– Magic almost gone? Earvin ”Magic” Johnson said he is starting to see the end of his tunnel of thrills.
”I`ve got three years left on my contract, and then that will be it, definitely,” said Johnson. ”It could happen sooner. I`m just going to feel it. The knees will tell me. But the way I look at it, I`m still dreamin` and I hope I never wake up.”
– No concession: Johnson has heard talk that Michael Jordan would have defeated him easily in their proposed one-on-one contest that doesn`t figure to materialize.
”He can`t blow me away one-on-one,” Johnson protested. ”He might beat me, but he can`t blow me away. I`ve been playing one-on-one all my life. I`m used to winning. You think I`d let him blow me away? He`d have to stop me like I`d have to stop him. And I`m wondering whether he can do that.”
– Sorry, Charlie: James Worthy, who was prevented from the league from sitting out the 1988 All-Star Game in Chicago because of sore knees, sympathizes with Charles Barkley, who was threatened with a league suspension if he skipped the game because of a groin injury.
”We also had a game right before the break, and they figured if I could play in that game, I could play in the All-Star Game,” said Worthy. ”Maybe he should have waited until after his last game to have told them.”
– Silent Green: A.C. Green, voted as a Western Conference All-Star starter, was held scoreless for the first time this season in a season-low 21 minutes Tuesday against Portland. He had 2 points in 25 minutes Sunday against the Nets.
Asked about beating out Utah`s Karl Malone for the starting spot, Green said: ”I would have picked him and Worthy.”
– Worthy occasion: The Lakers will retire Kareem Abdul-Jabbar`s uniform number March 20 before a game with the Charlotte Hornets, who, of course, were a traditional rival for Jabbar.
– Les back for more: Across town, the Clippers signed Niles` Jim Les, who averaged 14.6 points and 9.8 assists in 13 games with the Santa Barbara Islanders of the CBA after being cut by Utah earlier this season.
”He`ll bring NBA experinece,” said Clippers coach Don Casey. ”We`re working to get the backcourt situation resolved (starters Ron Harper and Gary Grant are injured). We need support there.”
