Fast-Breaking Lakers Cruise Past Ailing Celtics

What better way to shake jet lag than a therapeutic exhibition?

In the midst of six games in nine days in three nations on two continents, the Lakers used a volley of fast-break baskets to beat the Boston Celtics, 121-105 Tuesday night at the Forum.

The Lakers, 5-1 in exhibitions, will play Milwaukee tonight at 8 in the final of the Forum shootout.

The Bucks beat the San Antonio Spurs, 110-102, in the first game.

The Lakers to took a 16-2 lead without attempting a shot longer than a layup.

“To tell you the truth, I didn’t expect the energy we did have tonight after the trip we just had,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said.

“I was worried about the fatigue, no question. It may not hit us until tomorrow but as for tonight, the day really helped.”

Vlade Divac scored six of the Lakers’ first 16 points and led the team with 21 overall. Magic Johnson had 16 points and 15 assists.

The Celtics (2-4), playing without the injured Kevin McHale and Brian Shaw, closed to 75-71 in the third quarter but another 16-4 Laker run put them away.

Larry Bird, returning after back surgery, continued a strong exhibition season and led the Celtics with 24 points.

Laker sophomore Tony Smith, continuing his own fine exhibition season as the No. 2 point guard, scored 14 points in 23 minutes. Dunleavy is using him in tandem with newly acquired Sedale Threatt, with Terry Teagle the odd man out so far. Teagle didn’t appear for the second consecutive exhibition and has played only 18 minutes.

The Lakers won the McDonald’s Open last week in Paris. They will play the Utah Jazz at Salt Lake City Friday, then meet the Seattle SuperSonics in Vancouver, Canada, Saturday. After that, they will get a week to rest before opening the season--at Houston and Dallas. They will also play 15 of their first 25 games on the road.

The Bucks overcame a 13-point third-quarter deficit to win the first game, led by Alvin Robertson, who scored 19 points, and their new center, 36-year-old Moses Malone, who had 18.

Malone played behind Jon Koncak last season as a Hawk, signed with Milwaukee as a free agent and was delighted to put Atlanta in his rear-view mirror.

“From my standpoint, I deserved to be the starting center,” Malone said.

“Unfortunately, I think it came down to the fact I was going to be a free agent. I don’t think they have a center in Atlanta better than me.”