Campbell Becomes Answer for Lakers' Bay-Area Hex

By SCOTT HOWARD-COOPER

March 15, 1996 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

OAKLAND —

To the Lakers, for whom Oakland Coliseum Arena had become something of an imposing building, part of the solution that came, finally, Thursday night was in a tall structure of their own.

Elden Campbell, a permanent 6 feet 11 inches but growing in stature with every week, turned his Fee Fi Fo Fum act on the Golden State Warriors this time, getting 20 points on eight-for-10 shooting and setting a career high with nine blocks in the Lakers’ 106-103 victory before a crowd of 15,025.

“And he intimidated a lot of other shots,” Coach Del Harris said. “He’s just been an incredibly all-around good player for us the last couple months.”

It’s just that the latest showing helped the Lakers leave here with a victory for the first time since March 3, 1993, a seven-game road losing streak that had been their longest against any Western Conference opponent. A seven game road losing streak that had been underlined by a string of lopsided defeats.

Then came Thursday, with Campbell front and center.

Bothered the last several days by an upper-respiratory infection and a sore throat, Campbell motioned that he was not up to talking. As if more needed to be said.

Even on a night when he managed only four rebounds in 29 minutes, Campbell was still a major presence inside. He came in with 15 blocked shots the previous three games, an impressive tear on its own, then made that look like nothing.

“We talked about that,” Warrior Coach Rick Adelman said. “He’s been coming after everything lately.”

Laker woes here the past three years had at least been non-discriminating, through six different coaches, three for each side, and against Warrior teams that went 50-23 one season and 26-56 the next. Different faces, same outcome.

Not only that, but most of the losses weren’t even close. The difference was 18 points in November, the first trip this season, and before that 22, 24, 11, 27, 35 and six. Average margin of defeat: 20.4.

“I assume it’s a coincidental thing,” Laker Coach Del Harris said. “But who knows.”

Taking no chances, and just in case he had the answer all along, Harris altered the routine, bringing the Lakers up the morning of the game instead of the night before and going right from the airport to the shootaround. What did they have to lose, besides some sleep?

“So I tried something different,” Harris said.

So it didn’t work so well.

The Lakers came out like a well-rested group, opening a 10-point lead when the game was barely eight minutes old and then extending that to 14 points with 4:30 left in the second quarter. Eddie Jones was making the Warriors pay for starting the shorter B.J. Armstrong on him and Elden Campbell was dismantling another team that gave him single coverage on the post.

Then the Warriors caught fire, even with their No. 4 scorer and No. 2 rebounder, Rony Seikaly, absent because of stomach flu.

By halftime, the deficit was down to 56-51. By early in the third quarter, it was officially a new game.

Looking to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since Dec. 30-Jan. 2, the Lakers took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter, then hung on. The Warriors would move ahead briefly with about eight minutes remaining and be tied as late as 96-96 with 2:27 left, but never got back in front.

One free throw by Joe Smith with 51.9 showing got Golden State as close as 100-97. The mistake was in the Warriors then leaving it up to their defense.

The Lakers went down court and ran the offense through Magic Johnson, as has been the case more and more. Johnson backed Joe Smith down on the left post, got into the paint, then dropped the ball off to Nick Van Exel, cutting down the lane. Van Exel’s layin made the lead an insurmountable 102-97 with 33 seconds remaining.

Laker Notes

Magic Johnson, whose status was uncertain coming in because of tendinitis in his right Achilles’, played 34 minutes and finished with 21 points and six assists. He has received a warm reception in his first appearance at every Laker road game, but this time got a standing ovation. . . . The Warriors signed Georgetown product Robert Churchwell, who had spent most of the last two seasons in the CBA, to a 10-day contract earlier in the day. He takes the roster spot of Chris Mullin, expected to miss the rest of the season because of a torn ligament in his right pinky. It’s the same injury that sidelined him the first 20 games of 1993-94.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Magic Marker

Tracking Magic Johnson’s comeback

THURSDAY’S GAME

*--*

Min. FG FT Pts. Reb. Ast. 34 6-12 (.500) 9-10 (.900) 21 4 6

*--*

SEASON AVERAGES

*--*

Min. FG% FT% Pts. Reb. Ast. 26.7 .469 .813 13.9 5.5 6.9

*--*

CAREER AVERAGES