Lakers: Near, Yet So Far : Pro basketball: Worthy scores 36, but his missed free throw with 1.1 seconds to play gives Suns 112-111 victory.

If you doubt the times are a-changin’, the Mesa, Ariz., Tribune ran this headline Tuesday:

“Suns Wary of Lowly Lakers.”

And, darn, if the once-lowly-themselves Phoenix Suns didn’t show up in the Forum Tuesday night and beat their old nemeses again. This time the Lakers fell, 112-111, by the margin of James Worthy’s missed free throw with 1.1 seconds left.

Worthy, the game’s high scorer with 36 points, was fouled on a drive and made his first free throw. His second rimmed out and the Lakers were 1-4, their worst start in 12 seasons.

They are 1-3 at home, having lost to division rivals Portland and Phoenix. The Suns broke a 17-game regular-season Forum losing streak. Counting the playoffs, they have won three of their last four here.

“It felt good,” Worthy said of the free throw that got away. “Had a nice touch. Free throws are funny things. Tough moment.”

To say the least. Magic Johnson, usually the last to leave the dressing room, was dressed and out the door as soon as it was opened to reporters.

“I knew it was going to take time,” Johnson said, “but I’m an impatient man when it comes to winning. That’s why I’m out here talking to you.

“Right now, everybody’s down. . . . It’s difficult to take sometimes.”

Actually, this was one of the Lakers’ best efforts of the season. Coach Mike Dunleavy, who bared his teeth after the Knicks loss Sunday, complimented his players on their effort.

The Lakers raised their game Tuesday night but not high enough.

If the Lakers were certainly coming into this game at less than their dynastic peak, one man, at least, still believed in them.

“I can’t buy any of that stuff,” Sun Coach Cotton Fitzsimmons said before the game. He only recently ended his personal 37-game Forum losing streak.

“The Lakers--basically they got rid of the players they wanted to and acquired who they wanted to. So don’t tell me all that.

“C’ain’t sell me. Got to sell someone else. I’m not buying. I’ve gone through 20 years of frustration against the Lakers.”

Talk about your frustration. . . . The Lakers trailed, 112-108, with 41 seconds left and closed to 112-110 on Vlade Divac’s layup. Divac was fouled . . . but missed his free throw.

At the other end, Phoenix’s Dan Majerle missed a 22-footer. The Lakers set up the last play for Worthy on which he was fouled.

“I told the players I thought their effort was really good,” Dunleavy said. “As long as we can stay together, don’t get our heads down, keep working. . . .

“We couldn’t get it done at home. We’ve just got to do it on the road.”

Right now, they’re taking their blessings where they find them.

Laker Notes

Magic Johnson’s assist on James Worthy’s three-pointer with 5:12 left in the second quarter was the 9,000th of his career, No. 2 all-time to Oscar Robertson’s 9,887. . . . Johnson missed his second consecutive triple-double by a rebound: 20 points, 15 assists, nine rebounds. . . . Cedric Ceballos of Cal State Fullerton, a quick small forward the Suns stole with the 48th overall pick, is starting to see major minutes. He had 10 points in the first half. . . . Sam Perkins, clearly pressing, is five for 17 with eight rebounds in his last two games. . . . Vlade Divac had 15 points, 10 rebounds, his fourth consecutive double-figure rebounding game.