NBA PLAYOFFS : Worthy Gives Lakers Extra Weapon

You tend to think of James Worthy strictly in an offensive context. Those swooping dunks, arching jump shots and spins to the basket are marked in memory.

Worthy as a defensive specialist, though, takes some getting used to.

It is a relatively new concept, seen mostly in the National Basketball Assn. playoffs the last few seasons. Always counted on to be a scorer, Worthy also now is serving as the Laker assigned to defend against the opponent’s top shooting guard.

In the first-round playoff sweep of the Portland Trail Blazers, the Laker forward kept high-scoring guard Clyde Drexler from dominating.

The assignment for Worthy in the Western Conference semifinals is Seattle SuperSonic guard Dale Ellis, who averaged 28.3 points against the Lakers during the regular season, including a 42-point game at Seattle in January.

In the Lakers’ 11-point victory in Game 1 Sunday, Worthy, with relief from Michael Cooper and Byron Scott, held Ellis to 19 points. When Worthy switched assignments, picking up Xavier McDaniel for part of the second half, the SuperSonic forward scored only one basket.

Each of those SuperSonic players figures to get another shot at Worthy’s defensive prowess tonight at the Forum in Game 2 of the best-of-seven series.

Although Laker Coach Pat Riley does not expect to stop both Ellis, who probably will be guarded by Worthy, and McDaniel, guarded by A.C. Green, for the entire series, he said that they at least can be contained.

“I’d be surprised if we (stopped) those guys like the other day,” Riley said. “Usually, we just like to soften one of them up. James gives (Ellis) a different look. Being 6-9, with those long arms, (Worthy) might discourage him more from scoring.”

After Sunday’s loss, Ellis said that Worthy’s defense had not presented any particular difficulties, either on the perimeter or when Ellis posted outside the key.

“I just wasn’t getting open on the screens,” Ellis said. “And I wasn’t making the shots when I did get open.”

It could have been merely a rare bad day for Ellis. But Worthy’s defense also could have had something to do with it. Worthy’s work on Ellis and, to a lesser extent, McDaniel in some ways was as vital to the Lakers’ victory as his 28 points and 12 rebounds.

The Lakers experimented with having Worthy cover the shooting guard three seasons ago. That allows Magic Johnson to move underneath to take a forward and also start fast breaks off rebounds.

“It goes back to when we played Dallas (in the 1985-86 playoffs),” Riley said. “We put him on (Maverick guard Rolando) Blackman. He did a good job on him. James has got great lateral quickness and great size. He can affect the off guard. He’s so used to playing and trailing on screens that he can make the switch and play guard.

“When he focuses on what the game plan is, he’s got the skill and the quickness to be able to do anything. He has ability.”

Worthy was not sure at first whether he could handle playing out of position. Now, he says, he is used to Riley’s defensive strategy and considers it a challenge to defend perimeter scorers such as Drexler and Ellis.

“I’ve kind of adapted to playing the principles of that,” Worthy said. “It was tough. They are quicker than I am. I think I’ve improved in playing perimeter defense, as opposed to playing the post-up area. The more I do it, the better it is, as far as getting adjusted to it.”

The biggest adjustment, by far, has been fighting through screens to stay close to Ellis. Worthy basically is on equal footing when Ellis goes inside to post up, but he has had to learn to avoid or run through screens.

Cooper is particularly adept at handling screens, and he said Worthy has learned to do so as well.

“The biggest key to guarding Ellis is to get through the picks,” Cooper said. “Ellis has gotten so good at freeing himself for shots that he’s tough to stop. It’s pretty much hand-to-hand combat. He’ll use his arms or legs, everything to break free and get open.

“I’ve found, playing Ellis over the years, that you have to fight force with force. (James) does that. He uses his quickness and size. People only focus on James’ offense. But he’s putting up some good defensive games, too.”

Combining the guidance of Cooper and Scott with his own experience, Worthy said he is well aware of Ellis’ moves and mannerisms.

“I know what he likes to do,” Worthy said. “I know it’s his favorite to come off those picks and be wide open and get his feet set. I know it must be frustrating when the defense doesn’t allow you to get your best shot.”

Worthy said he makes up for a lack of guardlike quickness with effort.

“I just kind of stay with it, not give him a lot of space the best I can,” Worthy said. “Because he does a great job of coming to a halt at the last minute, I just try to mimic what he does as far as movement. I just try to be right there with him. When he gets off the pick, I try to be behind him. His timing is so perfect that he only needs a step.

“You have to at least try to avoid the pick and instead of being two seconds off of him, be one second off. Let him know you’re right there.”

Early in his career, Worthy had enough trouble guarding forwards. But he said that he has applied the fundamentals of team defense he learned under Dean Smith at North Carolina. “When you have a good defensive game, it’s more satisfying than offense because defense is not really looked at as far as stats,” Worthy said. “I don’t think I’ve been (overlooked as a defensive player). I think I’ve just improved.

“I always tried to be a good team defensive player coming out of college in Coach Smith’s system. You take some of those principles and use them in a one-on-one situation where you aren’t expecting as much team help.”

Knowing the capabilities of Ellis, who was the NBA’s third-leading scorer during the regular season with a 27.2-point average, Worthy is realistic about his chances of holding Ellis under 20 points again tonight.

“I don’t think he’s going to stop playing just because he had one 19-point game,” Worthy said. “That’s not too bad. But now I think he’ll be more aggressive, look for his shot more. It’s a natural recovery for a scorer like that.”

Bernie Bickerstaff, the SuperSonics’ coach, said it is too early to call the Laker strategy a success.

“It’s kind of tough to draw conclusions after just one game,” he said. “There are some things we have in our repertoire to get (Ellis) open more, some different sets. But the bottom line is that he has to make the shots.”

Riley, however, said he looks at a different bottom line when it comes to Worthy’s defense.

“Defense, with James, is all hard work and concentration,” Riley said. “He can flat out shut people down when he wants to.”

Laker Notes

The SuperSonics practiced Monday and Tuesday afternoons in Seattle and were scheduled to fly to Los Angeles Tuesday night. Coach Bernie Bickerstaff said that returning home after Game 1 on Sunday was a good idea. “I know I was tired,” he said in conference call with Los Angeles writers Tuesday. “I know the players were tired, too. We have no second thoughts about getting away.”

Bickerstaff is concerned about the reaction to Seattle’s physical style of play. “Our biggest problem now is dealing with all the . . . we’re reading in the papers about the way we play,” he said. “We don’t change our posture to play anybody. We played basketball like that for 82 games. What happens now is that (the Lakers) focus on how we play and it’s working to our detriment (with game officials).” But Bickerstaff said that his team will not engage in verbal warfare. “We haven’t done anything yet to be able to speak up. They are the world champions.”

Asked if it is essential that the SuperSonics not return to Seattle trailing in the series by 2-0, Bickerstaff said: “In all the playoffs we’ve ever been in, if you don’t have the home-court advantage, you try to win one on the road sometime during the series and win all your home games. If you’re the Lakers, you make damn sure you win all your home games.” . . . A one-hour show on the ceremony honoring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar prior to the final regular-season game April 23 will be shown by Prime Ticket following tonight’s game.