Van Exel

LANDOVER -- Chris Webber was being the force the Washington Bullets expected he would be, scoring, rebounding and intimidating in the middle. Unfortunately for the Bullets, most of his teammates didn't see fit to join the party.Webber scored 22 points and grabbed 20 rebounds, and Don MacLean had a game-high 23 points last night, but the Bullets were beaten by the Los Angeles Lakers, 112-96, before a sellout crowd of 18,756 at USAir Arena.The Bullets, playing their third game of a five-game homestand including Friday's loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Baltimore, wasted a golden opportunity to get on track.

Los Angeles Lakers coach Del Harris complained about the noise at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Point guard Nick Van Exel complained about abusive Utah fans, as well as the forearms delivered by Jazz guard John Stockton. And Shaquille O'Neal complained about the officiating. Again.So, whatever happened to be the big, bad Lakers team that demolished the Seattle SuperSonics in five games in the second round? The Lakers team that was playing so well that many had already issued it a pass to the finals -- even before the series against Utah?

PHILADELPHIA -- The Los Angeles Lakers, it was alleged, were in town Friday night.But there was no Kareem, no majestic sky hook spooling out. There was no Earvin making Magic.There was no moussed-up, GQ-slick Pat Riley whip-cracking at courtside, no break-neck Showtime.There was someone masquerading as James Worthy, but he began the evening seated, and when he did get in the game that pretty pirouette along the baseline that used to paralyze defenders seemed several revolutions slower than you remember, though that quick-release jump shot still lives.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- After his team had advanced Friday with a first-round victory over Nebraska, New Mexico State coach Neil McCarthy witnessed up-close Cincinnati's dismantling of Coppin State."

LANDOVER -- In his one season playing for the Golden State Warriors, Chris Webber may have had some problems with the organization, but he never had a problem with the wide-open style of play. Last night against the Los Angeles Lakers, Webber got a chance to revisit old times.The Lakers brought their run-and-gun style East last night, but it was Webber and the Washington Bullets who prospered. Webber scored a career-high 37 points, and the Bullets ran over the Lakers, 122-114, before a sellout of 18,756 at USAir Arena.

The NBA trading deadline has come and gone and actually lived up to all the media hype, with some interesting deals sliding under the door before it closed. The fact that big names, on the order of Raef LaFrentz, Nick Van Exel, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Rodney Rogers and Marc Jackson, changed hands is remarkable, given the significant roadblocks thrown in the way by the league's collective bargaining agreement. "You have a lot of high-price players, a lot of lower-price players and not a lot of in-betweens," said Washington Wizards coach Doug Collins.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Lakers coach Del Harris calls it "Phase II" of Magic Johnson's career, one that features "this hulk of a man . . . a power player."There is no question that Johnson, some 27 pounds heavier than he was the last time he was on an NBA court, is a different player than he used to be. Besides being some four years older, he has bulked up with an extensive weight-lifting program that has added visible definition to his arms and upper body.Before last night's 128-118 win over the Golden State Warriors, Harris was asked if it seemed at all strange to him that one of the best point guards ever was returning to the game as a power forward.

A season ago they were the top team in the Western Conference, making a trip to the NBA Finals, where they took the Chicago Bulls to six games before losing. But this season, the Seattle SuperSonics have struggled against the top teams -- and guard Gary Payton said changes are in order.Payton had not spoken to the media all season until last week, when he talked about the problems with a Seattle reporter.The thoughts of "The Glove" -- that the Sonics are several players away from being a real contender -- may be suggesting that the team needs to make a move by next week's trading deadline.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- He wasn't introduced, because he didn't start. Magic Johnson was gone more than four years. The crowd could wait just a bit longer to welcome him back.Then, with 2:21 gone, he rose from the bench, peeled off his warm-ups and reported to the scorer's table. The fans at the Great Western Forum stood and roared.No longer was he Magic Johnson, retired victim of the AIDS virus. He was Magic Johnson, running to his position under the basket for a foul shot, lining up next to the Golden State Warriors' Joe Smith.

PHOENIX -- When are the Suns going to deliver this NBA playoff series? How long do we have to wait? Can we induce labor?Waiting for the Suns to put away the Houston Rockets is almost as nerve-racking as awaiting the birth of Dan Majerle's first child, which unquestionably is the most overplayed news story in Phoenix since, well, Dan's wedding.This series should be over.The Suns should have beaten the Rockets in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals last night. . They should be congratulating each other and enjoying a rest while waiting for the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers to settle their series, which should be over, too. But it's not.That Lakers guard who looks like a bald Diana Ross -- Nick Van Exel -- hit a three-pointer at the end of overtime to stun the Spurs and leave the hometown San Antonio fans feeling almost as empty as Phoenix fans did after the Suns' 103-97 loss.