Lakers Have Plenty Left to Rout Heat

Orlando Woolridge, at last, returned from his knee injury. Mychal Thompson sat out with a sore heel. Mark McNamara finally had a chance to shed his sweats and start at center. And, the more high-profile Laker starters were able to punch out early and relax for a change.

That could only mean that the Lakers were facing the Miami Heat, not the NBA’s worst team, but the one the Lakers have dominated like no other.

After beating Miami by an average of 33 points last season, the Lakers hammered the Heat in their first meeting this season, 102-75, before a sellout crowd of 15,008 Wednesday night at the Miami Arena.

The Lakers (16-5) had reason to feel good about the way they dominated and their intensity after playing four games in six nights. But more important to the team were the return of Woolridge after missing 20 games because of arthroscopic knee surgery, the loss for at least one night of Thompson and the inspired play of seldom-used McNamara.

On the same day that Woolridge was activated, after having bone fragments surgically removed from his right knee on Oct. 17, Thompson was so badly hobbled by a recurrence of an old heel injury that he was forced to miss a game because of injury in two seasons.

The Lakers carried on, though. They did not need to be at full strength against the 5-17 Heat, which has few strengths even with a complete roster. The Lakers led by eight points at halftime, then finished off Miami in the second half. James Worthy led the Lakers with 21 points, and Magic Johnson had 18 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.

But, as was the case in all four Laker meetings last season against Miami, this was a night for the less well-known Lakers to earn playing time and recognition.

It also gave Coach Pat Riley reason to contemplate how he will use his reserves when Woolridge, who had seven points, two rebounds and four fouls in 15 minutes, works his way into condition and back into the substitution pattern.

Riley said he probably will use nine players, one or two players more than in previous seasons. Riley said he wants to continue giving significant playing time to reserve center Vlade Divac, who had 12 points and seven rebounds Wednesday night, backup point guard Larry Drew as well as sixth man Michael Cooper and Woolridge.

“I think I can use all nine,” Riley said. “One of the problems we’ve had in second halves is that we just don’t have our legs. We’ve got some age out there now--not exactly chronologically, but in terms of wear and tear--and I’d love to develop a real solid second unit with Orlando, Vlade, Larry Drew and Coop or maybe Byron (Scott) as the shooting guard.

“I’d like to have it so we can go five or six minutes giving Buck (Magic Johnson) and James some rest. Rarely do you see this team without (both) Magic and James on the floor.”

This was one of those nights, mostly because the Heat succumbed so easily at the first sign of Laker dominance.

The Lakers’ big lead, which swelled to as many as 33 points in the fourth quarter, enabled Riley to play Woolridge liberally. Both Riley and Woolridge say it may be more than a week before he is back in game condition.

Woolridge, however, was encouraged by his effort.

“It (the knee) felt great,” Woolridge said. “Obviously, I don’t have my game legs on yet. But the only way to get in shape is to keep playing. It’ll come.

“I think I fit in to this team the way I was last season. They need me for rebounding and defense and shot blocking. But I want to add some scoring this year. I’m looking to be more offensive-minded, going inside and strong to the basket.”

Even with Woolridge still a little tentative underneath and Thompson sitting out, the Lakers had a 48-32 rebounding edge and limited the Heat to 41.7% shooting. Except for Rony Seikaly, who had 15 points and 11 rebounds, the Heat mostly shot from the perimeter. As a result, the Heat attempted only nine free throws; the Lakers 24.

Thompson played the second half of Tuesday night’s victory in Charlotte with the bursitis in his left heel acting up. He limped noticeably in the fourth quarter of that game and did not suit up Wednesday.

Though saying he feels constant pain, Thompson said he hopes to play Friday night, when theLakers meet the Celtics in Boston.

“I don’t want to be out long, because I’ll lose my game edge from playing,” Thompson said. “You know, I’m so close to the Bahamas that maybe I’ll ask Riley if I could stop by and step my heel in those therapeutic waters.”

Thompson’s absence left Riley with the choice of starting either Divac or McNamara. He chose McNamara because of Divac’s penchant for early foul trouble and because starting Divac would disrupt the Lakers’ substitution pattern.

So McNamara it was.

As the third-string center, McNamara had previously played only 22 minutes this season. Most of his time has been spent trying to stay in playing shape, helping Divac with low-post moves and learning Serbo-Croatian, Divac’s native tongue.

But Wednesday, McNamara played 20 minutes. Though he made only three of nine shots and had eight points, McNamara had six rebounds and played well defensively against Seikaly.

“It could be hard for Mark,” Riley said of the center’s limited playing time. “But he’s handling it well. He understands the role.”

And, what is that role?

“Anybody would rather play,” McNamara said. “But I’ve tried to learn what you need to do to be a good third-string center. I have to stay in shape, be ready to play in case something like tonight happens.

“Basically, I’m an insurance policy. (The Lakers) made that clear to me when they re-signed me. I have an ego, but it’s one of my life’s goals to be competitive and strive for goals without being egotistical. So, I can accept not playing. I like this situation.”

It definitely could be worse for McNamara. He could play for the Heat.

Laker Notes

To make room for Orlando Woolridge on the roster, the Lakers waived rookie forward Mike Higgins, who played only 18 minutes in six games. He scored one point and had one rebound. “Probably the biggest reason we let (Higgins) go was that he didn’t have a position,” Coach Pat Riley said. “He was a little small (6-foot-9, 220 pounds) for strictly being a power forward. I think Mel (McCants) is a truer player for that spot.”

Riley said Charlotte got the better of Wednesday’s trade that sent former Laker Kurt Rambis from the Charlotte Hornets to the Phoenix Suns for forward Armon Gilliam. Rambis gives the Suns the rebounding power forward they had sought, while Gilliam is a physical, high-scoring forward who had feuded with Tom Chambers in Phoenix. “I don’t know what (Gilliam’s) practice habits are, but he can flat out play in the low post,” Riley said. “That’s a hell of a trade for Charlotte. But Rambis gives (the Suns) boards.” . . . Former Laker Billy Thompson led the Heat with 17 points, mostly from outside. Rony Seikaly was the only other Miami player to reach double figures.