Portland, After Flop, Tries to Come Back : Game 4: Up right and all right, Detroit’s Laimbeer is standing in the Trail Blazers’ way as the Pistons go for two in a row in Oregon.

In Game 3’s diving competition, Bill Laimbeer’s flops worked admirably. The Trail Blazers’ flop, however, was untimely.

Hence the home team comes into tonight’s Game 4 of the NBA finals trailing 2-1, with the prospect of encountering a different kettle of Pistons.

Laimbeer, whom Buck Williams likened Monday in a nice Pacific Northwest touch, to a flopping salmon, will be back. Laimbeer says he has recovered from a multitude of bruises.

Dennis Rodman, who has fallen to the floor once or twice in his career, too, may also be back. Joe Dumars, originally expected to be home, remains here. Dumars had planned to fly to Louisiana after his father’s death, but learned that the funeral will not be until Saturday, and decided to stay and play.

The Blazers are thus up against a Piston team close to full strength, after having blown Sunday’s chance to kick them when they were down.

That, according to the Blazers, was just the problem.

Laimbeer kept falling back, and the referees--primarily the locally hated Jake O’Donnell--kept whistling fouls on the Portland front line.

The Blazers Monday continued complaining about Laimbeer, blaming him for taking them out of their offense, but claiming they’re now past caring.

This was almost certainly done, to pre-alert the next officiating crew that the Blazers expect a better deal.

The NBA doesn’t announce assignments but its premier don’t-mess-with-me ref, Earl Strom, has been spotted in town and will work tonight.

Figure on this: Any more charging calls Laimbeer gets, he’ll earn.

But if Strom has been reading the papers . . .

Sunday, Williams, who committed four of his six fouls against Laimbeer, called the Piston center “king of the floppers.”

Monday, the Blazer front line was still in full cry.

Did Laimbeer care?

“You see the big smirk on my face,” Laimbeer said, staying in character. “That’ll answer your question.”

Besides, someone’s flop is someone else’s good defense.

“They call it flopping,” said Pistons Coach Chuck Daly. “I call it courage.

“I thought Bill Laimbeer had a sensational game. He took about five to seven charges where he was perfectly still. Did not flop.

“He established position. Then it’s the job of the referees to call it, whether it’s a charge or a blocking foul.

“One other point--not many people in the league are willing to take that kind of punishment. They can do exactly the same thing--stand in the lane and take the punishment.”

Actually, there are lot of players, who would be happy to take the punishment, but aren’t as good as Laimbeer at anticipating position. Also, lacking jumping ability, he is not often tempted to go for a block.

He is, however, phenomenal at stripping the ball before an opponent jumps. Hate this son of affluence from Palos Verdes High, as so many do, or love him as Detroit fans do, and surely someone somewhere must, but there is no denying his effectiveness.

Also, to Laimbeer’s credit, when the call goes against him, he may rave and wave but afterward he sucks it up. For instance, he has never complained about his touch foul that sent Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the foul line for the deciding points in 1988’s pivotal Game 6.

If the Laimbeer debate was business as usual, more to the point is the shooting of the Piston guards.

Dumars, Isiah Thomas and Vinnie Johnson went 26 for 43 Sunday. Dumars had been at 42% in Games 1 and 2. Johnson was three for 25 over four games.

Portland Coach Rick Adelman was distressed that the Pistons shot so very well--and were so very open.

“The very first shot Vinnie took, wide open, 10 feet from the basket, no one around him,” Adelman said.

“We’d done a very good job of getting to him early in games, making sure he didn’t get going. Sunday we didn’t do that and he did to us what he’s done to a lot of teams.

“You’re not going to hold a good offensive player like him down forever. I was hoping we would for another week. It would have made our life a lot easier.

“I would be shocked if they shot that well again. If you make it tough on ‘em, they won’t do that well. If we do that, we’re going to be just fine.”