Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 17, 1991 TAG: 9104170077
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: INGLEWOOD, CALIF. LENGTH: Medium
Worthy didn't, attending North Carolina instead, but Johnson made an impression.
"He was a real nice person then, and that hasn't changed," Worthy said Monday night after Johnson, his teammate with the Los Angeles Lakers for nine seasons, passed Oscar Robertson as the NBA's assists leader. "He was raised the right way; his parents deserve a lot of the credit.
"He's such a giving person. That makes this record so appropriate."
Johnson, the conductor of "Showtime" for the Lakers since 1979, got 19 assists in a 112-106 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
In his 12th NBA season, Johnson needed nine assists to break Robertson's record of 9,887.
Robertson got his total in 1,040 games over 14 seasons, averaging 9.5. Johnson has 9,898 assists in 871 games, averaging 11.4.
The record-tying assist came with 6:46 left in the second quarter when Johnson set up Worthy for a short jump shot.
Johnson got the record with 5:44 left in the quarter, lobbing to Terry Teagle, who made a 15-foot turnaround jumper from the right baseline.
Teagle said he would have preferred for either Worthy or Byron Scott to have scored the big basket because they have been Johnson's teammates for so long.
"But you have to take your shots," Teagle said. "I think it's sort of symbolic of Magic's approach. He doesn't care who makes the shot."
Soon after Johnson passed Robertson's record, he was in tears during a 15-minute on-court celebration before a sellout crowd of 17,505 at the Forum.
"I figured it would be emotional," he said. "I cried for all the times I shoveled snow off the walk and practiced hook shots with my dad [in Michigan growing up]. I cried for my dad. He's the one - he's the only reason I'm here. He explained to me how to share the basketball."
by CNB