European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 12, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday. June 12,1988 the stars and stripes Page 25 commentary magic guarding lakers Aba title the Best Center in inc National basketball association toys guard for the los Angeles  Best Forward plays guard for the lakers and needless to say the Busl guard in the Aba plays guard for he lakers. Maybe the Best coach docs. Too. And team physician and Ball boy and usher and Popcorn Vendor and whatever else it is with which Earvin magic Johnson decides to occupy his time. On thursday night in the second game of the Aba finals Johnson rolling out of a sick bed in which for almost two Days he had suffered from the flu drove his team to Victory Over the Detroit Pis tons in the forum outside los Angeles 10896, in a game that was of Paramount importance to the Lak ers and evened the series at one game apiece. The series resumes with three games in the Silver dome in Pontiac Mich. It is difficult to conceive of either of these two clubs wolfish for the championship winning three straight games anywhere. And especially not Detroit against the lakers and not against magic Johnson. From the microphones of Billy Cunningham and Dick Stockton on lbs thursday night we heard thelic of magic s illness and How with the cameras panning on him As he dribbled in his Marionette style Herky Jerky fashion up the court you can see said Cunningham the fatigue on his face in inc first Quarter he scored no Points. And it True hat a scrunch eyed Grimace had covered his countenance. Was this to paraphrase Edward o. Robinson s question in an earlier drama the end of magic at least for the night not at All. In the second Quarter Johnson scored nine Points in Lead the team. Beyond that he was doing his customary slut All around the court zipping adroit passes and snagging rebounds and driving through the rivals making spin shots and making that Hook shot he Learned a year Aga from Kareem Abdul Jab bar and that is As deadly As Abdul Jabbar s. And there is that outside shot he once did t have but Ira Berkow Well Wilh a Little lower Case magic and a goodly amount of sweat alone in a gym he has made materialize. And notice that when there s a moment in a game that Calls for Merlin magic invariably answers. When the other Guys have what they used to Call in television land momentum and now Call being in the flow it is Johnson who is instrumental when inc aforementioned momentum is slowed or inc flow flustered. And so magic Johnson played not under the weather thursday night and for him not Over the weather either. Bui in his customary climate which is torrid. He played 42 minutes this sorry flu Ridden Crea Ture and hit 7 of 12 shots from the Field 9 of 9 from the free throw Tine for 23 Points and had seven rebounds and 11 assists. Nearly a Carbon copy of what a sound Earvin accomplished in game 1. Obviously then. Magic a virtual Shell of his former self before game 2, according to the electronics observers has the Best healers around or he swiftly studied the Art of Hippocrates himself and applied it forthwith. The last is conceivable for those who have Fol Lowed the prestidigitation of Johnson. In Johnson s Rookie season in the finals of the Aba of 1980, Abdul Jabbar sprained an ankle and so magic was conscripted from the guard position to fill in Lor the great Laker Center. At fj-foot-9, Johnson revolutionized the guard position. Never had anyone thai tall done anything Tike that. He played the position with the dexterity of a 6 cooler. Then he was called on to play Center and did it like a 7-footer. It is the stuff of fairy talks and history tomes How Johnson scored 42 paints in inc Pivot and the lakers won inc championship four games to two Over the 76ers. There was what seemed the lowest Point in his career Early in the 1981-82 season when he argued Wilh coach Paul Weslh cad. Was Licad wanted a slower local Slop game magic wanted the express. Magic issued an ultimatum to the owner of the team and said it s him or me. Ii was was Licad. Magic was 22 years old and in his third season. He was criticized widely As a spoiled brat a product of the new age of pampered ath letes. But it turned out he was right. The lakers have played seven times in the finals in the 1980s, winning four and Johnson was three limes named the most valuable player of the play offs in 1976-77, his last year in High school he led the Everett team of Lansing to the Michigan slate championship. Two years later As a Sophomore at Michi Gan state he led the team to the Mcaa championship. The following year he was at guard and then Cen Ter for the lakers the champions of the Aba. Per haps no one else has accomplished such a feat of Ihrck championships on three such Levels in four years. His accomplishments have been amazing and he s still at in. A number of years ago 1 had lunch with Blackstone the magician when the Check came i took it noted the Bol Tom line and looked up. Blackstone i said you re a magician. Let s Sec you make this Check  he smiled. I m not that Good he said. The feeling Here is that Blackstone was very Good but that magic Johnson could have made that Check go poof elite guards friendly1 rivals in Aba finals by Bill Barnard Inglewood Calif. A two of the Best guards in the Aba Are Best of friends. But Isiah Thomas and magic Johnson Are trying to get the Best of each other Inich Aba finals. Johnson the 6-9 Leader of the los an Geles lakers and Thomas the 6-1 spark plug of the Detroit pistons have been buddies Ever since Dallas Mark Aguirre introduced them in 1979. When things got Tough like when Johnson was blamed for the los Angeles lakers loss 10 Boston in the Aba finals in 1984, Thomas and Aguirre were there consoling Johnson through inc night. And Johnson was there for Thomas when he was widely criticized last year for racial remarks about Larry Bird after the Detroit pistons lost to the celtics. He Lold me this year would be the most difficult of my career because of the criticism i would receive Thomas said. He said 1 would have to be Strong. It was Nice to have someone who understands How you feel when things go  for the next week the magic Isiah Friendship is on hold while the lakers and pistons Battle for the Aba title. For now i Don t want him to do Well Johnson said. That Means they re on their game. Usually i wish inc Best for him and he wishes the Best for  once the game starts you re out there competing trying to win,1 Thomas said. Sometimes ii s Best to compete against a Friend. It makes you work harder because you know How hard he s going to compete. When the game is on he s no. 32 in Gold or purple/1 gel photo Isiah Thomas on magic Johnson sometimes u s by so to compete against a  Johnson said he and Thomas Haven t lacked about the fact inc lakers have won four Aba titles since 1980 and the pistons never made it to inc finals until now. But i m sure it weighed on his mind Johnson said. So it s like he s on a Mission. He s out to prove he s in the upper  Thomas said it has t been Tough to Deal with his Friend s Success while the pistons floundered in the playoffs before this year. "1 was very glad to see Earvin Dowell Thomas said. It Only made me want to work harder. There s a lot of difference Between Admire and envy. I Admire him for the accomplishments he s made but 1 Don t envy  until Utah s John Stockton came along to break Thomas single season As Sist records this year Johnson and Thomas were acknowledged As the iwo Best Point guards in the Aba. Johnson with the help of an eight Inch height advantage was always considered belter. We play the same Poi Lioti. But behave different games Thomas said. If magic was 6-1, i Don t think he would like it very much. Bui he would definitely be  Clint Eastwood once said in one of his movies a Man must know his limitations. I m never going 10 be 6-9. I m never going to be a Power  Aguirre Johnison Thomas Friend ship has changed in the last two years because Thomas and Aguirre arc mar ried now and Thomas wife Lynn is expecting a child soon. Whatever happens it seems the friendships will  and Mark can be friends now that our series is Over and after this series Means Isiah will be friends Johnson said. Mannheim sweeps twins in a a league Mannheim. West Germany yes the Mannheim Amigos played baseball saturday not football. Only their scores made it seem like autumn. The Amigos belted the bad toll twins 26-2 and 16-6 in their German american baseball league double header. The sweep Shol Mannheim s record to6-2, Good for first place in the Northern division. Bad to dropped to 0-5, last in the Southern division. Bill Dickman pitched a two Hitler ingate i. Which ended after five innings because of the 10-run Rule. Dickman 4 a struck out 10 and walked two. The Amigos backed Dickman with 18 hits. Four were homers iwo by Miguel Luzunaris and one each by Martin Helmig and Istvan Dejesus. George Bull was 4 for 4. Dickman lost his no Hiller with two out in the fourth inning. Terry o Connor broke it up with a double to left. Game 2 lasted six innings before the 10-run Rule stopped in. Mannheim amassed 16 Hils. Marcus 1 robs hit Mannheim s Only Homer and Curtis Ken Nedy went 3 for 3. Joop Chorel. 1-0, went live innings and surrendered three hits. An sports television basketball Aba finals i us Angeles lakers at Detroit 9 30 . Sunday radio basketball Aba finals lakers at Detroit 9 30 . Sunday. Baseball Oakland us Texas 2 30a. M. Monday