There Was No Reason to Change Old Lakers

How does Mike Dunleavy hope that “his new team will become the Lakers of old” (Nov. 12) when he has emasculated their fast break by taking away the outlet pass and changed their half-court attack from an inside game to a perimeter game?

The Lakers had a great team last year. They lost to Phoenix in the playoffs primarily because of double-teaming on James Worthy and the failure of Byron Scott to make open jump shots. The brilliant acquisitions by Jerry West of Sam Perkins and Terry Teagle more than adequately solved the two major problems. However, using Magic Johnson to direct a perimeter shooting team is a waste of the greatest talent in the NBA. The complete overhauling of the Laker attack at this stage of the careers of Johnson and Worthy is a mistake that already is apparent.

RICHARD RAFFALOW

Van Nuys