Lakers Have That Same Playoff Spark : Johnson Has 30 Points in Rout of Portland, 128-108

Little, it seems, has changed. First-round playoff games are still about as dangerous for the Lakers as the morning shoot-arounds that precede them.

Then again, maybe they are even less hazardous now.

Thursday morning, a railing leading to the locker rooms in the Forum put up more resistance to onrushing Laker guard Michael Cooper than the Portland Trail Blazers did to the Lakers in Game 1 of the Western Conference quarterfinals Thursday night. Cooper required 21 stitches to close a gash on his forehead, but that was nothing compared to the way the Lakers tattooed the Trail Blazers in a 128-108 victory before a Forum crowd of 17,505 that has come to expect as much in playoffs past.

The Lakers have never lost a first-round playoff game since the five-game series was implemented in 1984. Their 16th consecutive first-round victory may not have been among their most dominant, but it certainly wasn’t the struggle even some of the Lakers had predicted.

Starting fast, finishing strong and using 30 points from Magic Johnson and 29 from Byron Scott, the Lakers easily dispatched the Trail Blazers, just as they had done in all five regular-season games and 23 of these teams’ last 24 meetings in the Forum.

But, cautious types that they are at this time of the season, the Lakers weren’t about to say that the 20-point victory was reminiscent of previous first-round blowouts.

“Portland is a tough team, not like some of our other (first-round opponents),” Coach Pat Riley said. “Give us credit. We came in prepared. When we get to the playoffs, we really step up our play a notch, and you saw that tonight. This blowout is nice, but we have to come out and do it again to maintain home-court advantage. . . . And they’ll be back.”

The Trail Blazers have to come back for Game 2 Sunday at the Forum. And, the way the Lakers systematically took Portland out of its strategy in Game 1 certainly gives the Trail Blazers much room for improvement.

Without question, the biggest reason for the Lakers’ big victory was the lack of production by Portland’s big men.

Center Kevin Duckworth, harnessed by early foul trouble, fouled out late in the game with only five points and five rebounds in 21 minutes.

Steve Johnson, Duckworth’s main backup, had only five points and four rebounds. More effective was oft-injured 7-footer Sam Bowie, who had 15 points. But Bowie did most of his scoring from the perimeter, while the Lakers dominated the inside game.

The Lakers had a 48-39 rebounding advantage, and their defensive limited drives to the basket by Clyde Drexler and Jerome Kersey. Drexler still had 30 points and Kersey 24, but they could not compensate for little production inside.

Meanwhile, the Lakers were proficient in all aspects. Johnson, hobbled a little after bumping a knee, not only led the team in scoring but also had 16 assists and seven rebounds. Scott punched up his total by making five of six three-point attempts and 10 of 16 overall from the floor.

But production from the Laker backcourt is nothing unusual. It was the dominating front-line play that made the difference.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar responded to the playoffs with one of his most effective games. Abdul-Jabbar scored 11 points and had eight rebounds but, more important, he played sound defense against Duckworth and drew the Portland center into foul trouble.

“We’ve got to play them tough inside,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “That’s one of the keys. I think I had a hand in the game. I was more active on defense, clogging the middle. Kersey and Clyde are tough going to the hoop.”

When Abdul-Jabbar wasn’t around to stop the Trail Blazers, Mychal Thompson stymied his former team. Thompson, who was a member of the Trail Blazers when the teams last met in the playoffs in 1985, made eight of 11 shots for 20 points and had six rebounds.

“Those big guys got in foul trouble early,” Thompson said. “For them to win, their big guys have to be on.”

Drexler did the best he could. He made 14 of 27 shots and had nine assists. And he received help from Kersey, who outscored Laker small forward James Worthy, 24-17.

But the Lakers’ tough defense translated into easy baskets via the fast break. When the Lakers went to their half-court offense, they still shot well, making 55% overall.

Just as they did in the first half, the Lakers had a double-figure lead midway into the third quarter before a Trail Blazer run cut it to 75-70 after a basket by Drexler with 5:39 left.

But then Duckworth was called for his fifth foul and left the game, and the Lakers put away Portland with a 20-6 run in the final five minutes.

Included in the surge were two Johnson free throws coming after technical fouls were called on Portland Coach Rick Adelman and Kersey in a span of less than a minute. Both were upset over a perceived inequity in fouls between the teams.

So frustrated were the Trail Blazers after one technical foul that assistant coach Maurice Lucas, a former Laker, grabbed Cooper’s ankle as he was inbounding the ball.

Cooper shook free, as did the Lakers. They led, 95-76, entering the fourth quarter and extended it to as many as 22 points on Scott’s three-point shot to open the final quarter. Portland was not heard from again.

Portland did not begrudge the Lakers the victory, but was upset by the officiating. The Trail Blazers had 26 fouls, the Lakers 22.

“Every time we’d get within striking distance,” Drexler said, “there would be a handful of calls that could have gone either way. The Lakers seem to have gotten all those calls. They are a good enough team already. They don’t need to be getting all the close calls.”

The Lakers, on the other hand, credited their third-quarter surge to tough defense and their offensive execution.

“We were standing around, but when I came in, we picked up the pace,” said Thompson, who had seven points in the surge. “We have to win this series because I spend my summers up (in Portland) . . . and I’d have to hear it from those guys all summer.”

Based solely on Thursday night’s game, and on the Lakers’ first-round history, Thompson should have no worries.

But the Lakers still are cautious.

“Sunday will be a tougher game,” Magic Johnson said. “They’ll be more ready.”

Laker Notes

Robert Kerlan, the Lakers’ physician, examined reserve center Mark McNamara’s sprained right ankle before Thursday’s game. Laker trainer Gary Vitti said that McNamara is on schedule to return in another two weeks. “I think we’ll get him back by (the second round of the playoffs),” Vitti said. McNamara has yet to run on the ankle. He is undergoing electronic stimulation and ultrasound therapy and rides and exercise bicycle to try to maintain fitness.