Miner Show Beats Lakers for Miami

There is some joy in Inglewood, although less at the Forum, home of the Lakers, than Inglewood High, home of Harold Miner.

Miner, the homeboy who got away, scored 18 points Monday night--12 in the fourth quarter--as the Heat came from 18 points behind for its first victory over the Lakers, 107-96.

How could it have been more special?

Miner’s former USC teammates were in the stands, courtesy of Coach George Raveling, who kept the team here a day after its Florida swing to see Miner play.

His former point guard, Duane Cooper, was in uniform for the Lakers. They met Monday for lunch.

As a child, Miner used to pretend he was Byron Scott on the playgrounds, when he wasn’t pretending to be Magic Johnson. Scott was back.

Miner warmed up for the game, telling stories about the days when he “bled purple and gold,” when he and his friends sneaked into the Forum before Laker games and hid out for hours in the bathroom stalls.

Then he went out and put on a show for his old idols and the guys he used to sneak in with.

“I was excited,” Miner said. “Chick (Hearn) was doing the game on Channel 9 back home. All my boys were watching.”

As timing went, this was next to miraculous. Miner had consecutive non-appearances last week when Coach Kevin Loughery kept his No. 4 guard on the bench. Someone figured out Miner had missed more minutes in two months in Miami than in three years at USC.

Loughery said he was dissatisfied with Miner’s defense. Miner replied his shortcomings were “no big deal.”

Perhaps to defuse controversy, Loughery played Miner 22 minutes on Saturday. Miner responded with 19 points, his personal best.

Monday’s game was even more impressive because he took it over at the end, as few rookies ever do.

His three-point play with 7:15 to play tied the score, 82-82.

He stripped the ball from Anthony Peeler, leading to Grant Long’s fast-break layup that put Miami ahead, 91-86.

Miner scored seven points in the last 2:27 as the Heat put the game away. With Glen Rice cold, the Lakers double-teaming Rony Seikaly and Coach Randy Pfund trying a one-guard offense, Loughery let Miner go one-on-one on A.C. Green, and Miner won.

“It felt just like being at SC and being able to come through,” Miner said.

Thanks, the Lakers needed that. They have lost three in a row and five of six while trying to sort out how they are going to play. Sedale Threatt and Sam Perkins, who are supposed to be the primary options, combined for 25 points Monday. James Worthy, who has been in eclipse all season, had 26.

“We know we’re on a road trip,” Pfund said. “We saw Milwaukee. They started out 11-3 and lost 11 in a row. There are some competitive teams out there. There are no guarantees. We’re not a team that’s dominating, certainly. We don’t have a dominating player right now.

“But I don’t want to get into gloom and doom. I always think we’re going to win the next game. I thought we were going to beat Seattle. I thought we were going to beat San Antonio. I thought we’d win this game. Now I think we’ll win at Orlando.”

Orlando has a dominating player right now, Shaquille O’Neal. The Lakers’ trial by rookie isn’t over.

Laker Notes

Sam Perkins, given two days off last week for what the Lakers called “personal reasons,” told the Orange County Register he was “fighting depression.” Perkins acknowledged Monday he has talked to someone, but said it was not a psychiatrist or health-care professional. Said Perkins: “I’m not depressed, I’m not depressed, I’m not depressed.” . . . James Worthy’s 26-point night was his first time with more than 20 points in 19 games, since Nov. 20. In that time, he has fallen to the team’s No. 3 option. “I think this is an adjustment year,” he said. “I’ve never had to do this, but I accept it 100%. We’ve got other guys who can deliver. But the most frustrating thing for me is to go from being the guy who gets the ball a lot to being on the weak side.” . . . Byron Scott made his first appearance after sitting out 19 games because of a sprained right foot. He played 15 minutes as the No. 3 guard, scoring 10 points. “I really didn’t have any idea how I’d do,” he said. “I just didn’t want to be over-aggressive and let the game come to me. But then I got bold and drove to the basket. But my foot responded well.” . . . The Lakers had won their 10 previous games against the Heat, which became the last of the four expansion teams to beat them.