Nets Threaten, but Magic Takes Control for Lakers

By force of will, not to mention a lot of twisting drives to the basket, Magic Johnson made sure the Lakers did not succumb to either inertia or the New Jersey Nets here Saturday night.

One night after an emotional victory at Boston, the Lakers were plodding along with a comfortable lead over one of the NBA’s dregs when, without warning, the Nets rallied.

A seemingly insurmountable 15-point second-half lead had been reduced to five points with 7 minutes 45 seconds to play. Johnson then intervened, and a 99-92 victory was secured.

During a 5:29 span of the fourth quarter, Johnson scored 12 points--all but one basket coming on twisting drives through the lane--to spark an 18-6 Laker run. By the time Johnson was replaced by Steve Bucknall with 2:03 to play, the Lakers had a 99-82 lead and their fourth consecutive road victory after beginning the trip with two losses.

“That’s when I’m at my best, at that time of the game,” said Johnson, who had 28 points. “When it got close, I wanted it and tried to create. So we called the same play about four or five times in a row.”

The Lakers made their intentions clear in the fourth quarter--they put Johnson in the low post as a small forward and let him improvise--and the Nets seemed incapable of stopping him.

Johnson’s final assault began 21 seconds after Purvis Short’s fourth consecutive jump shot reduced the Laker lead to 81-76.

With 7:24 to play, Johnson sank a jump shot from the wing.

With 6:34 left, Johnson beat the 24-second clock with a drive through the lane. Once airborne, he launched a one-handed scoop shot from five feet that swished.

With 5:52 to play, Johnson blew past Net rookie Mookie Blaylock for a short punch shot, drawing a foul. He made the free throw.

With 4:02 left, after James Worthy and Larry Drew had scored on earlier possessions, Johnson struck again. This time, he took the lead on a fast break and scored a layup, again drawing a foul. He made the free throw.

And, with 3:11 to play, Johnson received a pass from Drew on the left baseline. He spun quickly and glided in for a basket.

The Laker run finally ended about a minute later when Michael Cooper made a layup off a pass from Drew. They led, 99-82.

Although New Jersey (6-15) outscored the Laker reserves, 10-0, in the final two minutes, the Lakers (18-5) had made their point--that Johnson, in certain situations, can win games almost single-handedly.

Johnson had been dominant before the fourth quarter, scoring 16 points, but his final effort was necessary. Worthy, the Lakers’ leading scorer, felt the bruising side effects of his 28-point effort against the Celtics Friday night, making five of 13 shots for 12 points as his inside game was neutralized by Sam Bowie, Joe Barry Carroll and Roy Hinson.

It was up to Johnson to take control.

He needed some help, of course. Drew, playing point guard in the fourth quarter when Johnson moved to forward, had 14 points.

A.C. Green, starting at center for the third consecutive game because of Mychal Thompson’s injured left heel, had 10 points and nine rebounds.

Cooper, starting at small forward, had 13 points and Orlando Woolridge 10.

But all agreed Johnson was the prime mover.

“The whole game was Earvin Johnson,” Laker Coach Pat Riley said. “He is unbelievable in what he can do. He can post up, drawing double teams, blow by them for a layup or kick the ball out for the open man.

“He was the catalyst in every aspect. It was just Earvin taking the initiative. I was concerned about a letdown after that big win (over Boston Friday). The team looked a little tired and flat. But when Earvin is playing like that, we’re just about unbeatable.”

Certainly, the Nets were no match. Drew said he simply gave the ball to Johnson and waited for good things to happen.

“He’s that kind of player,” Drew said. “He is just capable of taking a game and putting it on the shelf.”

Worthy was not surprised that Johnson picked up the scoring load.

“That’s nothing new,” Worthy said. “He does it all the time.”

There has been something different about the Lakers in the last two games--their lineup. Forced to go with a smaller team with the 6-foot-9 Green at center and 6-7 Cooper at small forward because of Thompson’s injury, the Lakers have run more successfully and moved the ball more quickly on the perimeter.

Is Riley thinking of keeping that lineup, which features no starter taller than 6-9, when Thompson returns? Riley wouldn’t say, adding: “This lineup gives us versatility. I don’t know what we’ll do. We’re pretty good with Mychal in there. But what this does is give me a chance to look at our lineup during times when we won’t have Mychal in the game. We give up a little height with this lineup, but we get quickness.”

Most important to the Lakers Saturday, however, was that Johnson was in the lineup.

Laker Notes

Center Mychal Thompson said he will try to play Tuesday at Chicago. Thompson has missed three consecutive games because of bursitis in his left heel. It is a chronic condition, but Thompson said this is the most severe case he has had. “Right now, it feels like I’m carrying a hard-boiled egg in my heel,” Thompson said. . . . Orlando Woolridge celebrated his 30th birthday Saturday by returning to play against his former team for the second time since undergoing drug rehabilitation treatment during the 1987-88 season, when he was with the Nets. As he was last season, Woolridge was booed by Net fans. This time, however, Woolridge handled the situation better. He had 10 points and three blocked shots in 16 minutes. “I didn’t expect a standing ovation,” he said. “This year, I was more focused on what I wanted to do. Last year, I didn’t know what to expect, how they’d respond to me.”