Campbell Grows Up to Jump-Start Lakers : Western Conference: Childhood fantasy in Forum becomes his job as he comes off the bench to make a difference.

As a teen-ager growing up in Inglewood, Elden Campbell used to attend Laker playoff games,sitting in the seats where you need a telescope to see the court.

“I’d just imagine playing in a big situation in a playoff game,” Campbell said. “But I never thought it would happen.”

Campbell’s fantasy has come true.

The 6-foot-11 rookie swingman gave the Lakers a big lift off the bench, scoring 11 points, grabbing nine rebounds and blocking a shot as the Lakers eliminated the Golden State Warriors, 124-119, in overtime Tuesday night at the Forum.

With Vlade Divac weakened by flu, Campbell played 20 minutes, making five of six shots and one of six free throws before fouling out in the final quarter.

“I knew Vlade was sick, and I had to stay ready for whatever the situation was,” Campbellsaid.

The Lakers, who missed 18 of their first 24 shots, were flat at the start of the game, andCampbell helped jump-start the team.

“Elden gave us a big lift,” Laker guard Magic Johnson said. “He came in and got some big rebounds. And in that sequence where we came back, he scored six points and got some big rebounds. He played some important minutes.”

Campbell, who had five points in the first half, put an exclamation mark on a 20-6 spurt in the second quarter when he leaped over a defender and slammed home a missed shot to give the Lakers a three-point lead with 5:24 left in the first half.

“Elden came in and gave us a big lift,” forward James Worthy said. “We came out a little flat, and Elden gave us a big lift that we needed.”

But Campbell made his biggest contribution in the fourth quarter, scoring six points and grabbing five rebounds as the Lakers overcame a 12-point deficit with a 20-4 run. After making a layup, Campbell added a dunk and also scored on a hook shot.

“I was just trying to play my role, hitting the boards and trying to play some defense,” Campbell said. “They don’t really go to me on offense. I just try to stay on the boards and do my part.”

Although Campbell sat on the bench for most of the regular season, he has played a vital role in the playoffs.

“I took it as a learning experience and kept working hard,” Campbell said. “I tried tried not to stop learning. It’s just a good feeling to know that you can contribute at a crucial time in the season.”

Campbell learned a big lesson when he committed two costly fouls in the closing seconds of Game 2 as the Lakers wasted a four-point lead and lost, 125-124. With the Lakers leading, 124-120, in that game, Campbell fouled Rod Higgins while Higgins was scoring on a layup. Higgins made the free throw to cut the Laker lead to one point. After James Worthy missed a 17-footer, Campbell fouled Mario Elie with three seconds left, and Elie made both foul shots to win the game.

“I don’t want there to be a cloud over my head for the rest of the playoffs,” Campbell said. “So I’ve tried to forget about it.”

Despite Campbell’s rookie mistakes, Coach Mike Dunleavy stuck with him, and the move haspaid off as the Lakers advanced to the Western Conference finals.

“Elden really did a nice job for us tonight,” Dunleavy said. “He came in and gave us a lot of energy. He got to the offensive boards and made some huge plays, especially in the fourth quarter.”

And Campbell’s role will probably expand when the Lakers face the Portland Trail Blazers.