Rick Mahorn

Good Boys 2, Bad Boys 1? "Good overcomes evil," Michael Jordan said, laughing his head off, sticking that tongue of his out. Saturday was a bad day for those self-made "Bad Boys" from Detroit. They thought they had the Chicago Bulls exactly where they wanted them--14 points down with 7 1/2 minutes to play. Instead, the Bulls had the Pistons exactly where they wanted them. The Bulls had the two things they needed to win a basketball game: Michael Jordan and a basketball.

Here they are, the National Basketball Assn. playoffs, better known as lay-it-up-and-die time. Tempers are getting warm, someone is about to prevent an easy hoop the, uh, decisive way, and you know what comes next don't you, fight fans? O-o-o-o-h, that nasty ultra-violence. How come? Well, for the best possible reason. As much as the league would like us to believe that this is strange, deviant, outlaw action, it is, in reality, only an extension of behavior that is widely condoned.

A kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh, but watch out for your back, Sam, because it appears that romance is about to give way to a rumble in the National Basketball Assn. finals. Judging by the rumors of war spread by both teams Wednesday, the Lakers and Detroit Pistons won't need coaches for Game 5 in the Silverdome tonight, they'll need corner men. Instead of a jump ball, they'll begin with a clinch. And that won't be David Stern courtside, it'll be Don King ringside.

Rick Mahorn, a forward with the Detroit Pistons, had a ruptured disk removed and may be ready to play when the team opens training camp next October.

Mike Downey's article on the Detroit Pistons' Rick Mahorn was so brutally vicious that I will certainly remember it for a long time. Downey engaged in merciless butchery of the "Bad Boy," outright destruction of Mahorn's dignity. There is only one thing that I can say to Downey after he so utterly attacked Mahorn, the Charles Manson of the basketball court . . . Thank you. STEVE LEVIN West Los Angeles

Rick Mahorn's injured right foot will require surgery, forcing him out of the Detroit Pistons' lineup for more than two months. Surgery will be performed today or Thursday. Mahorn, who injured the foot Jan. 2 in a game against the Boston Celtics, was originally expected to be out 3-4 weeks. Further testing Monday, however, showed that surgery and a longer rehabilitation period would be needed. At the age of 38, there is some doubt whether he could be ready in time for the playoffs.

Clipper forward Cedric Maxwell will miss tonight's exhibition game against the Detroit Pistons at the Sports Arena after undergoing oral surgery. The game is scheduled for 7:30. Guard Mike Woodson, who has a knee injury, and forward Jeff Cross, who has an infected blister, also will not play. Point guard Larry Drew, who has missed practice for the last two days because of tendinitis in his left knee, is probable. Detroit's Adrian Dantley and Rick Mahorn are also out.