NBA PLAYOFFS : Time to Kick Back? Not for Lakers

In a congested corner of the visitors’ locker room in Phoenix on Sunday, somewhat ignored by other celebrants of the Lakers’ Western Conference finals sweep of the Suns, Coach Pat Riley grabbed Magic Johnson by the neck and planted a kiss that landed somewhere near his collarbone.

Riley, however, has vowed not to be so affectionate when the Lakers, 11-0 in the playoffs, resume working out this week while awaiting their opponent in the National Basketball Assn. championship series.

Fearful that the Lakers will lose something with a layoff that will extend until at least next Tuesday, Riley said he has planned long practices, possibly a simulated game and, if necessary, a trip to Santa Barbara later in the week for what Riley called a mini-training camp.

Some reward for sweeping three playoff series.

“They are going to wish they got beat (in Game 4),” Riley quipped after Sunday’s victory over the Suns. “They will wish that they extended this series longer to avoid what I’ve got planned.”

Riley does not want a week’s inactivity to erode the Lakers’ intensity.

“Workouts have to be as intense as ever,” Riley said. “We can learn from Detroit. They went into (the Eastern Conference finals) after a long layoff, and (Coach Chuck) Daly said they weren’t as strong in that first game.”

The Lakers, however, are adept at playing the waiting game. They endured extended breaks after both the Portland and Seattle series, but this will be their longest layoff of the playoffs.

And the Lakers aren’t looking forward to it.

Said Michael Cooper: “It will be pure hell.”

Said Mychal Thompson: “You know Riley’s already rubbing his hands devising tortures for us. I tell you, it’s like punishment for winning in four.”

And from Johnson: “We’re going to go into hibernation and (Riley) will work us twice a day to get us ready. But you know me, I want to play tomorrow.”

For now, the Lakers are merely interested observers in the Chicago-Detroit series.

However, should they play the Bulls in the finals, they would have the home-court advantage because they finished the regular season with a better record than Chicago. If the Pistons were to advance for a rematch in the finals, the Lakers would have to make two trips to Detroit under the 2-3-2 format.

Said Riley: “I would say only that I would prefer Chicago because it gives us the home-court advantage. It’s not as if we feel we can beat them easier.”

Asked to compare the Pistons and Bulls, Riley said: “Detroit’s got the defense and the matchups. They match up against us maybe better in key positions than anyone in the league.

“Chicago has enthusiasm, a sense of destiny and Michael Jordan.”

When he accepted the NBA’s most valuable player award in Los Angeles last week, Johnson talked with excitement about a possible meeting with Jordan in the finals. After Sunday’s game, however, he hedged. After all, two of his closest friends, Isiah Thomas and Mark Aguirre, play for the Pistons.

“It doesn’t matter who we play as long as we’re there,” Johnson said.

Said Thompson:

“I’m a basketball fan, and I’d like to see Michael Jordan play in the finals. I told Magic that, if (the Bulls) made it, we’d all go home and let him and Michael go one-on-one. Play to 21. Make it, take it.

“But we still respect Detroit, and we’d like to see them in a rematch from last year, too.”

Either Byron Scott or James Worthy probably would have to guard Jordan, with relief off the bench from Cooper.

“We aren’t going to think about it right now,” Scott said. “I’m not surprised (by the Bulls) at all, not with Michael there. They are a very different team than they were in the season. But we just want to go home and relax a while.”

The Lakers might be home, but Riley will make sure that they won’t relax.

Laker Notes

James Worthy continued his strong playoff performance in the Phoenix series. Worthy led the Lakers in scoring in the four games with a 25-point average. In 11 playoff games, Worthy has averaged 24.6 points and made 60.3% of his shots. . . . With his 35-point effort in Game 4, Byron Scott finished the Phoenix series with a 24.8 average. Scott made 57.8% of his shots against the Suns. . . . A.C. Green led the Lakers in rebounding with an 8.8 average, followed by Worthy (8.3). . . .

All Magic Johnson did in the Western Conference finals was average 20.3 points, 14.5 assists and 6.8 rebounds. . . . Johnson broke the playoff record for most assists (57) in a four-game series. The record of 51 was reached by Bob Cousy (against Minneapolis in 1959), Walt Frazier (against Baltimore in 1969) and Phoenix’s Kevin Johnson (against Golden State in the Western Conference semifinals). . . . In case you’re wondering, no NBA team has gone undefeated throughout the playoffs. The 1983 Philadelphia 76ers have the best playoff record at 12-1.