Magic Repeats in MVP Vote; Barkley Is 2nd : Pro basketball: Johnson is the first back-to-back winner since Larry Bird. Michael Jordan finishes a close third.

As he did last season, Magic Johnson will receive the NBA’s most valuable player award between the first and second games of the Western Conference finals.

The difference this time is that the Lakers have been eliminated from the playoffs. So, the trophy presentation will be the only activity today at the Forum.

It will be the third time in the last four seasons Johnson, 30, has won the award. He is the first back-to-back MVP winner since Larry Bird was honored from 1984 to 1986.

Details of the voting by 92 media representatives in 27 cities won’t be available until today, but an NBA official confirmed Monday night that Philadelphia 76er forward Charles Barkley edged Chicago Bull guard Michael Jordan for second place. Others who were expected to contend included Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz, Akeem Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets and David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs.

Johnson averaged 22.3 points and was second to league leader John Stockton of the Utah Jazz in assists with an average of 11.5. In the Lakers’ first season without Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson helped lead the Lakers to a 63-19 record, best in the NBA.

Neither Johnson nor Laker Coach Pat Riley could be reached Monday. But veteran guard Michael Cooper, one of Johnson’s closest friends on the team, said he deserved the award even more than he did last season.

“I think Earvin did everything necessary for our team to win 63 games,” Cooper said. “I think people looked at him taking over in Kareem’s absence, or retirement, and he did everything you can ask from a player.

“I never look at stats when I look at great players, just their performances. His performance was the best for his team this year.”

Jerry West, the Lakers’ general manager, said Johnson need not worry about statistics.

“It’s a terrible thing for a player of his caliber to try to yardstick every season against yourself,” West said. “He is outstanding every year. He is consistent and he is a winner. That’s what makes him special.

“He has always had his game at a different level from everyone else. It’s so hard to compare (Johnson) and a player like Jordan. I just know how great Earvin Johnson is. Both he and Jordan play a different type of game.”

Johnson has said he tries to add something to his game every season. In 1988-89, for instance, he improved his free-throw shooting to 91.1%, best in the NBA.

This season, Johnson worked on his three-point shooting. He made 106 three-pointers, nearly exceeding the career total of 117 he had going into the season.

But Johnson does not judge his worth statistically. He said earlier this season he took it upon himself to lead the Lakers to the NBA’s best record.

And, although they stumbled in the second round of the playoffs, the Lakers were led by Johnson to their third-best record ever.

Laker Notes

Jerry West, the Lakers’ general manager, said he met with Coach Pat Riley for 45 minutes Sunday to talk about Riley’s plans. West said he got no indication what those plans might be, but he reportedly told Riley to decide soon so that the Lakers could start making personnel moves. “You don’t really know what he’s going to do,” West said. “It’s obvious (the coaching situation) is very important to us. We had a really nice talk. . . . But I honestly am not sure what he wants to do.”