Lakers Say They Like Bird, Whatever His Color : And Now They Must Deal With the Problem of How to Slow Him Down a Bit

SANTA BARBARA — Dennis Rodman and the Detroit Pistons may think Larry Bird is just an “overrated white guy,” but the Lakers don’t agree.

After losing the Eastern Conference title to Bird and the Boston Celtics Saturday, Rodman said of Bird: “He’s not God. He ain’t the best player in the NBA, not to me. . . . He’s white. That’s the reason he gets it. Nobody gives Magic Johnson credit. He deserved it last year, too. I don’t care. Go right ahead and tell him. You’ll put it in the paper anyway.”

However, the Lakers, who are getting ready to face Bird and the Celtics in the National Basketball Assn. championship series starting Tuesday at the Forum, don’t think Bird is overrated.

“It doesn’t matter if he’s white, black, green, Portuguese or from the nation of Nepal,” said Mychal Thompson, Lakers’ backup forward/center. “Larry Bird is a great player and he knows how to play. Color has nothing to do with it.

“Bird’s legit, definitely. He and Magic are the co-kings in the league. I guess you can call them salt and pepper because they sure spice this league up.”

Said Magic Johnson when asked about Rodman’s statement: “I have no comment. You should ask them (the Pistons) how they feel about him, not me. I have no comment on what they said.”

Magic said he planned to speak with Piston guard Isiah Thomas after Sunday’s practice.

Thomas had said of Bird: “I think Larry is a very, very good basketball player. An exceptional talent. But I have to agree with Rodman. If he were black, he’d be just another good guy.”

Laker Coach Pat Riley said he thought Rodman’s comments about Bird may have come out of the frustration he felt over losing the series to the Celtics.

“I think they were born out of the bitterness and animosity of losing a seven-game series,” Riley said. “I don’t want to comment.

“I’m sure they’d like to take them back. There’s not a greater player in the game than Larry Bird. Making a comment like that is just totally out of line. But those individuals are going to be held accountable because people don’t appreciate that kind of stuff. I don’t think it’s needed.”

Laker center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar laughed when told him of Rodman’s statement about Bird.

Said Abdul-Jabbar: “It’s hard to comment on. (Bird’s) a great player. I’ve always felt that way.”

Kareem, a jazz buff who owns his own record label, made a musical comparison to illustrate his point about Bird.

“There was an incredible drummer, Buddy Rich, but he was white in an art form dominated by blacks. And comments about him were racially motivated.”

Said Laker forward Kurt Rambis: “I don’t see where race has anything to do with it. Bird’s team wins year in and year out, and they’re in the championship series year in and year out. Bird is such an instrumental part of the winning even though he has so many players and teams trying to shut him down. That’s the mark of a most valuable player, whether he’s white or black or brown or yellow.”

Michael Cooper, the Lakers designated defender who will be one of those who draws the assignment of stopping Bird, pretended to have lost his voice when a reporter approached him.

“I can’t talk,” Cooper said in a whisper. “Adrian (Branch) elbowed me in the throat yesterday in practice. Really.”

However, Cooper suddenly got his voice back when told of Rodman and Thomas’ comments about Bird.

“They said that, for real?” Cooper asked. “I don’t have any comment on that. That’s back East and we’re out West.”

Asked about what the Lakers must do to stop Bird, Cooper said: “You definitely have to keep the ball out of his hands. The main thing is that we’re not too much concerned about what they’re going to do other than what they have to do to stop us. We fell prey to that against Houston (in the Western Conference final) last year. We were concerned about what to do with (Akeem) Olajuwon and other players and we got beat. So this year is totally different. Of course we’re going to have to come up with some ways to stop Larry, but we’re more concerned about working on what we have to do.

“My hands have been sweating all night knowing who we’re going to play.”

Said James Worthy: “What’s been said has been said. Bird has won three MVPs. I don’t think you should regress after something has been written about a player.

“I think I’ll be guarding him (Bird) most of the time. You just have to try and contain him. He’s a smart player and you’ve got to try and take the easy buckets from him. You’ve got to be alert and try to take the ball out of his hands as much as possible. Bird lives off of picks and savvy.”

Notes The Lakers ended their three-day minicamp here with a closed practice Sunday. They will work out today at the Forum. The Lakers moved up Sunday’s practice about an hour, throwing some TV and newspaper reporters who had planned to interview them before practice off guard.