The Magic's gone in L.A.

Spring 1994
Originally published by The Daily Collegian (Fresno State)

The Los Angeles Lakers are dead--officially.

The Lakers, for so many years the renowned juggernaut of the NBA, have no more heart to continue their reign. Magic Johnson as much said so when he declined to return as the Lakers' coach for next season.

Johnson, who was a dominant player for over a decade along with Boston Celtic Larry Bird, came in when the league needed him most. In many ways he helped turn around the league.

His presence alone would turn his teammates into selfless individuals with a burning desire to win the next game, nothing more and nothing less.

But the work ethic and tireless hustle which Magic used to put his stamp on Laker basketball doesn't work in today's world of big-money contracts and guaranteed salaries.

Johnson said that a lack of discipline and enthusiasm among the team was a big reason why he won't come back as L.A.'s skipper next season.

Los Angeles had reached the playoffs for 17 consecutive seasons before bowing out of the postseason race with a loss to Portland on Friday night.

"I found out a lot about this team, a lot about individuals," Johnson said upon releasing his stepping down statement. "And you can see why we are where we are."

Back when Magic was running the show, a miscue by say, Byron Scott or A.C. Green simply wouldn't be tolerated. Now the Lakers have talent that mostly has gone to hell in a handbasket.

That notion is further underlined when people like Elden Campbell and Vlade Divac seem to just coast along from game to game, occasionally showing brilliance but little else, which is exactly the state that the Lakers are in right now.

What they are doing is resting on reputation, living off the name of L.A. Lakers alone, getting a bit too comfortable with their feet propped up.

As long as Johnson had the desire, he could have instantly turned the Lakers into a 50-plus game-winning team. In a sense, Magic is the Lakers. In a way. he helped build the franchise by guiding it to five world championships in a decade.

The old Lakers, the dynasty version, would turn over in their graves if they were to witness the heresy going on in their kingdom: sloppy play, poor execution, and worse, making excuses and throwing in the towel when things aren't looking too good.

That's about all they did down the stretch this season. Which is why, come May, they'll be watching the NBA on TV or chipping bogeys at the golf course or whatever it is that losing teams do while waiting for the lottery games to begin.

With the old Lakers, you lived by example. You competed to win not just becase you wanted the money, or the accolades. You did it because the team wanted it.

But even Magic couldn't inject desire and determination into the new Lakers, which can't hold a candle to their predecessors. The Lakers' fall from grace and their abandoned commitment is the story of the NBA this year, not Hakeem Olajuwon and the Rockets' resurgence or the Sonics pulling the best record in the league or the fact that the Knicks have their best chance to win a championship since 1973.

There undoubtedly were questions over whether Johnson's health was a factor in his decision to resign after the season. But he is still showing no effects despite being diagnosed with the HIV virus back in 1991.

The indictment, then, is not whether Magic was strong enough to lead the Lakers, but that maybe the Lakers weren't strong enough for Magic.