Johnson Scores 24 Points in Lakers’ 105-93 Victory

Magic Johnson scored 24 points and added 12 assists as the Lakers overcame a flat first half to defeat the New Jersey Nets, 105-93, a National Basketball Assn. exhibition game Monday night.

The Lakers, 4-2 in exhibition play, trailed, 57-49, at halftime but dominated the third quarter and took the lead for good on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s skyhook with 6:04 left in the period.

The Lakers outscored the Nets, 23-9, in the first 7 minutes of the third quarter and wound up outscoring New Jersey, 36-17, in the period. Johnson scored 13 of his 15 second-half points in the third quarter.

The Lakers made 24 of 34 shots in the second half after shooting just 41% in the first half. The Nets connected for 50% in the first half, but made just 13 of 46 the rest of the way.

James Worthy added 20 points and Byron Scott scored 19 points for the Lakers.

Tim McCormick scored 19 points and Roy Hinson added 17 points for New Jersey, 1-4 in the preseason.

The game was played before a crowd of 15,255 in the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, which was home to the NBA’s Buffalo Braves, now the Clippers, in the 1970s.