Green Steps Out in Laker Victory : His 3-Pointer, Magic’s 31 Points Help Sink Cavaliers, 111-102

RICHFIELD, Ohio —  To A.C. Green, the Laker power forward who rarely strays from his natural habitat under the basket, the 3-point shot line might as well be 23 miles, not 23 feet 9 inches away.

The few times Green ventures beyond that border, it’s usually to expose an opponent’s illegal defense.

But with the Lakers clinging to a 5-point lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers with a minute to play Tuesday night, Green crossed that line with the ball and time dwindling from the shot clock.

Out of necessity, Green hoisted a 3-pointer from about 25 feet that sunk the Cavaliers and helped lift the Lakers to a 111-102 victory against one of the top challengers in the National Basketball Assn.’s competitive Central Division.

Coming off a last-second loss to the Milwaukee Bucks two nights earlier, the Lakers embraced a win any way it could be acquired. They did it behind Magic Johnson’s sixth triple double of the season (31 points, 13 assists, 12 rebounds), James Worthy’s 21 points and Green’s improbable 3-point shot.

In the hindsight of victory, which improved their record to 16-4, some tried to make people believe that Green’s 3-pointer was the Laker plan all along, that the power forward better known for his rebounding and defense was the player they willingly sought on a crucial inbounds play.

“I didn’t know who to put in that spot, A.C. or Coop (Michael Cooper),” Coach Pat Riley said. “During the timeout, he and Coop were fighting over who would take it. A.C. won. He’s a good shooter. He can make those.”

Right, Pat. Green had been 1 for 14 from 3-point territory in his 4 professional seasons. His only long-distance connection came during his rookie season, so long ago that Green could not recall any details.

“Those (baskets) come for A.C. like the Olympics,” teammate Mychal Thompson said, “once every 4 years.”

It came at a most opportune time for the Lakers, who took several comfortable leads against the Cavaliers (13-5) only to have them dissolve.

A 14-point Laker advantage with 5:22 left in the fourth quarter had shrunk to a 103-98 lead after the Cavaliers converted Laker misses into a 15-6 run highlighted by a pair of 3-point shots by Ron Harper, who had 30 points.

Cleveland continued to put pressure on the Lakers, who found themselves with the ball under the basket and 5 seconds on the shot clock and 1:04 to play.

After a Laker timeout, during which Riley was furiously scribbling a play on a sheet of paper, Johnson was supposed to inbound the ball to an open player, then pop out into the corner for a jumper.

“But, really, all we wanted was a good shot,” Riley said.

Well, Green put up a shot . . . and it was good. It gave the Lakers a 106-98 lead, and the Cavaliers never threatened after that.

“The last option was A.C. . . ,” Johnson said. “(Larry) Nance dropped down on me, and that left A.C. open. But, hey, we just wanted a shot.”

Green has developed a good outside shot, but not from that far outside. After a few moments of trying to act blase about the shot, Green admitted he had little choice but to attempt it.

“When I got the ball, I was trying to decide whether to pull up for a 16-footer or stay at the 3-point line,” Green said. “I decided to take a chance and put it up. It was on a line, I knew that. I knew it would either go straight in or be an airball.”

One look at Riley, stalking the sideline, told what happened. When Green’s shot fell, Riley pumped his fist in the air and raced down the bench.

“That made a big statement, didn’t it?” Riley said of Green’s shot. “He gets more (attention) for making a 3-pointer than for his rebounding.”

By turning back the Cavaliers, the Lakers made another statement to all the teams who would like to take away their title. Cleveland, which had trailed the Central Division-leading Detroit Pistons by only 1 1/2 games, figured to provide the toughest challenge for the Lakers on this 7-game Eastern trip. Even without Byron Scott, who missed his first game of the season with a sprained right ankle, and with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar making little more than a cameo appearance after missing 2 weeks with a bruised right knee, the Lakers had more than enough to turn back the Cavaliers.

They handed Cleveland only its second home loss this season with efficiency, if not ease. Despite giving up 18 offensive rebounds and commiting 21 turnovers that resulted 22 Cavalier points, the Lakers won because they played strong defense throughout and shot 57.1% from the field.

The Lakers strung together a series of surges to build comfortable leads, only to have the Cavaliers fight back. A 13-4 Laker run late in the second quarter put the Lakers ahead by 9, but Cleveland scored 9 points in the last 49 seconds to trail, 60-58 at halftime.

A 10-4 run at the beginning of the second half again put the Lakers ahead by 9 points, but Cleveland cut the margin to 4 entering the fourth quarter. And then, a 16-6 run, highlighted by 3-point shots made by Cooper and Johnson, gave the Lakers a 14-point lead with 5:22 to play. That, too, would dissolve.

“We knew they’d be tough and wouldn’t give up,” said Worthy, who made 10 of 16 shots from the floor and had 8 rebounds. “They would have surprised us if they hadn’t played up to their potential. We played strong all game, we didn’t have too many lapses. They were hard to shake. We allowed them back into the game several times, but we made up for it on the defensive end and by making the baskets we needed.”

No basket was needed more than Green’s 3-point shot, which pleased every Laker except for Cooper, the 3-point specialist.

“He hogged it,” said Cooper, in mock anger. “He took my 3-pointer away.”

Laker Notes

Magic Johnson’s triple double Tuesday night was the 101st in his career. In the absence of Byron Scott (sprained right ankle), Johnson played 41 minutes Sunday night against Milwaukee and 42 minutes Tuesday night. . . . Scott, replaced in the starting lineup by Tony Campbell (10 points, 4 turnovers, might play tonight against the New Jersey Nets. But Coach Pat Riley said that it is more likely Scott will return Friday night in Boston. . . . Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played for the first time in 8 games. He started and scored 6 points and had 1 rebound in 17 minutes. Riley went with Mychal Thompson at center for the entire fourth quarter. “I thought I fit in again pretty good,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “I didn’t turn over the ball, and that’s what I was worried about. In another 2 or 3 games, I should have my (condition) back.” Abdul-Jabbar’s 7-game absence with the bruised knee was the third-longest span he has missed because of injury in his 20 NBA seasons. . . . During halftime, the Cavaliers honored Abdul-Jabbar as part of his farewell tour. He was presented with a rug from Iran that was made in 1890 and a set of drums.