The Los Angeles Lakers-Chicago Bulls matchup is on, with Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan finally meeting in an NBA championship series.
The Portland Trail Blazers, however, almost canceled the Lakers' ninth trip to the NBA Finals in 12 years.Taken down to the wire in the sixth game of the Western Conference championship series Thursday night, the Lakers got a miss by the Trail Blazers' Terry Porter with four seconds remaining and a rebound by Johnson that preserved Los Angeles' 91-90 victory and a 4-2 series win.
If the Trail Blazers had won the game, they also would have had the upper hand in the series since Game 7 would have been at Portland.
The Lakers were relieved to put the Trail Blazers, the league's winningest team during the regular season, behind them.
"It was tough," said the Lakers' Johnson, who had 25 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. He also sank two critical free throws in the last two minutes of the clinching victory.
"You have to give the Trail Blazers a lot of credit. They didn't quit."
Portland trailed almost the entire game, but Clyde Drexler sparked a fourth-quarter rally that pulled them even at 83-83 with 3:49 remaining.
A lay-in by Vlade Divac gave Los Angeles an 87-85 lead, then Johnson made two free throws for a four-point edge with 1:48 left.
Drexler made one free throw, then stole the ball and scored to make it 89-88. Divac sank two free throws with 43 seconds remaining before Porter hit a 16-foot jumper for the game's final points.
Porter's jumper with four seconds remaining was short and Johnson, after getting the rebound, lofted the ball downcourt. There was some confusion at the end because the timekeeper, thinking a foul had been called, briefly stopped the clock and one-tenth of a second remained as the ball rolled out of bounds on the Lakers' end.
Buck Williams made a desperate length-of-court inbounds pass as time expired.
"I felt good about the shot," said Porter, who led Portland with 24 points. "It was on line, but it just fell a little short. I make that shot nine out of 10 times."
"We had a chance to take the lead in the last minute, but we couldn't get over the hump," Portland coach Rick Adelman said.
No one appeared more relieved than Mike Dunleavy, the Lakers' rookie coach.
"It doesn't get any better than this," he said. "The only reason I took the L.A. job was that I thought the Lakers had a chance to win the championship. Here it is May 30th and I'm still right."
Divac said he was nervous before he made the two free throws that turned out to be the difference.
"I was very scared," he said. "They were such important points. I told myself to use my knees and I had good concentration."
The native of Yugoslavia said he was excited about getting his first chance to play in the league championship round.
"The NBA is the best league in the world and the Finals are the most important games," he said. "I knew that even when I was in Yugoslavia."
Sam Perkins had 26 points for the Lakers and reserve A.C. Green had 15.
James Worthy, playing on a sprained ankle, said he was hampered somewhat but the injury should be completely healed for the Finals. He scored eight points and had three rebounds in the win over Portland.
Drexler added 23 for the Trail Blazers, who all seemed to agree that losing the opening game of the series on their home court was the key for the Lakers.
"We squandered the first game and you can't give a good team that," Drexler said. "The Lakers played well the entire series and you have to give them credit."
The Trail Blazers were trying for a return trip to the Finals, where they lost to Detroit in five games last year.
The Lakers, shooting for their sixth NBA title in the 12 years since Johnson joined them, will open the title round Sunday in Chicago. Game 2 is Wednesday night, then the series switches to Los Angeles for games on June 7 and June 9, and, if necessary, on June 12.
The Bulls will be appearing in the Finals for the first time.
"I think it's exciting," Johnson said of the matchup. "Michael (Jordan) and I have become real good friends. We always wanted to play in the Finals and now he has his chance."
Said the Lakers' Worthy: "The next series will be more than Michael and Magic. I think we're all looking forward to it."