The light from the laser must be focused through the telescope when sent. Nevertheless, the light hitting the reflector has spread quite a bit, so only a small portion is returned to earth. By the time the light returned it fell in a 12 mile dia circle. Only one photon would be picked up by the telescope, so photo-multiplier tubes were required.
The article is not accurate, since it still works today. Not many are interested enough to use their telescopes on it.
All said and done, that article is an admission that the reflectors are there.