In the End, Lakers Are Knocked Out

Kiss ‘em goodby.

In a microcosm of the Pacific Division race, the Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers hammered each other Friday night, all but collapsing in each others’ arms, but it was the home team that went down last.

Terry Porter blocked Magic Johnson’s layup, springing Buck Williams for a fast-break layup with 19 seconds left in overtime that put the Trail Blazers ahead to stay in a 109-105 victory over the Lakers.

The Lakers trail the first-place Trail Blazers by 2 1/2 games with 11 to play. Because the Lakers have road games at Portland, Phoenix, San Antonio and Utah, the nine-time defending division champs just began life as a longshot.

“They’re in control,” Johnson said. “All we need to do is play like tonight. The big picture is maintaining and being ready for the playoffs.”

There was so much ebb and flow Friday, a Forum sellout crowd of 17,505 could have gotten whiplash.

The Lakers had a 21-point lead in the third quarter . . . and saw it rubbed out in 7:21.

The Lakers had a 92-84 lead with 3:40 left in the fourth quarter. They lost that one, too.

They had a 105-103 lead with 1:07 left in overtime. But Porter made an 18-foot shot with Johnson in his face. At the other end, Johnson posted up Danny Ainge, wheeled past him and headed for the basket--only to have his shot blocked by the 6-foot-3 Porter. The Blazers took off on the break and Williams got the winning layup.

“I think I surprised Magic,” Porter said. “Actually, I surprised myself.

“I just happened to catch him at the perfect angle--one of those cases of being at the right place at the right time.”

That’s a Trail Blazer perspective.

Here’s a Laker perspective:

“It’s one of those things where we have to learn a lesson,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said. “We missed a big opportunity. We still have 11 games left. It’s not insurmountable.”

Portland started the night with a four-game win streak--thanks to Wednesday’s rally from 24 points behind against the Seattle SuperSonics.

The Trail Blazers began quickly and cooled just as quickly. The Lakers, down 11-4, came storming back: to a 28-22 lead by the end of the quarter when Johnson came out for a rest; to a 34-24 lead when Johnson relieved Tony Smith in mid-second period; to 52-34.

Portland missed its first eight shots of the second quarter, by which time the Trail Blazers were nine for 31. They scored one field goal in the first 8:27.

The half ended in a 9-4 Laker surge that had the Forum rocking: Sam Perkins blocking Porter’s driving layup and starting a fast break that Byron Scott finished with a layup; Scott stealing the ball on the next Trail Blazer possession and going in for another layup.

The Lakers were 21 points ahead in the third quarter . . . when it began falling apart.

Portland started playing tough defense. At one point the Lakers turned the ball over on seven of eight trips. The Trail Blazers tore off a 25-2 run and took the lead at the end of the quarter.

With Johnson resting, a unit led by Smith blunted the Portland charge for the first half of the fourth quarter and snatched the lead back. After that, the teams clutched hold of each other until one could clutch no longer.

It was the former champions, now faced with an improbable battle if they are going to rebuild the dynasty.

Laker Notes

James Worthy, who had requested a meeting with Laker owner Jerry Buss, got it Thursday, although no other details were forthcoming. Buss, who has declined to take questions on the subject, said in a prepared release: “Discussions between the Lakers and James will continue and I am confident that they will be positive as well.” . . . Worthy said he was optimistic but suggested that talks of a contract renegotiation will run for a while. . . . Magic Johnson had another triple-double: 23 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds.