HERE'S TO THE 'GREATEST' LAKERS FETE 1985 CHAMPIONS, WHO OFFER STARK CONTRAST TO '05.

Byline: KEVIN MODESTI

They lined up in suits and ties at midcourt, the stars of the greatest of the Lakers' championship teams reunited after 20 years, and some version of the same joke went through the minds of all 18,997 fans at Staples Center.

If the 1985 Lakers played the 2005 Lakers, who'd win?

Probably the '85 Lakers, by a basket or two.

Only by a basket or two?

Well, the '85 guys are 50 years old.

``Too bad we couldn't line 'em up (and play),'' Magic Johnson said earlier in the evening as he looked at Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy and the rest and wished it was them in uniform against the Phoenix Suns.

Then the image of those Lakers playing these Lakers popped into Magic's head.

``Matter of fact, we'd probably take 'em out anyway,'' he said. ``At this age.''

For a few golden and purplish moments as the first Lakers team to get past the Boston Celtics was honored Monday, it was 1985.

For a few minutes as those Lakers heroes took their bows, we were in the soulful Forum of Inglewood again and not the sterile Staples Center of downtown Los Angeles.

For as long as the feeling lasted, Lakers fans were separated again only by whether they sat in the Forum's yellow or orange seats, not by whether they blame the franchise's collapse on Shaquille O'Neal or Kobe Bryant.

``We hope things change,'' Abdul-Jabbar told the crowd to wild cheers, ``so we can come back here and enjoy some more days like that.''

This was a beautiful occasion, seeing 13 players and head coach Pat Riley and general manager Jerry West come together once more.

The only downside was that remembering how sweet it can be makes you feel worse about how sour it has turned.

Before the game, the '85 Lakers sat for a press conference, breaking each other up with their memories, and wished they'd keep talking all night and to heck with the game.

``I think, without a doubt, this is the greatest basketball team I ever saw play,'' said West, who as a player and executive suffered through eight consecutive NBA Finals losses to the Celtics before building the roster that beat them in a six-game series. ``The most unselfish team. This was an All-Star team, but they didn't play like an All-Star team. This team had chemistry, and nothing happens in life unless you have chemistry.

``That day in 1985 (when the Lakers finished off the Celtics) was the proudest of my life, I think. It started a tradition here.''

Chemistry?

The Lakers of Magic and the Captain and Big Game James never specifically mentioned the Shaquille O'Neal-Kobe Bryant feud that broke up the 2000-01-02 champions last summer. They didn't have to. The point was made.

``This team really liked each other,'' Johnson said. ``Nobody was ever late for practice. We wanted to be around each other in practice and on the bus. We had the ability to disagree (without squabbling). If James Worthy had the hot (shooting) hand, I'd tell everybody else, 'You're not getting the ball, we're riding James tonight.' And everybody was cool about it. There was no ego, no concern about stats. Just 12 guys willing to kick your butt any night, anywhere.''

They won 62 games, ran their fastbreaks to 118.2 points a game, shot a league-record 54.5 percent. Eight players on the '85 team had higher field-goal percentages than the sharpest shooter on the '05 team.

The Finals opener went to Larry Bird's Celtics by 34 - the basketball Boston Massacre - and it was looking like a repeat of the '84 series. After which Abdul-Jabbar led a historic turnabout.

``It went on for 10 years,'' Riley said of that Magic era that produced five titles. ``But '85, that's the only (ring) I wear. That's when we got it off our backs.''

Jamaal Wilkes was there Monday, and Michael Cooper and Bob McAdoo and Kurt Rambis and Byron Scott and everybody. Mitch Kupchak's introduction drew a smattering of boos amid the cheers, because he grew up to be the GM who traded O'Neal. The only star not on hand was Chick Hearn, and you half expected him to find a way.

``I think back to how much fun it was for all of us, personally and professionally, and how it connected the city,'' Abdul-Jabbar said of that championship season. ``It was (the next September), and people still had their Lakers stuff on and 'Celtics Suck' (T-shirts).''

In the hallway outside the press room, Worthy spoke directly about the difference between the Magic-Kareem team and the Kobe-Shaq team, if only because someone asked.

``During our time, losing Shaq would have never happened,'' Worthy said. ``Magic would have given up some money, we would have found a way to keep him.''

Think there will be a reunion of the Kobe-Shaq-Phil Jackson champions someday?

Twenty years from now, we'll be celebrating the 40th anniversary of 1985.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 2 -- color) The Lakers' former braintrust - general manager Jerry West, left, head coach Pat Riley, center, and assistant Bill Bertka - are honored (above). Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the '85 captain, addresses the Staples Center crowd (at right).

(3 -- ran in Final edition) The 1985 Lakers, who beat Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals, are honored in a halftime ceremony Monday.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer