Here’s Another Score: Riley 100, Auerbach 99

Close, but no cigar, Red.

Red Auerbach no longer owns the record for most National Basketball Assn. playoff victories by a coach. He trails Pat Riley, 100-99. And don’t expect him to catch up. Auerbach, 72, hasn’t coached since 1966. Besides, Riley, 45, seems to be getting the knack of this coaching business.

At halftime Sunday at the Forum, the Houston Rockets led the Lakers, 65-48, and had had a 14-0 run in the second quarter.

The young Pat Riley would have kicked down the door to the trainer’s room. He did it in 1982. Or maybe, as Magic Johnson suggested, he would have punched a hole through the ceiling of the dressing room. At the very least, he would have thrown a cup of water against the wall.

Sunday, he showed his team only compassion and film. “I felt for them,” Riley said. “It was the sixth round of a 12-round fight and they were getting their . . . whipped. It wasn’t a lack of effort. They weren’t flat. They were simply getting outplayed. Sometimes that happens. They were hurt and disappointed. The threat of losing the home-court advantage in a short series creates fear.”

He let them look at bits and pieces of the horror film that was the first half and made some adjustments. “There was no spirited oration,” Riley said. “It was very ‘X and O’ oriented. A few years ago, I would have embarrassed everybody. Really, I would have embarrassed myself.”

But this time Pat Riley embarrassed nobody. The Lakers rallied to win, 104-100, and their coach emerged with his 100th playoff victory against 42 losses for a percentage of .704. Auerbach finished his career with 99 victories and 69 losses in the playoffs for a percentage of .589.

Riley said he was happy to have set the record, but that his mind now was on only one thing, eliminating the pesky Rockets and advancing to the second round of the playoffs.

But maybe it is time to start comparing Riley with Auerbach.

Auerbach closed his career by winning an unprecedented eight consecutive NBA championships with the Boston Celtics and nine in his last 10 years.

Riley has coached the Lakers to four NBA championships in his eight years.

However, these numbers do not tell the entire story. It’s tougher to go all the way now. Auerbach’s Celtics had to win only seven playoff games once, eight games seven times, and 11 games once to claim the championship in a smaller league. Riley’s Lakers have had to win 12 games once and 15 games the other three times.

OK, maybe some of the Lakers’ opponents haven’t been so hot. Throw out his 20-0 record in the first round since the change in format in 1984, and Riley still has a higher winning playoff percentage than Auerbach.

The talent pool is much bigger now and the distribution more even because of improved scouting techniques.

It can also be argued that it was easier for Auerbach to get his players geared for the postseason. A large percentage of their pay depended on playoff shares. Today the millionaires of pro basketball make their fortune during the regular season. In comparison, their playoff shares are minuscule.

In common between Auerbach and Riley are Bill Russell and Magic Johnson. Russell was the most valuable player of his era, Magic is the most valuable player of his era.

The coaches learned how to get the best out of their stars. Mostly, let them do their thing. Once upon a time, Paul Westhead installed a structured offense in Los Angeles and told the players to do it his way or no other way. Magic was among those who led the revolt that cost Westhead his job.

Riley allows Magic and James Worthy, both of whom have had knee problems, to skip practice the day after games.

Magic was not even the most valuable Johnson at the Forum for much of the second half Sunday. That was Buck Johnson of Houston.

Riley had to look for different heroes, Byron Scott in the third quarter and Vlade Divac and Orlando Woolridge in the fourth quarter.

Scott scored the first three points of the second half on a jump shot that got the crowd roaring and the Rockets thinking.

“Byron was a different person when he came out for the second half,” Riley said. “He said, ‘The hell with this.’ He was confident. He was going to stick it to them.”

Riley’s first goal was to cut the Houston lead to 10 points. That took all of 5 minutes 53 seconds. Scott’s jump shot made it 72-62. However, the Rockets refused to wilt.

Houston still led by seven points when Riley made the first of two important substitutions: Divac for A.C. Green with 10:10 left in the fourth quarter. Divac, the rookie, would play the rest of the game.

With 9:08 left and the Lakers down by three, Woolridge replaced Worthy. And Mychal Thompson, not Woolridge, left when Worthy quickly returned.

The subs were super. A Woolridge steal and a Divac slam dunk brought the Lakers to within 98-97 with 1:43 remaining. Divac and Woolridge combined for 14 of the Lakers’ final 25 points. “It was a great game won by a great team,” said Riley, a great coach.