Magic Earvin Johnson

The International Olympic Committee's executive board approved without dissent Monday a recommendation by the medical commission that would allow Magic Johnson to play for the U.S. basketball team in the Summer Games at Barcelona. "There is no reason whatsoever that we should say to Mr.

The International Olympic Committee's executive board approved without dissent Monday a recommendation by the medical commission that would allow Magic Johnson to play for the U.S. basketball team in the Summer Games at Barcelona. "There is no reason whatsoever that we should say to Mr.

Magic Johnson will join NBC announcers Dick Enberg and Mike Fratello as a third commentator on Sunday's Laker-Chicago Bull national telecast. "It's my privilege to be able to confirm that," Enberg said Tuesday from his home in Rancho Santa Fe. "I'm really looking forward to working with Magic."

Magic Johnson will join NBC announcers Dick Enberg and Mike Fratello as a third commentator on Sunday's Laker-Chicago Bull national telecast. "It's my privilege to be able to confirm that," Enberg said Tuesday from his home in Rancho Santa Fe. "I'm really looking forward to working with Magic."

Sunday, there was silence. Because there will be no triple crown. You know it. I know it. The Laker Girls know it. The Laker Boys know it. Inglewoodians know it. The Jerries, Buss and West, know it. Worm, Spider, Zeke, Buddha, Microwave and the rest of the Garbage Pail Kids from Detroit know it. We all know it. Winning another championship is not going to be as easy as one-two-three for the Lakers after all. We know now, there isn't gonna be...

Considering their track record in previous coin flips for top draft choices, (0 or 1, when David Thompson was up for grabs in 1975) the headline writer couldn't help himself: "Lakers Suddenly Get Lucky; Is It Magic?" Yes, it was Magic. Earvin "Magic" Johnson, 19-year-old Michigan State sophomore, became a Laker because of a telephonic coin flip, and it happened 20 years ago today.

In one of those miracles of modern science or acts of Magic, Earvin Johnson returned with a small cast on his strained right middle finger but without a clue how he would do with it. Try 12 points and 15 assists in 30 minutes as the Lakers routed the Utah Jazz, 108-85, Wednesday night before 16,980 in the Forum. He isn't called Magic because he does card tricks. Johnson will wear the cast for at least a month, so he decided to see if he can play with it.

The Laker Get-Well Tour ended just as they planned it, with a textbook rout of the Orlando Magic that was led by the Los Angeles Magic, Earvin Johnson, who scored 21 points and didn't miss a shot. Johnson went eight for eight and the Lakers made it four of four, romping, 115-89, Saturday night before 16,254 in the Forum. Thus Mike Dunleavy poked his nose above .500 for the first time as an NBA coach. The Lakers are 6-5, in fourth place in the Pacific Division, a game ahead of the Clippers . . .

All I ask is that you ask yourself one question. That's all. Just one question. Answer it honestly. After that, if your opinion still differs from mine, OK, so be it. You're entitled. Please, though, do that much for me. Ask yourself this: How many basketball games would the Lakers have won without Magic Johnson, and how many games would the Chicago Bulls have won without Michael Jordan? Maybe that's two questions. Anyway, ask. I'll pretend this is Final Jeopardy and hum some theme music while I wait for you to think it over.

Michael Cooper, author of the Coop-a-Loop, hopes to complete his biggest circuit yet, from the Lakers to Italy and back. He and the Lakers are talking about a job that would be split between the front office and assisting the coaching staff. "I couldn't have written a better script," Cooper said before Sunday night's appearance in Magic Johnson's all-star benefit. "To be able to turn around and come back would be incredible. My aspiration is to be a head coach at the college level.

So this is how it looks. The big man hugs his mother and weeps. The bright kid jumps on a table and bounces. Through a fine mist of a purple-and-gold confetti snowstorm, a city dances around them. So this is how it sounds. A train rolling through Staples Center, an airplane landing outside, different accents, varied tongues, one three-hour, deafening, glorious noise. "I love L.A.," croons the singer. "We love it!" shouts the town.