Lakers Watch Non-Magical Number Go to 4 : Pro basketball: Their playoff hopes are slipping as Jazz holds off a late rally to win, 93-90, at the Forum.

Fading to black.

Like Texans at the Alamo, the few, the proud, the Lakers threw what they had left out there Saturday, but it was only good enough to take the Utah Jazz to the wire before falling, 93-90.

The only good news was that No. 8 Houston also lost, leaving the Lakers a half a game behind the Rockets with five left.

Any combination of four Houston victories and Laker losses will eliminate the dynasty of the ‘80s from the playoffs for the first time in 16 years.

“I mean, it’s disappointing to lose,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said, “but I think our guys played their hearts out. I have no problem losing like that.”

Actually, he has nothing but problems.

The latest was the sprained ankle that forced Elden Campbell out of Thursday’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Campbell went back in the lineup Saturday and played another good game in the best sustained stretch in his short career: 13 points (10 in the fourth quarter), nine rebounds, four blocks. In 11 games since Sam Perkins went out and he became a starter, Campbell has averaged 14 points, eight rebounds and two blocks.

“Elden’s performance the last 15 games has been exactly what we’ve hoped he could turn into for us,” Dunleavy said.

The game was close throughout, the Jazz moving into an 81-71 lead early in the fourth quarter, when the Lakers started to rally.

It was 85-77 when Campbell made a 15-footer.

It was 85-80 when he made a turnaround 12-footer over Karl Malone.

It was 85-82 when he made another turnaround over Malone.

It was 88-86 when he rebounded Threatt’s miss, was fouled and made two free throws, tying the score with 3:51 left.

It was 90-90 when Malone posted up A.C. Green, who was trying to front him. Stockton lobbed the ball daintily over the top, where only the Mailman could get it. Vlade Divac arrived in time only to foul Malone who made one of two free throws with 43 seconds left.

With the Lakers down, 91-90, Campbell tried a running eight-footer across the lane and missed.

At the other end, the Lakers double-teamed Stockton, who passed to Malone at the free-throw line. Malone passed to Mark Eaton rolling to the basket. Eaton’s dunk made it 93-90 with 13 seconds left.

The Lakers set up for a three-pointer, but Malone blocked Green’s try out of bounds with three seconds left.

The next inbounds play went awry, with Terry Teagle’s pass rolling into the backcourt. Green chased it down and tried a 60-foot hook shot. Surprise, it missed.

“This is the same team that came into Salt Lake City a couple of weeks ago and crushed us,” Jazz Coach Jerry Sloan said. “This organization (Lakers) has a lot of pride. They’re not going to lay down for you. That’s why they’ve been so successful over the years.”

Fittingly enough, someone forgot to turn the lights on under the stands where Dunleavy does his postgame news conference, forcing him to answer questions in the dark.

“Someone forget to pay the bill?” Dunleavy asked.

Just setting the mood, coach.

Laker Notes

The Lakers have lost five of six and are 2-10 in their last dozen games here against winning teams. . . . Magic Johnson gave $500 fax machines to the 12 Laker players, Mike Dunleavy, the three assistant coaches, trainer Gary Vitti and several others--20 in all--to thank them for their part in his retirement ceremony. The gift cost him $10,000. With it went a personal letter to each. “He just basically said, ‘Hang in there, I’m still with you, I really care about you,’ ” Byron Scott said. . . . Johnson, once leaning toward coming back next season, is now so intrigued by the opportunity to buy into the Sacramento Kings, he doesn’t know which he’d prefer. “I don’t know right now,” he said. “I’m enjoying retirement and I want to play. . . . I already knew I didn’t need to come back. I’ve accomplished everything there is to accomplish. My whole thing is, I want to come back. I already knew I was going to enjoy retirement, but I didn’t know it was going to be like this. I’ve got a lot of things going. I knew it wouldn’t be a hard transition for me. I just bought a home in Maui so life is good.” . . . Johnson will meet with King owner Jim Thomas this week. . . . Sedale Threatt toasted no less than John Stockton to a crisp, outscoring him, 24-5. . . . Stockton’s revenge: He came out of a loose-ball scramble with three seconds left in the third quarter, sliced between two Lakers and banked in a three-pointer.