Johnson Gives Lakes a Life in Magical Return

The curtain rose for the second act of Showtime Tuesday night.

Before a sellout Forum crowd of 17,505 and a national television audience, Magic Johnson stepped back into the Laker lineup and onto the stage where he had won titles, fans and international acclaim in a 12-year career before being forced into retirement in 1991 after contracting the AIDS virus.

In the Lakers’ 128-118 defeat of the Golden State Warriors, Johnson nearly registered a triple-double with 19 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds. He played 27 minutes.

The cheers from the Forum crowd began at 5:43 p.m. when early arrivals applauded Johnson’s first appearance on the court in preparation for the game.

Johnson missed his first warmup shot but quickly followed it with a successful three-point shot.

When Magic reappeared at 7:19 for the start of the game, the cheers had turned to a roar.

It’s a different Johnson now. He is older at 36, 30 pounds heavier at 255, and wiser and more secure about his illness.

He had previously attempted to return in 1992, but retired again before getting into a regular season game after facing a storm of criticism and concern about the health risk to other players.

Not this time.

There was barely a whimper of protest when it was announced Monday that he had sold his 5% share of the team back to majority owner Jerry Buss and then signed a $2.5-million player contract.

Members of the Laker organization from General Manager Jerry West to Coach Del Harris to players such as Cedric Ceballos and Nick Van Exel had called Johnson last week to persuade him that his return would be more than just a ploy to sell seats, that he was truly wanted and needed.

“This is great,” Harris said. “This is what you play for.”

In the stands, emotion washed over Johnson’s agent, Lon Rosen.

“I don’t believe this,” he said. “I can still remember the sadness in that first game after he retired when no one thought he would ever play again.”

Indeed, the central component of the team that won five NBA championships in the 1980s seemed to bring back all the excitement and anticipation that had disappeared in recent years.

Johnson, who revolutionized the point guard position in his first tour of duty, now hopes to refine the forward position.

Johnson entered the game for Elden Campbell with 9:39 remaining in the first quarter, trotting onto the court underneath his retired jersey, which still has its honored spot on the Forum’s north wall.

Johnson passed to Anthony Peeler, who hit a three-point basket with 7:01 to play, giving Johnson his first assist. Johnson drove the lane to score his first basket with 5:53 remaining in the period.

After four years of agony, frustration and one rumored return after another, the Magic was really back.

* RELATED STORIES, PICTURES: C1, C4-C5