Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 24, 1994                   TAG: 9403240114
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: INGLEWOOD, CALIF.                                LENGTH: Medium

MAGIC BACK, BUT FOR HOW LONG?

And his stay might be brief.

Johnson, who led the Los Angeles Lakers to five NBA titles before retiring in 1991 after contracting the HIV virus, will coach the team for the rest of this season.

After that, who knows?

"I can't think about next season," Johnson said Wednesday at a news conference. " . . . I know it's going to be for a month, anyway. I'm not even talking about next year. All I'm concentrating on right now is this moment."

Jerry West, the Lakers' general manager, also suggested Johnson's coaching tenure may be brief.

"Earvin Johnson will be the Lakers' coach for the remainder of the season," West said. "[Lakers owner] Jerry Buss has always harbored the desire for Magic Johnson to coach this team."

"I'm just doing it for him," Johnson said of Buss. "Oh,man! Well, I'm happy to be back for however long it's going to be."

The Lakers confirmed Tuesday night that Johnson would replace Randy Pfund. Johnson will be reunited on the bench with longtime teammate Michael Cooper, who is replacing assistant coach Chet Kammerer.

Entering Wednesday night's game at Dallas, the Lakers were 27-37. They had 18 games remaining and trailed Denver by 5 1/2 games in the race for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot.

When asked if the Lakers could make the playoffs, something they've done for 17 consecutive seasons, Johnson said: "I want to win. It's going to be tough. They [Denver] have to go on a hell of a losing streak and we have to go on a hell of a winning streak."

Johnson replaces Pfund at a time when the Lakers are playing well, having won six of their past eight games. Earlier this month, Pfund signed a one-year contract extension through the 1995-96 season.

Johnson's first game as coach will be Sunday night at home against the Milwaukee Bucks. Assistant Bill Bertka was to coach the Lakers on Wednesday night and again in Houston tonight.

Johnson, one of the most popular players in basketball history, will try to revive a franchise that has struggled since his retirement. The Lakers were 39-43 last season and 66-80 overall under Pfund.