Magic Sounds Alarm in Lakers’ Victory

Another pigeon threatened to drop unwelcome tidings on the Lakers, but this time they awoke in time.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, with two victories to show for the six weeks since Mark Price was injured--one against the Lakers--wiped out a 14-point deficit and led in the fourth quarter Friday night until a furious rally gave the Lakers a 105-93 victory before 17,103 in the Forum.

Familiar cavalry rode to the rescue. Magic Johnson scored nine consecutive Laker points in a late burst, carrying them from 80-76 behind to 85-82 ahead.

Then he assisted on their next three baskets and tossed in two more free throws during a 15-2 run that saved the Lakers. He finished with his seventh triple-double of the season: 27 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds.

“Well, you know Earvin, typical fourth quarter,” Laker forwrd James Worthy said. “Especially when there’s a matchup problem.”

Problem? Wasn’t Johnson covered by 6-foot-7 Craig Ehlo, whom he rates with Darrell Walker as the toughest defenders he faces?

“That’s a matchup problem,” said Worthy, laughing. “From a player’s point of view.”

For the Lakers, it was business as usual. The team that has victories in Portland and Phoenix hasn’t lost to a team with a better record since its 2-5 start, but it has found six others it couldn’t handle, including the post-Roy Tarpley Mavericks, 2-0 against the Lakers; and the post-Mark Price Cavaliers, who upset them, 84-74, in Cleveland recently.

Ask Johnson. This stuff was getting old. He argued with the officials. He had an angry faceoff with Cavalier rookie Henry James after scoring on a layup. Johnson had some heated instruction for teammate Vlade Divac. Then he kicked it into overdrive on Ehlo and won the game.

The Cavaliers came into this game as, let’s say, underdogs.

The team that tied the Lakers for most victories--57--two seasons ago saw this season all but officially end the night of Nov. 30 when Price was injured. The rest is playing out the string . . . and it’s a long string.

“I’ve tried to stay very positive,” Coach Lenny Wilkens said before the game. “It’s frustrating, but it’s not tearing me up. I know what we have. I know who we have out. We’ve lost Mark Price, John Williams and Winston Bennett, three of our top six players from last season.

“To lose Mark is just devastating. He made everybody better. He got people easy shots. You lose points, assists, defense . . . and a leader.”

Late in the half, when his team had 28 points, Wilkens ran out of positive things to say and was called for a technical foul by referee Jim Clark, who had charged Brad Daugherty with one shortly before. The Lakers took leads of 10, nine and 14 points in the half, but the Cavaliers caught up each time. Ahead, 44-32, the Lakers saw James score on a layup, after which Ehlo stole the in-bounds pass and laid it back up for another basket.

Moments later, Sam Perkins was called for a flagrant foul, hauling down Ehlo from behind on a breakaway. Ehlo was given two free throws--which he made--and the Cavaliers got the ball back. James stepped up and made a three-pointer and the Laker lead was 44-41 at the half.

The Cavaliers then took a seven-point lead in the third period. The Lakers didn’t get the lead back until only 6:04 remained in the game.

Then the cavalry arrived. Again.

Laker Notes

Magic Johnson, on his angry lecture to Vlade Divac: “We cannot and he cannot make the same mistakes. My getting on him is not getting on him. It’s a reminder to him. The last six-seven games, he’s been outstanding, but we don’t want him to slip back into things like reaching fouls. We need him in the game, not in foul trouble.” . . . Said Divac: “It’s great when someone can help you.”Lakers’ next: Houston here Sunday night.