NBA CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES : Notes : ‘Bad Boy’ Pistons Make Good on Daly’s Dream

Detroit Piston trainer Mike Abdenour hugged Coach Chuck Daly as the clock ran out in the Pistons’ 105-97 title-clinching victory over the Lakers Tuesday night at the Forum.

“Congratulations Chuck!” Abdenour said. “You worked your entire life for this!”

The Pistons credited Daly for guiding them to their first National Basketball Assn. title.

Said John Salley: “Chuck was the man. He believed in us and motivated us and made sure our heads didn’t get too big so we got it done.”

The title was especially satisfying for Daly, who was fired from his first NBA head coaching job with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Daly coached at Pennsylvania and Boston College before spending four years as an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers. He joined Detroit in 1983.

“A lot of guys go through their whole coaching career and don’t win any championships but they’re great coaches,” Daly said as he accepted congratulations from well-wishers in the Pistons’ dressing room.

“Obviously this is kind of a dream come true. All those years I’ve watched everyone else win a title and I never figured that I’d quite get it, but this club put it together all year.”

Piston forward Mark Aguirre cried after winning his first title. His wife Angela wiped away his tears.

The Piston forward, branded a loser after failing to win a championship at Chicago’s Westinghouse High School and DePaul University, was delirious.

“They tell me that having a kid is the most joyous moment of your life. I can’t wait for it because if it’s better than this I don’t know what it’s going to be like,” Aguirre said. “This is incredible.”

The Pistons’ title was especially satisfying to sportscaster Dick Vitale, who coached the Detroit from 1978-80.

“This one was for you,” a Piston fan told Vitale, who broadcast the game over the ABC radio network.

Vitale said he felt like a part of the title.

“I think it’s fantastic for the whole city and everybody involved that they got a championship,” Vitale said. “I think it’s just a fantastic moment for all the fans who had to labor and struggle for all those years and all the players who wore the uniform in the past like Bob Lanier and Dave Bing. It’s just a great moment in Detroit basketball.”

Magic Johnson wore basic black--shirt, trousers, shoes and mood--when he walked into the Laker locker room before Game 4.

Not surprisingly, after a brief examination by Dr. Robert Kerlan, Johnson was ruled out of the game because of his strained left hamstring. He joined teammate Byron Scott, out because of a partially torn left hamstring, in street clothes on the bench.

“He knew,” Kerlan said. “We didn’t try (to have Johnson run).”

Kerlan also said that Johnson had suffered no regression or aggravation of his sprained hamstring after playing 4 minutes 46 seconds in Game 3 on Sunday.

“We left it up to him for that game,” Kerlan said. “He was running and moving all right (Sunday) in the boiler room (where Johnson tested the hamstring).”

Johnson and Laker forward Mychal Thompson made the all-interview team in a poll of NBA writers.

The first team: Charles Barkley of Philadelphia, Karl Malone of Utah, Michael Jordan of Chicago, Doc Rivers of Atlanta and Johnson.

The second team: Thompson, Kevin McHale of Boston, Danny Ainge of Sacramento, Rolando Blackman of Dallas and Reggie Theus of Atlanta.

Piston forward John Salley received honorable mention.

Said Thompson, who figured he deserved first-team recognition: “Definitely an oversight. But I’m used to being unappreciated. When I was a kid, and I used to clean the yard, my dad wouldn’t appreciate what I did, either.”

When guard Vinnie Johnson of the Pistons needs a quick rush of energy, he takes ginseng, a Chinese herb.

“Three hours before the game, I take two ginseng capsules,” Johnson said. “During the course of the game if I feel I need extra juice, I drink a couple of vials of ginseng extract.”

The ginseng craze is catching on around the NBA.

Michael Cooper, James Worthy and Thompson of the Lakers swear by ginseng.

“It gives you a quick rush of energy legally , “ Thompson said. “And it gives you more stamina.”

Times staff writer Sam McManis contributed to this story.

NBA CHAMPIONS OF THE ‘80s

Year Champion 1988-89 Detroit Pistons 1987-88 Lakers 1986-87 Lakers 1985-86 Boston Celtics 1984-85 Lakers 1983-84 Boston Celtics 1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers 1981-82 Lakers 1980-81 Boston Celtics 1979-80 Lakers