All It Takes Is Some Magic to Turn Lakers Into Lakers

There was a Magic bullet with the Lakers’ name on it, but they ducked it with a flair heretofore not seen on this trip.

On the road for the 18th day in 21, carrying a 2-6 record in the second night of back-to-back games, the team that hadn’t scored 96 points in a week rolled to a 115-101 victory over the Orlando Magic Sunday night.

Sam Perkins, hobbled since his return from the injured list, became Sam Perkins again. Vlade Divac, absent while his idle twin started the trip, rediscovered rebounds (he took 15 while scoring 15 points and blocking five shots) and some Byron Scott jumpers dropped, too.

Put it together and they were the Lakers again after a week as the Sacramento Kings.

“I know,” Mike Dunleavy said. “I’m glad they’re back.”

The Lakers had to survive an incredible shelling by rookie Dennis Scott. Coming off a 40-point bombardment of the Nuggets, the 6-8 Scott lit up James Worthy, making nine of 10 shots and scoring 19 points--in the first quarter.

One of the baskets was a three-pointer. Five more were beyond 15 feet. Worthy was supposed to be in Scott’s face and make him drive, but on the two occasions when Worthy did just that, Scott scored on layups.

Scott had 26 points by halftime before Laker defense or rookie inexperience--or shoulder fatigue--held him to a final total of 34.

“I didn’t know whether Scott was going to go for 50 tonight, or 60,” Dunleavy said.

Said Magic Johnson: “It didn’t matter. Draped on him, hanging on him, oh man . . . It was one of the great exhibitions of shooting I’ve seen because nothing we did made a difference. He’s going to be a great player.”

With Dunleavy looking for signs of fatigue, Scott booted the Magic into the lead, but a funny thing was happening. When Orlando scored, the Lakers quickly threw the ball to the other end of the floor and scored in retaliation. The Lakers scored six first-quarter points after Orlando baskets and before you knew it, they were off and running as in days of old.

The Lakers led by 10 early in the second quarter, by 11 late in the third but the Magic kept coming back on them.

At the end of the third quarter, with the Lakers leading, 82-78, Dunleavy owed Johnson a rest, so he inserted Tony Smith. Saturday in Washington, this move bombed, but this was a different night. The Lakers held the Magic to four points in the first 7:23 of the quarter and ran up a 95-82 lead. By the time Johnson got back in the game, the four-point lead he left with was up to 11 and all the heavy lifting had been done.

Perkins, averaging 6.5 points and four rebounds and shooting 32% since his return, had 20 points, nine rebounds and shot eight for 13.

Moreover, he gave the Lakers an inside game, again. Worthy has been drifting farther outside lately, not by design, but with Perkins’ return came the Laker post-ups, too.

“Sam did a nice job,” Dunleavy said. “It’s the first time since he’s been back he’s been able to give us something. He’s been hobbled and in some pain but the doctors said to play him through it.”

“It means a great deal to have Sam being Sam,” Johnson said.

The trip now has one game left, at Miami Tuesday. A victory would send the Lakers home with a 3-2 record, in decent position to fight the Suns off and perhaps even to chase the Trail Blazers.

“This is where we have to make our move,” Johnson said, “or it never will be made.”