Magic Triples His Pleasure

To the notion that all the serious campaigning these days is in New Hampshire, there was this little platform statement Wednesday night out of California:

Magic Johnson had 15 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds, the first triple-double since his return.

That it came in the Lakers’ 87-86 victory over Atlanta before 16,792 at the Forum, delivered when Vlade Divac made two free throws with 18.5 seconds remaining, was all the more significant since the Hawks are coached by Lenny Wilkens, also coach of the 1996 Olympic team.

Johnson would love to make his second Olympic team, but insisted before and after the game that he won’t lobby for one of the two spots still open. And he didn’t, at least in words.

His game, however, said plenty.

Wilkens was hardly overwhelmed by the showing, saying, “He played pretty good,” and later adding, “Magic’s a good player, a tough player. But I think he may have a couple of the officials in awe.”

Johnson had come close in the six games back to his 138th career triple-double--merely 79 more than anybody else for the statistic that started being tracked in 1979--then finally got it with rebound No. 10 with 2:10 remaining. It was his second defensive board in a row, helping the Lakers preserve an 84-79 lead.

They were still up with 42 seconds left, but then only 85-83 after Johnson made one of two from the line. The Hawks needed less than 20 seconds to make him pay for the miss, using Craig Ehlo’s three-pointer from the left side to move ahead, 86-85.

With 25 seconds to play, the Lakers called timeout. Cedric Ceballos threw the ball in to Johnson, guarded closely by fellow Michigan State product Steve Smith. Starting from near midcourt, Johnson worked his way past the three-point arc, then spun into the lane and drew Hawk center Andrew Lang away from Divac.

That was all the opening Johnson needed.

Spotting Divac on the left side of the lane, he dished. Divac went to the basket, but was hammered by Lang. So instead, he went to the line with 18.5 seconds remaining.

“I can say I was waiting for this moment all year long,” Divac said.

He was waiting to finally chase away the ghosts from Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals last spring at San Antonio, the night he missed both free throws in a tie game with 4.6 seconds left, opening the door for the Spurs to win in overtime. This time, having struggled through most of the night while missing six of nine field goals, he would not leave without redemption.

He swished the first try.

Then the second.

“I had a bad game,” Divac said. “I thought I had to do something right.”

The Hawks called timeout, Divac getting a hug from Johnson as they headed to the Laker huddle. Atlanta went back to Ehlo for another three-pointer with about two seconds left, but Ceballos got a piece of the shot and it fell short of the rim.

Wilkens has no actual vote for any of the Olympic berths, past or future, but there is no question that as coach, respected throughout the game even before getting the Dream Team post, he has a strong voice on the makeup of the roster. So Johnson needs to impress him.

Or does he?

“I don’t think I have to go out and prove myself,” Johnson said. “I hope not. I’m too old for that.”

Thirty-six years old, to be exact, and six games into the comeback after a 55-month absence from the NBA. Ten members of USA Basketball committee--chairman Rod Thorn also does not vote--will decide later in the season, perhaps May, if he is back far enough.

So while it may be true Johnson has nothing to prove to Wilkens, he may at least need to show the coach he can still play with the elite. His selection, after all, would likely come at the expense of either Shawn Kemp or Mitch Richmond.

“I told him [Wednesday] morning I didn’t want him to feel any pressure coming from me,” Johnson said. “I want him to make the best selection for the team.”

So much for sentiments. Hours later, Johnson was applying pressure.

He opened with eight points, seven assists and three rebounds at power forward in the first half, making all three shots.

Elden Campbell’s impressive run, now at nine games, continued in the third quarter, when he scored on four consecutive Laker possessions, once on a free throw. Johnson assisted on the slam dunk that started the stretch, then, when Campbell had temporarily cooled, zipped a pass down the lane for a Ceballos layup.

Johnson already had his third double-double of the six games by the end of the third quarter--10 points and 13 assists. The Lakers had a 73-73 tie.

Then they got a loss early in the fourth period--Campbell. He picked up his fifth foul only 1:14 in, sending George Lynch to the scorer’s table to check in. Just not fast enough.

Play resumed before Lynch could enter, and Campbell was called for charging into Grant Long the ensuing trip down court, his sixth foul. With 10:13 remaining, he had 20 points and five rebounds, but also a seat for the rest of the night.