Time to Wake Up, Or Sleep for Good

The Lakers are waiting to exhale. They hit the Houston Rockets with everything they had Tuesday night, but bit the dust anyhow, 104-98. That means if L.A. cannot find a way to stop Hakeem “the Dream” Olajuwon and the NBA’s defending champions here Thursday, the season will be over for the Lakers, just like that.

What can they do?

“Poison the Dream’s food,” was Cedric Ceballos’ suggestion.

Magic Johnson also had his thinking cap on, making a personal guarantee after Tuesday’s Game 3 that the winner of this series WILL be in the NBA finals. “No question,” he said.

Not Seattle? Not San Antonio?

“Don’t have the bench. Don’t have the know-how,” Johnson said. “Not Seattle, not San Antonio.”

These are fighting words, but Magic was in a fighting mood. He had just scored a team-low seven points. He made no baskets in the second half. His poor bounce pass behind Ceballos resulted in a back-breaking Houston steal-and-dunk, at a time when a four-point swing cost the Lakers dearly.

They started flat and finished flat. In between, the Lakers gave the Rockets a game of basketball that was excellent in every way, one that actually satisfied Coach Del Harris in every respect, except the wrong side won.

“I know we just lost,” Harris said. “But if we play exactly the same way Thursday, we stand a good chance of taking this series back to L.A.”

Vlade Divac didn’t sound worried.

“We came here to win one game. We can still win one game,” Divac said.

Eddie Jones didn’t sound worried.

“This team will be fighting to the end,” Jones said.

Ceballos didn’t sound worried.

“We’re men. We’re courageous,” Ceballos said.

At least the coach, the kind of guy who could sound worried in a Jacuzzi, was able to finally justify a little genuine alarm.

Harris said: “During the season, they always ask, ‘Coach, was this a must-win game?’ And I always say no. But now this, this IS a must-win game.”

He has some X-and-O’ing to do.

For instance, why were his Lakers out there launching 28 three-point shots? (After trying only 17 in their Game 2 victory.) Good thing or bad thing?

The good part was the wake-up call of Sedale Threatt, whose fingers were blistering, he was so hot. In Games 1 and 2, Threatt had zero points.

But at the same time, the Lakers also stopped leaning on Jones, who was described by Houston’s Mario Elie as the outstanding player of this series so far. “Eddie’s been carrying them,” Elie said.

And another bad part is the continued cold touch of Nick Van Exel, now a frigid 11 for 41 for the series.

Outside shooting is a way for the Lakers to create more offense against the colossal Olajuwon, who--just as teammates predicted--was called for only two personal fouls, practically having to decapitate somebody to get a whistle.

Outrebounding the Rockets every game of this series, the Lakers have played hard and tough. This was the first time Houston has topped 100 points in the series.

L.A. has never played any harder than it did in rallying after the Rockets led after a few minutes, 16-4.

“You saw some basketball tonight,” Johnson said. “Tonight, we beat any team out there but Houston.

“That’s how this whole series is. If we were playing a lesser opponent, then you know you could breathe a little. You can’t exhale against this team.”

When his post-game news conference was over, Johnson offered his guarantee, that either the Rockets or Lakers will advance to the NBA championship series--through the Kingdome, the Alamodome, anywhere in the West.

“You’re going to see basketball fans disappointed because one of these two teams won’t move on,” Johnson said. “This game tonight, this was the best game of any series in the playoffs. I’ve watched them all, and this was the best by far.

“If we win this series, we’ll see you in the finals. If we don’t win this series, say hello to Houston again.”