European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 23, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday May 23,1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 21magic repeats As Aba map by Sam Mcmanis los Angeles times As he did last season magic Johnson was to receive the a bad a most valuable player award for the regular season Between the first and second games of the Western conference finals. The difference this time is that the los Angeles lakers have been eliminated from the playoffs. So the trophy presentation was the Only activity tuesday at the forum in Inglewood Calif. It was the third time in the last four seasons that Johnson 30, has won the award. Johnson is the first Back to Back map Winner since Larry Bird was honoured from 1983 to 1986. Johnson becomes Only the sixth player in Aba history to win the award three times joining former teammate Kareem Abdul Jabbar Bill Russell Wilt Chamberlain Moses Malone and Larry Bird. Details of the voting by 92 Media representatives in 27 cities weren to available but an Aba official confirmed monday night that Philadelphia 76ers Forward Charles Barkley edged Chicago bulls guard Michael Jordan for second place. Others who were expected to contend included Karl Malone of the Utah jazz Akeem Olajuwon of the Houston rockets and David Robinson of the san Antonio spurs. Johnson averaged 22.3 Points and was second to league Leader John Stockton of the Utah jazz in assists with an average of 11.5. In the lakers first season without Kareem Abdul Jabbar Johnson helped Lead the lakers to a 63-19 record Best in the Aba. Neither Johnson nor lakers coach Pat Riley could be reached monday. But Veteran guard Michael Cooper one of Johnson a closest friends on the lakers said Johnson deserved the award even More than he did last season. A i think Earvin did everything necessary for our team to win 63 games a Cooper said. A i think people looked at him taking Over in Kareem a absence or retirement and he did everything you can ask from a player. �?o1 never look at stats when 1 look at great players just their performances. His performance was the Best for his team this  Jerry West the lakers general manager said Johnson need not worry about statistics. A a it a a terrible thing for a player of his Caliper to try to yardstick every season against yourself a West said. A the is outstanding every year. He is consistent and he is a Winner. That a what makes him special. A the has always had his game at a different level from everyone else. Its so hard to compare Johnson and a player like Jordan. I just know How great Earvin Johnson is. Both he and Jordan play a different Type of  Johnson has said he tries to add something to his game every season. In 1988-89, for instance Johnson improved his free throw shooting to 91.1 percent. Best in the Aba. This season Johnson worked on his three Point shooting. He made 106 three pointers nearly exceeding the career total of 117 he had going into the season. But Johnson does not judge his Worth statistically. He said earlier this season he took it upon himself to Lead the lakers to the a bad a Best record. And although they stumbled in the second round of the playoffs the lakers were led by Johnson to their third Best record Ever. Xiv. A magic Johnson Duckworth stops suns in game 1 a Phoenix a a Tom Chambers defends Ball from Kevin Duckworth top and Terry Porter. By Bob Baum Portland Ore. Apr three weeks ago Kevin Duckworth broke his right hand and his Aba season seemed to be Over. Monday night he used that hand to swish a game winning eight foot jumper with 17.3 seconds left giving the Portland Trail blazers a 100-98 Victory in the opener of the Western conference finals. A a he a phenomenal a Portland a Buck Williams said. A the Man came Back with a broken Bone in his hand. He a playing on a lot of courage right now. That Sall he a playing  Duckworth who missed six games before returning in the seventh game of the conference semifinals against san Antonio on saturday Sank the game Winner on a pick and Roll play that he and Terry Porter have run a a zillion times he said. A a we be won a lot of games with that play a Duckworth said. Duckworth did no to even have his fingers in a splint for this game. He said he Only feels soreness in his wrist. A i really done to remember having a by Impact on a game like this in a Playo situation a he said. With the score tied 98-98, Porter took the Ball and drove to the Basket then passed off to Duckworth when defender Mark West left the big Portland Center. A i expected Terry to take the shot a Duckworth said a but As soon As he penetrated 1 knew 1 would get it  Portland coach Rick Adlman said thrilling games would be the Norm in the  we should have really controlled this game better than we did a he said. A but what i liked about it is defensively we did what we had to do and then Duck made the big  Phoenix had a Chance to tie after Duckworths shot but Danny Young who is listed at 6-foot-4 but is certainly smaller blocked Mike Mcgee a shot. Williams saved the Ball from going out of Bounds and Portland stretched its Home court playoff record to 7-0. A when he shoots the Ball he puts it right in front of his face a Young  playoffs a Eddie Johnson fell Down and i was trying to get to the Ball and i saw Mcgee was wide open and 1 thought of no. But i was Able to get to him and get my hand up in  it was the third straight Home thriller for the blazers who beat san Antonio in double overtime and overtime in the last two games in Portland. Phoenix coach Cotton Fitzsimmons said the suns showed the effects of a six Day Layoff after upsetting the los Angeles lakers in the conference semifinals. A your execution was Rusty. We weren to real Sharp a he said. A but give Portland credit. They played hard and they got what they needed to win at the  Portland making its first appearance in the conference finals since 1977, when the Trail blazers won their Only Aba championship Defeated the suns for the 18th consecutive time at memorial coliseum. Clyde Drexler had 20 Points and 10 rebounds for Portland and Jerome Kersey had 19 Points 15 in the second half and 11 rebounds. Tom Chambers scored 29 Points for the suns including a three Point play that tied the score at 98-98 with 1 09 to play. Kevin Johnson scored 20 Points but Only four in the second half and missed a Layup with 34 seconds to go that would have put the suns ahead. Johnson was just 2-for-12 from the Field after the first Quarter. A the did no to shoot the Ball As Well As he a capable of and we know that a Adel Man said. A but we worked very hard on  a a we be just got to hit the open Man and hit our open shots a Johnson said. �?o1 feel very Good about our ability to Correct that.�?�. The blazers playing for the second time in two Days having completed their seven game series against san Antonio on saturday led most of the game but Phoenix never trailed by More than eight Points. The suns led 87-86 Early in the fourth period before the blazers re established a 98-93 advantage on Drexl cry a soaring one handed tip in with 2 59 to play