Woolridge Is Worthy in Laker Backup Role : He Scores 29 to Help Beat Heat, 118-86

As an enticement to win-starved season-ticket holders, the Miami Heat recently sent out 4,000 free videotapes of its lone road victory, Dec. 14 over the Clippers, at a cost of about $20,000 to the first-year expansion club.

Friday night, however, the Heat’s return engagement in Los Angeles would not exactly rate as a collector’s item.

In fact, the 99-cent discount bin might end up being the best place to pick up a tape of the Lakers’ 118-86 victory over Miami before a seemingly disinterested Forum crowd of 17,505.

About the only person who might cherish this one Laker reserve forward Orlando Woolridge, who scored a season-high 29 points after James Worthy left 24 seconds into the second half with a bruised left knee and didn’t return.

Rather than narrow the gap between the teams, the loss of Worthy seemed to awaken the Lakers (21-11), who had been listless and uninspired in a first half in which they led by only 9 points.

Led by Woolridge, who scored 25 of his points in the second half, the Lakers put away the Heat posthaste. It was not quite as thorough a beating as the Lakers administered to the Heat (3-27) in Miami in November, when they rolled to a 47-point victory. But it was similar, especially to Woolridge, whose total of 22 points that night was his previous season best.

As pleased as the Lakers were by Woolridge’s outstanding play--he made 11 of 13 shots in the second half--they were even more relieved to learn that Worthy’s injury is not believed to be serious.

After Worthy collided with Heat forward Billy Thompson while chasing a loose ball, he fell to the floor clutching his left knee.

Trainer Gary Vitti attended to Worthy, who limped into the Laker locker room to be examined by team physician Robert Kerlan and was out for the game. A second examination after the game confirmed Kerlan’s initial diagnosis that Worthy merely suffered a bruise.

“When I got out to the floor, James thought it might be hyper-extended,” Vitti said. “He looked a little scared about it. So, we took him inside. But he looks fine. It looks like only a contusion.”

If only for a moment after Friday’s injury, the Lakers no doubt thought about life without Worthy. It is not a pleasant thought to Coach Pat Riley, but Woolridge’s play in the second half as well as in Wednesday’s victory over Portland had to make them feel better.

“He had a great game tonight,” Riley said of Woolridge, who made 13 of 16 shots and had 7 rebounds in a season-high 33 minutes. “He seems like, since the Phoenix game (in which Woolridge was benched), he’s played harder and has been fitting in more.

“He’s not always forcing things (offensively). It’s a mental thing he has to work on, letting the (game’s flow) come to him rather him always coming to the game.”

Woolridge, who is used to playing on teams on which he is the offense’s focal point, has been inconsistent as a backup with the Lakers. But he said Friday’s performance was a preview of what he can do if given the consistent playing time.

“I’m more at ease playing here now,” Woolridge said. “I’m not trying to rush things. I’m going with the flow of the game. I know I wasn’t consistent, and I was disappointed and frustrated by that.

“Tonight was a little different because James came out and I got some significant time.”

It also was different because of the quality of competition. That was evident in the first half, when the Lakers were listless and the Heat was inspired enough to outrebound and outhustle the Lakers. But still, the Lakers managed to lead, 59-50.

Then came the second half, and the Lakers simply turned it on.

“It was a game that we sort of played defense and sort of played offense in the first half,” Riley said. “But in the second half, it came together.

“This is the type of game you have to win. I always believe you have to show more respect for a team that is down. If they had hit 3 or 4 baskets at the start (of the second half), they would’ve gotten into it, officials might have been sympathetic and we might have been in a tight game. . . . So, we had to take care of matters quickly.”

Despite Riley’s fretting, the Lakers never seemed threatened.

Laker players, after all, did not want to face the possibility, remote as it might seem, that they could suffer the same fate as the Clippers, Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs, the Heat’s only victims.

“In the second half, we really picked it up,” said Magic Johnson, who had 25 points and 11 assists. “They played hard, and they hung in there in the first half. But we opened it up in the second half.”

In addition to the production from Woolridge and Johnson, the Lakers received 22 points from Byron Scott and 9 rebounds from A.C. Green. That more than offset the efforts of Heat center Rony Seikaly, who had 16 points, and forward Grant Long, who had 12 points and 13 rebounds.

“We played a good half,” Miami Coach Ron Rothstein said. “Unfortunately, we have 2 halves.”

Even at full strength, the Heat is at a disadvantage against most teams, especially the Lakers. But Miami really was shorthanded Friday night, dressing only 9 players because of recent health and injury problems.

Earlier on its 6-game trip, the Heat lost Sylvester Gray with a torn ligament in his left thumb and Pearl Washington with a pulled groin muscle. And Friday, the Heat played without forward Pat Cummings, who stayed at the team’s hotel nursing the flu.

Manpower is one of many problems for the Heat, which ends what so far is an 0-5 trip tonight in Phoenix.

The Lakers, who have had their own problems on the road this season, gladly pocketed their 12th straight home victory, and set their sights on the San Antonio Spurs, another National Basketball Assn. have-not, on Sunday night.

“We’re 21-11 now, and it has been irritating what happened on the road,” Riley said. “But we’re home now, and it’s time to take advantage of that.”

Even if it is just the Miami Heat.

Laker Notes

Byron Scott is receiving treatment for back spasms, which Scott says affect him only occasionally. “It only comes on about every 2 or 3 years,” Scott said. “But when it comes, it really hurts. It happened again at practice (Monday), and if I don’t get treatment, it tightens up and affects my shooting. It takes away the elevation on my jump and hurts my jump shot.” Although he felt back spasms Wednesday, Scott still made 11 of 12 shots in the Lakers’ victory over Portland. “The other night, I took treatment before the game, and it worked,” Scott said. “I think I’ll do it again because I really felt bad getting out of bed (Friday morning).”

Reserve center Mark McNamara missed his third straight game because of a severe case of the flu. Trainer Gary Vitti said McNamara hopes to return for Sunday night’s game against the San Antonio Spurs at the Forum. . . . Heat forward Billy Thompson, who was on the Lakers’ National Basketball Assn. championship team last season, received his championship ring in a pregame ceremony. Actually, he received an empty box. The Lakers mailed the ring to Thompson before the season started. But it’s the thought that counts.

After Laker center Mychal Thompson scored a season-high 27 points Wednesday night against his former team, the Portland Trail Blazers, Clyde Drexler expressed shock that Thompson made all his free throws. “God knows the last time that happened,” Drexler said. Well, Thompson said he remembers exactly when it happened. Said Thompson: “April 4, 1984. I was playing for Portland against San Antonio. I was 10 for 10. I make so few free throws, it’s like a birth of a child. You remember every one of them.” Sorry, Mychal. But a look in the archives shows that Portland did not even play a game on the night in question.