two 3-point baskets. No Secret Service to tail Scott, who had 21 points in the first half alone, then nailed a 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter to open a 89-70 Laker lead.

“We came out and right off the bat our defense was suffering,” Donaldson said. “I don’t know what caused our indecision. We know we’re supposed to rotate, to help out, to pick up the driver, and we falt out didn’t do it until the second half.

“By then, the Lakers had all the confidence in the world. A.C. Green was shooting way out, Mychal Thompson was running the floor and dunking at will, Kareem was sprinting along. Everybody.”

It was obvious Wednesdasy that Dallas hadn’t turned itself into a Utah overnight when Scott blasted through the lane uncontested for a rousing dunk in the opening minutes.

The Lakers scored on 11 of their first 13 possessions to take an early lead on Dallas, which countered with a dozen points scored in 3 1/2 minutes by Mark Aguirre.

Scott had 12 himself at the end of the quarter, which ended with the Lakers ahead, 32-30. The Lakers’ lead became 50-42 with 3:58 left in the second quarter, even though Scott was the only starter who scored in that time. Cooper scored the first five points of the period, scoring on a drive and nailing a three-pointer. Kurt Rambis, getting some extended playing time for the first time in a week and a half, had five points, cutting through the lane to take a feed from James Worthy, scoring and getting fouled.

The Lakers’ lead increased to 57-46 on a fast-break basket and free throw by Scott, followed by Scott’s strongest move of the night when he blew past Rolando Blackman, then weaved around Tarpley for a basket.

Laker Notes

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has been sued by the Italian tourist whom claimed the Laker center shoved his camera into his face in an incident in a Phoenix shopping mall. Fernando Nicolia, 40, filed the suit for unspecified damages in Maricopa County Superior Court. Abdul-Jabbar’s attorney, Leonard Armato, called the suit “nuisance litigation.” Said Armato: “It appears to be a case about a dropped camera.” The incident took place April 21, on the afternoon before the Lakers played the Suns. Abdul-Jabbar flew home the night of the incident and did not play in the game. . . . Danny Manning, who was in town to be introduced by the lottery-winning Clippers, was a courtside spectator. . . . Baltimore Orioles Manager Frank Robinson, a longtime Laker season ticket-holder, also was in attendance, the first time in 19 seasons he has been here for a playoff game, he said. The Orioles are in town to play the Angels. . . . Janice Wise, the Lakers’ public relations assistant, gave birth to an as-yet unnamed baby girl Tuesday morning. The child is the second daughter for Wise and her husband, Renal.