The Los Angeles Times du lieu suivant : Los Angeles, California • 50

PORT Eoe Angeles Simcs San Diego County Saturday, December 13, 1986 CCtPart III Laker Win Ends 48-Game Celtic Garden Party By GORDON EDES, Times Staff Writer 1 i i i i mi I i i A f- I couldn't keep people fresh and they were very tired at the end." There was no reason for Abdul -Jabbar not to be fresh. He sat out all but six minutes of the first half after picking up three quick fouls. But with James Worthy scoring 17 points and Johnson 16 in the first half, the Celtics could not fully exploit Abdul-Jabbar 's absence and led by only six, 65-59, at halftime. And in the end, they couldn't offset Abdul -Jabbar's presence, either. The Laker center, given the freedom to work one-on-one against Parish because the Lakers were hitting their outside shots, scored 14 points in the final quarter, including three straight baskets that expanded the Laker lead from 109-106 to 115-108 with 2:02 left.

"I thought they'd double-team me and make us beat them from outside," Abdul-Jabbar said. "Robert was trying to keep me out high and make it the sky hook a 12-footer, but I backed him in to midrange, where I can hit it with regularity." In Wednesday night's 23-point loss to Milwaukee, the Lakers' worst of the season, Abdul-Jabbar could hit almost nothing, making just 4 of 15 shots. "But this is money time," Magic Johnson said, "and Kareem thrives in a big game. That's him. "Tonight, he knew he had to be the man.

I knew he'd take it over. These are the games he lives for." The same, of course, could be said for Bird, who invariably has the ball in his hands at money time, too. Not Friday night, however. "They just weren't getting the ball to me," he said. "We were dropping it in to Kevin McHale, Please see LAKERS, Page 16 BOSTON-The Lakers were graffiti artists painting on parquet Friday night, leaving their message scrawled in big, bold sneaker-prints across a long-unblemished Boston Garden floor.

"We're back," they tapped out in triumphant unison after beating the Boston Celtics, 117-110, and ending the Celtics' 48-game winning streak at the Garden. "I guess you lose one time in the playoffs and people think you're not that good," said Laker guard Magic Johnson, whose 31 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds made it seem inconceivable that his right knee was swollen both before and after the game. "And they say Kareem is over the hill. Let them keep thinking he's over the hill, because somebody's going to get beat." Thirty-nine seconds into the fourth quarter, that somebody didn't look as if it would be the Celtics, who went ahead, 96-88, on Kevin McHale's fallaway jumper over Kareem Abdul -Jabbar himself. But the Celtics, who had shot a sizzling 64 through the first three quarters, scored just 14 points the rest of the way.

And Larry Bird, who had burned the Lakers for 24 points while missing just two shots, took only one more shot all night. "The way we were shooting down the stretch, we couldn't even write two points with a pencil," Boston center Robert Parish said. By then, the Celtics may have been too pooped to stop and pop. All five Boston starters played at least 40 minutes, and the bench contributed just six points, all by Fred Roberts. And at the end of that bench, in street clothes, sat backup center Bill Walton, out with another mysterious ankle injury.

"I think that's the biggest reason we won the game tonight," Laker forward Kurt Rambis said. "They Associated Press The "rally-cap" atmosphere of the Mets has been home to Kevin Mitchell (center), but he says he can go home again to San Diego. Padres May Have to Wait for Dividends Trading McReynolds Draws Comparisons to the Rangers' Rebuilding Analysis By TOM FRIEND, Times Staff Writer HOLLYWOOD, day later, the consensus is this By acquiring Kevin McReynolds Thursday, the New York Mets helped themselves for 1987. By acquiring Kevin Mitchell, Shawn Abner and Stan Jefferson, the San Diego Padres helped themselves for 1989. McReynolds, the Mets' new left fielder, is thrilled to be leaving San Diego and, especially, team president Ballard Smith.

Mitchell, who grew up as a ruffian in San Diego and who will Rangers finished second in the American League West. Now, in San Diego, the oldest starter besides Steve Garvey and Garry Templeton is going to be Tony Gwynn age 26. Manager Larry Bowa fiery and aggresr sive may be the Bobby Valentine of 1987. "Oh, I don't know about the Padres," McReynolds said Friday. "I really don't see the Padres doing -that well.

Even with me there, I would've felt that. And I think the biggest reason is Ballard Smith. He'll hold the team back. To him, winning isn't that important." Please see PADRES, Page 17 (getting the nod over Matt Young and Danny Tartabull). He hit 26 homers and had 96 RBIs for the Padres last But Jack McKeon, the San Diego general manager, wanted to create a New Frontier.

Take a look at Texas last year. The Rangers were coming off a last-place finish in 1985 and decided to make youth a prerequisite for playing time. Manager Bobby Valentinefiery and aggressive put it together on the field and the 5tM San Diego Sportscene Dave Distel Don't Strike Up Band, Just Give Charlie Joiner a Hand ttz Life is a whisper to Charlie Joiner. He is a handshake rather than a high-five, a low-cal beer rather than a bucket of champagne, a comfortable sedan from Detroit rather than a luxurious import, a human being rather than a star. Leave the flash and flair to others.

Joiner is happiest with either home and hearth or a modest opening on the back side of a zone defense. Indeed, Joiner has made a living catching footballs for 18 years because he has managed to remain so low-profile and inconspicuous. Fanfare is not his forte. Joiner has set National Football League career records for recep be the Padres' third baseman, is convinced he can come home again. Abner, a 20-year-old phenom who batted .580 his senior year of high school, thinks he can be the player McReynolds is.

Abner also thinks Jefferson, the Padres' new center fielder, is so fast he "doesn't even touch the ground when he runs." Baseball people think the Padres are the "new" Texas Rangers. McReynolds probably was the best player to be traded this week tions and reception yardage, and each game in which the record was set was stopped briefly to retire the football. In each case, Joiner seemed more restless and embarrassed than honored particularly since the Chargers were losing (and did lose) both games. This is a man who defies both stereotypes and time. You expect that the most prolific receiver in NFL history will be a guy who stands 6-foot-3, weighs 198 and runs the 100 meters in 10 flat.

Not Charlie. He is 5-11, weighs 183 and runs 12 yards in whatever time it takes him to get open for a first down. Please see SPORTSCENE, Page 24 ball League star to a multiyear contract. Legendary stories of his throwing prowess made their way south, but Brock never became the NFL star he had hoped to become. Instead, he became widely criticized for his 1985 season and his role in the Rams' 24-0 NFC championship loss to the Chicago Bears.

Brock completed 10 of 31 passes for 66 yards in that game and had to live with it in the off-season. His 1986 season was a disaster from the beginning. Competing for a starting job with newcomer Steve Bartkowski, Brock injured his left knee in the Rams' first exhibition game against the Houston Oilers Aug. 5. He had arthroscopic surgery the Please see BROCK, Page 9 mum -W M.

Jfc mm mm immlmtmt mum mm 'i' Goalie Jim Gorsek waves his hand 3f J'' i 2'i. -M. i dm ir it if in pain after blocking a shot. urn 3 fMm 1 -mrn Sockers Top Comets in Rough One By MARC APPLEMAN, Times Staff Writer SAN DIEGO-It was definitely not a night for goalkeepers. "Goalkeepers, history," said Socker goalie Zoltan Toth after San Diego defeated the Kansas City Comets, 5-3, in front 8,946 fans Friday night in the San Diego Sports Arena.

Jim Gorsek, the Sockers' starter in goal, suffered a broken left hand and will be out of action for four to six weeks. Comet goalkeeper Alan Mayera longtime favorite in San Diego when he played for the Sockers suffered a laceration over his left eye and a concussion and was taken by ambulance to Sharp Cabrillo Hospital. Toth, who replaced Gorsek with 2:29 left in the first quarter and made 12 saves on 21 shots, suffered a bloody gash on the bridge of his nose. "It was a bad day for the poor old guys who get beat up each day," Socker Coach Ron Newman said. Gorsek's injury: He was kicked in the hand by Comet midfielder Jor-gen Kristensen, who was celebrating his 40th birthday Friday.

"I came flying across and just as I got my hands on the ball, I was kicked in the hand," Gorsek said. "My hand was numb and I couldn't bend my fingers." Gorsek hadn't had the hand X-rayed when he spoke to reporters, but he said he knew it was broken. "It's broken," Gorsek said. "It's broken. I don't have to have it X-rayed." Fortunately for the Sockers, who do not have a third goalkeeper on their roster, they only play three games in the next 15 days.

Please see SOCKERS, Page 23 Wm iifi iii wh turn ton ftiii liliii Mi 4 2 5 -flw am 9m -t- vm-'nm: in KEN LEVINE For The Times He left game with broken hand. EHM3 "1 Brock Gets Out of Town Before Release Announced By CHRIS DUFRESNE, Times Staff Writer Perhaps it was fitting that the Rams let quarterback Dieter Brock slip quietly out of town. This town wasn't very good for him anyway. Friday, the Rams officially put the 35-year-old Brock on waivers, ending what might be the last bizarre chapter of Ram quarterback history for perhaps another decade. By the time the news was released, Brock was holed up at a friend's home in Birmingham, unavailable for comment.

The Rams had told Brock of his release Monday. His stay in Los Angeles was short and sour. In March 1985, the Rams made Brock, then 34, the oldest NFL rookie when they signed the former Canadian Foot Morning Briefing Page 2 Viewpoint America's Cup Morris to Meet With Twins Free-agent pitcher Jack Morris will give his hometown team, the Minnesota Twins, first crack at his services in a meeting Monday. Please see Page 2. SDSU Loses in Volleyball San Diego State loses to top-ranked University of the Pacific in the semifinals of the NCAA Northwest Regional volleyball tournament.

Please see Page 20. Clippers 12 15 Diego High School Basketball 19 Day in Sports 21-23 San The yyB -i 5.