Phoenix Spoils Worthy’s Night : Pro basketball: Suns gain 113-96 victory although forward becomes fifth Laker to reach 16,000-point milestone.

Current Laker fortunes continued on pace Friday night with another game and another defeat, but there was still time for a brief nod to the past.

James Worthy provided the moment, slashing across the lane and nailing a soft jump shot early in the second quarter of a 113-96 loss to the Phoenix Suns.

For Worthy, eight days short of his 33rd birthday, it was a basket like no other because it put him over 16,000 points for his Laker career.

Four other, bigger Laker names have gone there before him--Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson--but Worthy is there nonetheless, even if it is on sore knees and a memory of what he once was.

In fact, Worthy wants you to know something.

“It’s not like ‘85,” he said.

No, it isn’t, because that was nine years ago in one of the Lakers’ most prized seasons when they defeated the Boston Celtics for the first time to win the NBA title.

The Lakers aren’t the same and clearly neither is Worthy, who isn’t at all upset or sad or worried about what has happened to him as his Laker career winds down and Laker defeats pile up.

“I feel privileged to be a part of that group who did it before,” he said. ‘For some reason, I never felt I was on the same level . . . maybe the next level down. I was part of a team where my scoring was not always the main objective. It’s history now.”

What Worthy accomplished as a Laker is a piece of history still in action. Be careful not to say relic. Randy Pfund said the Lakers need him.

“We’re going through a tough time, trying to do the right thing, blend in the young guys, but we still need him,” Pfund said.

The Lakers needed a lot more than Worthy to defeat the Suns, who flexed their muscles with 28 offensive rebounds and once again back at full strength with a 32-point outburst by Charles Barkley.

Maddeningly up and down, the Lakers followed a 37-point first quarter with a 16-point second quarter yet still hung around long enough to get disappointed again.

Elden Campbell, who had 25 points, drove the lane to bring the Lakers to within 93-90, but Phoenix scored 10 points in 1 1/2 minutes and that was that.

Kevin Johnson drove the lane for a basket, Campbell missed with the shot clock running out, A.C. Green made one free throw and missed the second, but Barkley snagged the rebound and put it back in for a 98-90 lead.

The Suns turned out the Laker lights on Barkley’s three-pointer that made it 106-92 with 2:45 left.

Worthy closed out his milestone night with 10 points in 17 minutes. That used to be a good half for him, but Worthy knows he isn’t what he used to be.

“I can’t remember the last time I dunked or finished a fast break,” he said. “I can’t just outrun anybody down the court. It’s nothing to be sad about. Those are just the facts.

“To have made it this far and to still be able to come off the bench, I’m very happy. You just have to make adjustments. I can remember Kareem going through it, I remember Dr. J going through it.”

And now Worthy is going through it. While he’s still a Laker, there’s no need to feel sorry for him, though. You see, Worthy has a plan.

“I still got some tricks left up my sleeve,” he said.

Laker Career Point Leaders

Reflects scoring with Lakers only.

Player Seasons Games Points Jerry West 13 932 25,192 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 14 1,093 24,176 Elgin Baylor 14 846 23,149 Magic Johnson 12 874 17,239 James Worthy 12 895 16,009 Gail Goodrich 9 687 13,044 Byron Scott 10 767 12,254 Jamaal Wilkes 8 575 10,601 George Mikan 8 495 10,156 Vern Mikkelsen 10 699 10,063