Forum a Site for Sore Eyes as Lakers Start Cold, Lose

Whatever it cost Laker Coach Randy Pfund for being suspended by the NBA and having to stay away from the Forum on Sunday night--the $3,000 fine and one game’s pay for bumping an official during Friday’s victory over the Clippers--was worth it.

There were plenty of reasons for those who came to the Forum, including the 11,069 fans and interim Coach Bill Bertka, to be envious of Pfund getting to stay home. At least 25 of them--the number of points the Lakers scored in the first half en route to a 95-89 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

It was the fewest points the L.A. Lakers have ever scored in a half, lowering the mark, set Dec. 19, 1990 at Cleveland, by four. It also tied the third-fewest points in a half in the NBA since the advent of the shot clock in 1954-55, five off the record set in 1975 by New Orleans.

“It’s nice being part of history,” Bertka said, looking at the stat sheet. “But this is all bad history.

“Could it have been much worse? I don’t know how, unless we missed every shot.”

No, the Lakers missed only 27 of 37 attempts while scoring a season-low 11 points in the first quarter and then 14 in the second. That was worth a 51-25 deficit and a rare shower of boos from the home fans who, for the most part, have otherwise been sympathetic.

“It was tough when we couldn’t hit any shots,” said Nick Van Exel, who led the Lakers with 19 points. “It kind of got everybody down. You could tell.”

The Lakers finished at 38.1% and even won the second half, 64-44, making it their second- highest scoring half of the season. They were especially good when it mattered the least, the very end, when a rout became respectable in the box score because of three three-pointers in the final 22 seconds.

Window dressing.

“They began to make some runs,” San Antonio Coach John Lucas said. “We were perfect most of the night. We didn’t turn the ball over. We executed. We got everything we needed, and they took some pride in who they were late in the game.”

Pfund got in trouble for arguing a call two nights earlier. Pfund got two technicals within seconds from Ted Bernhardt, then followed Bernhardt out to midcourt to continue his argument after being ejected.

Though any contact at this point seemed incidental, the league ruled that Pfund intentionally bumped Bernhardt.

“I consider myself to be a fierce competitor, but apparently in this case the league feels that I overreacted,” Pfund said in a statement. “I apologize. However, as coach of the Lakers I will always fight for my players so that they get the respect that they deserve.”

That put the 66-year-old Bertka in charge for a full game for the first time since he subbed for a flu-ridden Mike Dunleavy at the Sports Arena on Dec. 25, 1991.

Laker Notes

Sam Bowie attended the game, his first since undergoing arthroscopic surgery Wednesday, and said he has already started therapy toward rehabilitating his left knee. Doctors have said the soonest he could return is six weeks. “The good thing with this injury was that when I had them in the past people would always say it was career-threatening,” said Bowie, who once played 25 games over three seasons and sat out all of 1987-88 after problems with both lower legs. “This is minor compared to that. I’m looking forward to getting back.”

Stand-in Laker Coach Bill Bertka was the general manager when the New Orleans Jazz scored 20 points on Jan. 4, 1975.

Kurt Rambis made his first appearance since rejoining the Lakers and got an ovation when he entered in the third quarter. . . . Dennis Rodman, who said he was going to make another change in his hair color, stayed with burgundy. . . . The NBA is expected to announce Jan. 19 that the Spurs will play host to the 1996 all-star game at their new building, the Alamodome. The game will be played in Salt Lake City this year and in Phoenix in ’95.