MIAMI - Magic Johnson, carrying 30 extra pounds on his spindly, 36-year-old legs, bounced shots off the rim, struggled to maneuver inside and waved off trainers after twisting his ankle.

Then in the second half, Johnson began dishing off-direction passes to teammates, hitting the net from the free-throw line, and finally swishing two junior skyhooks right in front of former coach Pat Riley.

Just a reminder to the fast-departing Miami Arena crowd why he's known to millions simply as ''Magic.''

Small wonder the Los Angeles Lakers have won 18 of 24.

''This team is coming on and everybody better be ready,'' Johnson said Wednesday night after beating his former mentor Riley and the Miami Heat 106-95 in their first NBA game opposing each other.

They won four titles together during the Lakers' NBA dominance of the 1980s and have remained close friends after parting company five years ago.

Johnson scored a game-high 27 points, had nine assists and nine rebounds. He had been averaging 14.8 points in a reserve role since his Jan. 30 return to the game.

He retired in November 1991 for more than four years after learning he has the virus that causes AIDS. But he returned this year after encouragement that he could provide a spark for the Lakers' drive to the playoffs.

Never mind that Johnson admitted in January he was about five steps slower than in the days of the fast-breaking ''Showtime'' Lakers.

Or that Johnson's return may have prompted team captain Cedric Ceballos to go AWOL for several days last week. Or that Johnson has played as a reserve before Ceballos' departure.

Johnson has been starting € and thriving € since then.

Ceballos returned Tuesday, but has been stripped of his team captain role and hasn't started yet.

Despite the controversy, Johnson is supplying a spark to a team that is fourth in the NBA's Western Division and is on track to make the playoffs.

''This team is coming together," he said.