It Is No Longer Forum for Victory : Lakers: Their home record falls to 17-11 as the Cavaliers pull away, 101-90. - Los Angeles Times
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It Is No Longer Forum for Victory : Lakers: Their home record falls to 17-11 as the Cavaliers pull away, 101-90.

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

The Forum still has roman columns, $500 seats and Laker Girls, but there is something missing these days.

A home-court advantage.

The Lakers lost their fourth game of their last five in the Forum on Friday night as the Cleveland Cavaliers won their second game there in 13 seasons, 101-90.

The Laker home record dropped to 17-11, or more losses with two months to play than they have had in any season since 1983-84.

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Their pace projects to 25-16, which would be their worst mark since 1974-75.

They have lost eight of nine overall. In the eight losses, they have given up an average of 110 points.

Friday, the Lakers ran into a double-barreled attack, Brad Daugherty and Larry Nance, who scored 25 points each, shooting 12 for 15 and 11 for 16, respectively.

The Cavaliers led most of the game, drawing away by 12 points early in the fourth quarter.

“We’ve had injuries the last couple of years, so people just look by you,†Cavalier Coach Lenny Wilkens said. “They’re not just going to look by us any more.â€

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Mike Dunleavy, who hasn’t been able to look by anyone since the McDonald’s Open in Paris, had to work to find a silver lining.

“This one was against a good team, playing well,†he said. “We’ve just got to go on to our next game.â€

The Cavaliers started the night with a 36-18 record, contrasting with last season’s 19-35.

“We lost John Williams last year,†Wilkens said before the game. “We lost Winston Bennett. We lost Mark Price. That was just too much.â€

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The teams went right at each other from the beginning. Daugherty made seven of his first eight shots, everything from 20-footers to dunks, and the Cavaliers took a 32-27 lead after one quarter.

At that point, they were two points under Wednesday’s Knick total for the half.

The Lakers hung in, though. Sam Perkins, trying vainly to contain Daugherty, had better luck at the other end, scoring 11 points during the first half. James Worthy had another 11 but the Cavaliers still led, 50-48, at the half.

Nance, who had only taken six shots during the first half, made seven of eight during the third quarter.

The Cavaliers took a 77-69 lead into the fourth quarter, boosted it to 81-69 and were never seriously threatened.

“We haven’t won here in a long time,†Nance said, “and boy, it felt good.â€

That depends on whom you talk to.

Laker Notes

The Lakers’ 3-10 record in February equals their worst month, with January of 1976, since moving here in 1960. . . . The 1975-76 season was also the last time they finished under .500, at 40-42. . . . Vlade Divac had some bright moments in his second game, but not as many as in his first. He went 18 minutes, scored four points, took four rebounds but turned the ball over four times. . . . Said Coach Mike Dunleavy: “Vlade coming back, you’ve got to give him some time. He’s going to have some inconsistencies.†Said Divac: “At the beginning when I came in, I feel great. Then as I play, I get tired. Some of the moves I do are slow because my leg is weak. Eighteen minutes is good for me.â€

The Cavaliers, leading the NBA in blocked shots, had nine Friday. Larry Nance had five and Hot Rod Williams two. . . . Sam Perkins and Byron Scott scored 20 points each to lead the Lakers. James Worthy, who had shot 58% in the last three games, went seven for 19. . . . The Lakers out-rebounded their opponent for only the 16th time this season. Before Friday, they were 13-2 when out-rebounding opponents. Now it’s 13-3.

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Former Oregon Duck Terrell Brandon played his first game against the Lakers, who tried to make a deal for him before the last draft. Brandon missed six of seven shots in 14 minutes. . . . The Forum crowd booed Danny Ferry--again. Ferry missed three of his four shots. . . . Cavalier Coach Lenny Wilkens used six players, his starters plus Williams, for 209 of 240 minutes.

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