Lakers Make the Message Clear : Pro basketball: They score a 96-86 victory after a letter from Magic to his teammates and fans is read by Worthy.

Magic still rules.

From a South Sea isle or wherever he is vacationing, Earvin Johnson orchestrated one more victory, sending the Lakers a message: “Starting now, it’s winnin’ time.”

Ever responsive, the Lakers dumped the Minnesota Timberwolves, 96-86, before 16,833 in the Forum. Minnesota is a young team in a slump that was playing its second game in as many nights.

Somewhere, you know who was smiling that famous smile.

The new point guard, Sedale Threatt, scored 27 points. The new co-captain, Byron Scott, had 21.

It wasn’t basketball as usual, but it wasn’t the Lakers’ emotionally hung-over, 28-point loss at Phoenix, either.

“We’ve settled down a little bit,” Scott said. “We still have him on our minds. It’s not like a thing that’s just going to happen overnight.

“If any team is capable of getting over something like this, I think this one can. We’ll see just how tough-minded we are as individuals and as a team. Time will tell.”

It didn’t take a lot of time to tell Sunday.

The Timberwolves, shooting 40% for the season, played to form, shooting 40.4%.

The Lakers led, 51-41, at the half, 80-62 late in the third period and coasted in.

The game once again drew saturation press coverage. There was so much demand, the Lakers held a pregame news conference for Coach Mike Dunleavy, General Manager Jerry West and Johnson’s agent, Lon Rosen.

“Obviously, we’ve been through a traumatic situation the last 3-4 days,” Dunleavy said before the game.

”. . .It takes time to heal those wounds. It’s probably not going to be gone in 3-4 days.

“Bottom line, I think we have a good team and over time we will overcome this, with Earvin’s help.

“Tonight is the first night. Phoenix kind of didn’t count. I knew we were either going to blow them out or they were going to blow us out.

”. . .But we’ve got to put Earvin out of our mind, especially on the floor. We can’t come with what-ifs: ‘What if Earvin had been here? We’ve played three overtime games, if we’d had him we’d have won.’

“We don’t have Earvin. We’re not going to have Earvin, and that’s it.”

The crowd--a non-sellout--gave the Lakers a standing ovation as soon as the teams came to the bench before the game.

James Worthy came to the middle of the floor to read Johnson’s message.

After that, the game was routine. The Lakers drew away and the Timberwolves couldn’t challenge them.

“I thought the Lakers looked quite good,” Timberwolves Coach Jimmy Rodgers said.

“Our team played well for quite a stretch of time during that game. You’ve got Byron Scott shooting outside . . . any time you’ve got Worthy out there, (Sam) Perkins, Byron Scott, they’re still a very, very good basketball team.

“You don’t take away Magic Johnson without it hurting, but they still have a chance to be a very good basketball team.”

Said Dunleavy: “From our guys’ standpoint, emotionally they wanted to win this game. They wanted to win at Phoenix, too. They went out and got back on the right track.

“I don’t think we’re going to be able to tell what we are until we get all our guys back, get all our guys healthy.

“I still think talent-wise we’re a playoff team and once you’re in the playoffs, you’ve got a chance to win. Our goal will be to get better and better. That’s what we did last season.

“We’ve got three days of practice now (before Thursday’s game at Golden State). I know it’s not going to happen in three days.”

These days the Lakers are taking it one day at a time. By those standards, Sunday was their best in what seemed a long time.

Laker Notes

Mike Dunleavy, asked if he had caught himself thinking of Magic Johnson during the game: “I know I don’t have him. I don’t have any lapses like that. It’s already stamped in my mind.” . . . Vlade Divac played 17 minutes after sitting out eight days because of back spasms. He took three rebounds and scored two points. “Vlade’s going to just have to get in shape,” Dunleavy said. “You saw him tonight. Wind-wise, he didn’t have it. He’s not physically ready right now. A lot of his reactions were slow.”

Tony Smith says his sprained right ankle is healed. He is expected to come off the injured list for the Golden State game. . . . Laker General Manager Jerry West says he called a team to inquire about a player, but doesn’t know if he can close a deal. . . . The Lakers will get back only half of Johnson’s listed salary--$2.5 million--giving him $1.25 million. Said West: “In this day and age, $1 million isn’t very much for a basketball player.” . . . Harold Foonberg, a Beverly Hills businessman, gave Laker publicist John Black a $10,000 check before the game, to go to a charity that Magic Johnson designates for AIDS research. . . . Said West: “We’re going to have to play a different style of basketball. Earvin Johnson handled the ball 90% of the time and there aren’t any more Earvin Johnsons.”

Magic’s Message to Laker Fans

The following is the text of a message from Magic Johnson read by James Worthy at the Forum before Sunday night’s Laker game:

I can’t begin to tell you how much strength my family and I are getting from the tremendous support we’ve received from the media, from fans in Los Angeles and from so many people everywhere.

While I won’t be on the court anymore, I want you to know that I’ll be here in my usual ways, bugging my teammates, coaches and Jerry West. Dr. (Jerry) Buss, I’ll be calling you to renegotiate soon.

I’ll keep trying to teach the sportswriters something about basketball, and, most important, I’ll be here to give high-fives and to keep thanking you fans for the support you’ve given to everyone who has ever played for the Lakers.

But, I most want to tell you that this is the first day of the rest of our lives. I say this to you fans because we, the Lakers, need your support more than ever before. I say this to all of my teammates, because, starting now, it’s winnin’ time.

And I’m saying it to myself, because this is an important battle to fight--and in this battle you are all my teammates.

Yours always,

Earvin