Retro Player of the Year Project Article Cache
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 4:00 pm
1986 Playoffs
Lakers make their point with Magic
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The attention, as you might expect, is on the battle in the middle between the Twin Towers and the Old Man.
But while the Houston Rockets spend their time before Game 2 Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers trying to figure out how Ralph Sampson and Akeem Olajuwon are going to stop Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the outcome of the Western Conference Finals will likely be determined elsewhere.
In the backcourt, where in Saturday's opener Magic Johnson gave the Rockets' Robert Reid a step-by-step lesson in how to run the fast break.
While so much of the postgame talk about Johnson was centered on his incredible backdoor pass to Kurt Rambis in the fourth quarter that produced a rare standing ovation at the Forum, it was the workmanlike effort of Magic in sparking the Lakers' break that made the difference in the game and quite possibly will dominate the series.
For while Reid is faster, quicker and possesses far more pure athletic ability than Johnson, there is one big difference in the two point guards.
Magic really is a point guard. Reid isn't.
So, while the Rockets may have two of the fastest big men in the game running down the wings on the break in Sampson and Olajuwon, Houston was outrun in the opener.
"It isn't the guys on the wing that make the running game," said Lakers Coach Pat Riley. "It's the point guard who determines IF you run and how well you run.
"Oscar Robertson, when he played, was one of the great tempo players of all time. They'd be running like hell and then Oscar would go `Ooooo-h, wait awhile.' You know? He wanted to catch a breath.
"Earvin, he does the same thing. He gets tired and everybody like goes with him and so when he's committed to really pushing it we run longer and harder and really put some hurt on people.
"You can sense it. You can SENSE it.
"Then you can see it in how he handles himself: His energy, his body, his language.
"When he's got a five-minute burst in him, he's going to use it all up. The after-burner kicks in.
"And he's going to be dead-tired after the five minutes is up. But you can bet that something good's going to happen.
"The team's going to run. The other guys get up, too. The other guys, all of a sudden, sense his energy.
"He's in the middle. He's drivin' and he's slashin' and kickin' - and guys are running hard.
"I've always said we're only as good a running team when he pushes us. If he decides to walk it up, then we're going to walk. If he decides to push, they're going to run with him.
"If he doesn't will them to run, he forces them to run and they know from past experiences that they'll all be watching his backside if they don't run with him.
"Now there's your peer pressure. `I'm pooped, but I'd better run or I'm watching his rear end and he's looking over his shoulder at me.'
"And people are watching them while he's looking at them in the rear view mirror.
"He gets his message across. In those special spurts, he does get his message across."
Indeed, Johnson sent a special delivery letter in the form of 26 points, 18 assists and 7 rebounds to the Rockets in Game 1.
At the same time, the Lakers were sending a message to the Rockets that though they were impressed with Reid's defensive work while taking over the duties as a starter in the backcourt, they were going to test his ability to play point guard against one of the very best to ever play the game.
"There is no doubt that Reid has made Houston a better defensive club," Riley said. "I said that when we played them late in the regular season.
"You put a Reid in there, who is 6-8 and right there it makes things more difficult for the other team. Reid is a taller player and a very active defender. He makes it tougher for us to get the ball inside in our set offense than say somebody like a John Lucas or Allen Leavell.
"But at the same time, there are other things that those players can do that just don't come natural to Robert Reid."
That is, pure point guards like Lucas or Leavell - and especially Johnson - do not let themselves get taken out of the running game and do not allow their fast-breaking team to be reduced to simply walking the ball up the floor.
True point guards attack the defense, try to split it in the open court and then increase the tempo despite the best efforts of the defense. They may lose, but at least they'll go down playing their own game.
So, while most of the attention in this series will be focused on the exploits of the Twin Towers and the Old Man, the outcome likely will be determined in the backcourt.
Where it will be up to Robert Reid and the Rockets to work a little magic of their own.
Akeem/Star of Rockets closing the gap on Abdul-Jabbar
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Just six years ago, they were separated by an entire ocean and two vastly different cultures.
Their pro basketball careers are currently separated by no less than 16 years and more than 32,000 points.
But when the results of the All-NBA balloting were announced Monday, 39-year-old Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and 23-year-old Akeem Olajuwon were separated by the narrowest of margins - one vote.
Abdul-Jabbar, the league's all-time leading scorer, received 101 points, based on two for each of 39 first-team votes and one for each of 23 second-team votes. Olajuwon had 100 points on 31 first-team votes and 38 second-team votes.
The voting was done by a national panel of writers and broadcasters.
Thus, the best-of-seven Western Conference Final playoff series, which resumes tonight at the Forum with the LA Lakers leading the Houston Rockets 1-0, now has another subplot.
Are we at long last watching the changing of the guard in the pivot as Olajuwon prepares to snatch the torch from Abdul-Jabbar's grip?
I don't think Kareem is ready to give it up yet," said the Lakers' Magic Johnson. But there is no doubt in my mind that we're looking at the next great one.
It's going to be his league in just a little while."
Which is just a little bit incredible considering how far Olajuwon has come in such a short time.
It seems, at times, that he has been around Houston forever. But remember, Olajuwon came from his native Nigeria in 1980, barely able to dribble the basketball and chew gum.
The first time Olajuwon ever heard of Abdul-Jabbar was when he saw his photo in a copy of Ebony magazine, just after the Lakers won the NBA title in 1980.
That was before Olajuwon enrolled at the University of Houston and before this unbelievable story began to unfold.
I looked in the magazine and I saw a picture of Kareem shooting the skyhook," Olajuwon recalled.
Now he is one of the primary weapons that the Rockets are using to try to stop it.
While Abdul-Jabbar has scored 30 or more points in 8 of 11 meetings against the Rockets' Twin Towers of Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson, Olajuwon has made no less of an impression on the Lakers.
Even in the Rockets' 119-107 loss in the opener on Saturday, Olajuwon collected 28 points, 16 rebounds and 4 blocked shots.
The problem with Akeem," said Lakers Coach Pat Riley, is that he is not familiar with the American free enterprise system. He doesn't know that when you play center here (in the NBA) that you are supposed to pace yourself.
He is always working, always hustling, always finding an alternate way to beat you. He scored 20 of his 28 points the other day on sheer athletic ability."
It's that all-around athletic ability, much of which is a likely carry-over from his childhood days as a soccer player in Lagos, that makes Olajuwon so special. He makes plays that big men are not supposed to make.
The debate raging in LA right now is whether Olajuwon is anywhere near the 7 feet tall that the Rockets list him. Isn't he really closer to 6-10? Or even 6-9 1/2?
It doesn't matter that he's not 7 feet tall," said Abdul-Jabbar. He plays like he's 7 feet."
And the way he plays - relentlessly and joyfully - has allowed Olajuwon to make the NBA his oyster in so short a time.
All-Pro? Second team? One vote behind Jabbar?" Olajuwon asked incredulously. That is very special to me.
I did not know that so many people liked the way I play.
I do not really think that I am the second-best center in the NBA. I think that someday I can be. I just feel good about myself and about my game now.
I feel that I can be competitive and I can play my game against anybody. I do not worry about somebody on another team stopping me. I don't believe that they can stop me from playing my game."
From someone else, such a statement might sound cocky. Olajuwon simply believes in himself. But mostly, he believes in the work ethic.
I am glad that the voting turned out the way it did," said Rockets Coach Bill Fitch. And I'm glad that Akeem is humble about having been rated that high.
He has a great career and a bright future in front of him and his time to be No. 1 will definitely come.
I like the way the voting is right now. Kareem deserves to have the edge. But I think Akeem definitely deserves to be the second-team center.
Remember, Kareem has scored a lot of points against us and against Akeem this season. But the voting isn't just how they've done against each other. It is a testament to what Akeem has done against 21 other NBA clubs. And I think if you look at the results, he has proven this year that, consistently, he is one of the greatest forces and one of the most difficult players to stop in the league, night in and night out, against the Clevelands and Indianas and everybody. We could always count on him."
Which is another of the rapid strides in Olajuwon's development. As a rookie, he put tremendous potential on display from time to time. But this season, he has harnessed his energy and been able to direct it every night.
In his rookie year, he was still learning the game," said Abdul-Jabbar. He wasn't really ready yet for the NBA. But he's learned a lot in a year.
I don't think the people who voted could have made a better choice. And I might not have thought they made a wrong choice if they voted him to the first team."
He moves like a 6-5 guard," said Riley. I've never seen any other guy make the post moves that he does. He has improved so much that it attests to the fact that Akeem, like Kareem, is a coachable, dedicated player.
My only suggestion would be for his shoe company to put their logo on the soles of his sneakers, so that everybody can see it when he's up so high in the air."
He's my kind of player," said Magic. A worker."
As a result, there may be 16 years and 32,000 points difference between Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Akeem Olajuwon. But right now, on the floor in the Western Conference finals and in the minds of the voters for the All-NBA team, there is just the narrowest of margins separating the king from the heir to the throne.
ROCKET NOTES - Ralph Sampson, who was voted to the All-NBA second team in 1984-85, received honorable mention this season. Sampson received three first-team votes and 10 second-team votes. No other Rocket received a single vote . . .. . . Houstonian Clyde Drexler of the Portland Trail Blazers picked up one second-team vote . . .. . . The complete list of the All-NBA squads (first team votes in parentheses): First team: Forwards - Larry Bird (78) 156; Dominique Wilkins (41) 113; Center - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (39) 101; Guards - Magic Johnson (72) 148; Isiah Thomas (56) 130. Second team: Forwards - Charles Barkley (19) 71; Alex English (7) 48; Center - Akeem Olajuwon (31) 100; Guards - Sidney Moncrief (12) 66; Alvin Robertson (7) 40 . . .. . . Lakers swingman Michael Cooper did not practice Monday due to a skin rash. Cooper went to see a physician and his status for tonight's game was said to be undetermined. He has played in 415 consecutive games, including playoffs. I guess Michael wants to be a contagious player in this series," joked LA Coach Pat Riley. You know, he'll go out there and rub up against the Rockets to try to give them his rash. I don't know what the doctors are saying, but I'm telling you that he'll play even if we have to wrap him in gauze." . . .. . . Guard Ronnie Lester, who is not on the Lakers' playoff roster, will have arthroscopic surgery on his left knee today. Lester played in 27 games with the Lakers this season.
Rockets run past Lakers 112-102/Series tied 1-1 as fast break keys triumph
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - So much for the waltz across Texas.
It was the Houston Rockets who did a fancy little two-step and danced to a 112-102 win over the Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday night in front of a stunned sellout crowd of 17,505 at the Forum.
The win evens the best-of-seven Western Conference Finals at 1-1.
Game 3 will be played Friday night at The Summit.
The victory ended a five-game Rocket losing streak at the Forum and was only Houston's fourth win in the last 26 games against the Lakers.
Ralph Sampson and Lewis Lloyd pumped in 24 points apiece and Akeem Olajuwon 22 to lead the Rockets.
Magic Johnson had 24 points and 19 assists and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 21 points to pace the Lakers.
It was not surprising that the Rockets were able to wipe out their disappointment of Saturday's series opener, but downright shocking the way they rose from the ashes of an abysmal start in this game.
They did it with a balanced offense, a rekindled running game and a swarming, intimidating defense that reduced Abdul-Jabbar's fearsome weapon - the skyhook - to something as harmless as a cap gun and knocked down nearly everything the Lakers put up into the night sky.
It was the Twin Towers of Sampson and Olajuwon playing the way they'd be scripted by Hollywood and a win that looked like it had been produced by Cecille B. DeMille - with a cast of thousands.
Sampson was an iron man, playing 47 minutes, hitting 10 of 16 shots, pulling down 16 rebounds and just missing a triple double with 9 assists.
Olajuwon collected 13 boards, including five at the offensive end and had the Lakers looking over their shoulders all night.
Rodney McCray hit 6 of 8 shots from the field for 16 points, dealt 11 assists and also pulled down 6 rebounds in 42 minutes.
Mitchell Wiggins came off the bench to hit 7 of 9 shots, scored 14 points - including 10 in one six-minute stretch of the second quarter, and ignited the rally that brought the Rockets back.
Houston outrebounded the Lakers 51-38 and blocked a dozen of LA's shots, with Olajuwon getting 6 rejections and Sampson 5.
The best-shooting team in the NBA in the regular season struggled to hit just 40 of 90 (.444) as Abdul-Jabbar was an abysmal 9-for-26.
It was only the fourth time in 12 games against the Rockets' Twin Towers that Abdul-Jabbar did not score 30 or more points.
They had me hitching and looking," said the league's all-time leading scorer. I'd beat one big guy and the other one would block my shot. They just dominated the game.
One time I thought they dropped someone from the ceiling on me. It was a tough night."
The Rockets used an active, rejuvenated Sampson, and a frightening defensive monster in Olajuwon, who even did the near-impossible - swatting down one of Kareem's skyhooks.
I don't think that it was me who came from the ceiling," said a smiling Olajuwon. But I did reach my goal tonight by blocking one of his skyhooks."
Houston also benefited from the return of the outside shooting that was absent in the opener as Lloyd, Robert Reid and Wiggins all hit timely jumpers down the stretch.
The Rockets had missed 16 of their first 23 shots and appeared in deep trouble when LA built a 34-20 lead early in the second quarter.
But they knocked the Lakers out of their rhythm and seized control in the second quarter, then threatened to run away and hide on the defending champs down the stretch.
Yet after building their lead to as much as 83-69 late in the third quarter, the Rockets had to hold off a late charge by the Lakers.
Trailing 92-82 with 10:28 left in the game, the Lakers ran off an 8-0 string that was capped by consecutive three-pointers from Byron Scott and Michael Cooper that brought the crowd to its feet and nearly blew the roof off the building. That made it 92-90 with 8:46 to go.
During the fourth quarter, the noise was really loud," said Rockets Coach Bill Fitch. So I wrote one word on the clipboard (during the timeout). That was POISE.' "
And the Rockets went out and played with an abundance of it.
Following the timeout, Lloyd fired in a jumper from the top of the key. After Maurice Lucas closed the gap again to 94-92, the Rockets' defense tightened, forced three Lakers turnovers and back-to-back skyhook misses by Abdul-Jabbar.
At one point during the fourth period, Abdul-Jabbar missed five straight shots, four of them his patented hooks.
Meanwhile Sampson was recovering from a horrendous start - 0-for-3 and a jumper off the side of the backboard - to nail 10 of his last 13 shots. He hit short jumpers, bankers from the low post and spun inside for finger rolls, while giving Kareem fits at the same time.
We played a lot harder than we did on Saturday," Sampson said. We were more prepared to defend their offense and we pushed the ball up the court better.
I'll take a split anytime when you're playing the defending champs on their floor."
It would appear that the Rockets have accomplished their primary goal with the split.
Yet it was the third time in the last four years that the Lakers lost Game 2 of the conference finals at home. Considering that the other two times, LA has come back to win the series, the Rockets cannot afford now to let up. Even going back to The Summit, where they are 41-5 and have won 11 of their last 12 games.
Change of view: Rockets can win
MORE THAN anything else, it was like falling in love. There comes a moment when you know you're in love but, looking back, you can't pinpoint an instant in which it happened. In this case, I was walking out of the Forum when the moon hit my eye like a big pizza pie: The Rockets can win this thing.
Until then, the thought really had never crossed my mind. I had expected them to strangle the Kings and subdue the Nuggets, then cap their season with an honorable defeat at the hands of the mighty Lakers, probably in six games. Then we would all say they had acquitted themselves nobly and look out next year. But beat the Lakers? Could Mrs. C knock out Mr. T? Surely that was a task of Bostonian proportions.
Well, there's no use trying to kid you about it. The event that changed my mind was Game 2, Tuesday night in Los Angeles. This is dangerous business, giving in to an impression of the moment. Game 1 offered almost as convincing an argument that the Rockets still aren't in the Lakers' class, need to go back to their nursery and slug down some more milk.
The compelling evidence that came out of Game 2, however, is that the Rockets' front line, when it's on its game, simply is considerably better than the Lakers' front line.
Now, that wasn't so hard to say, was it?
Ralph Sampson didn't seem to have any trouble at all getting it out. "They really don't have much inside besides Kareem," quoth Ralph on Tuesday night.
Now he's done it. He ripped Petur Gudmundsson and all of Iceland is mad at him.
Actually, I'd always thought James Worthy was quite much, but his numbers in this series don't dispute the Sampsonian declaration. In 79 minutes, Worthy has posted 27 points and five rebounds. This other forward, Kurt Lucas or Maurice Rambis or whatever his name is, has put up 37 points and 22 rebounds in 89 minutes.
The redoubtable Gudmundsson also played. Who wants to bet Pat Riley won't take Mitch Kupchak out of mothballs tonight?
Since it has been demonstrated that the Lakers can defeat the Rockets, the key for Houston is the front line - the entire front line - giving an optimum effort each time out. And that means the heat is on Sampson.
He can't do it all himself, of course, and one man's best isn't enough, anyway. If it were, Akeem Olajuwon would win every game single-handedly. When Sampson climbs up and joins Olajuwon at his usual intensity level, as he did in Game 2, all things are possible.
Together, they constitute a swarm of mutant locusts, the like of which the NBA had never seen before. Even the Lakers would wilt under a sustained assault on the order of Tuesday night's. Olajuwon blocked six shots, Sampson five and Jim Petersen another. Their intimidating presence caused countless others to be altered and even the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar shuddered under their wrath, missing 17 of 26 shots.
"They blocked so many shots," he said, "that at one point I thought they dropped somebody out of the roof."
Sampson, alas, has not always been that kind of force. As recently as the two previous games, the sixth against Denver and first against Los Angeles, he had been almost passive. Even after Olajuwon was thrown out in Denver, Sampson didn't assert himself.
His "slump" during the regular season has been attributed by insiders to a lack of passion - some would say a pout - stemming from his banishment to power forward. Out on the wing, they reason, he felt neglected and under-appreciated. Back in the middle since Olajuwon's late-season knee injury, they say, he feels involved again. And Olajuwon doesn't much care where he plays.
"He'd get 10 rebounds a game," said one veteran observer, "if they put him at point guard."
It is said in Sampson's defense that he didn't produce, especially in the first half of Game 1, because he didn't get the ball. That's true, but what's also true is that when Sampson - 7 feet 4, star, team captain - demands the ball, he gets it. No one says no to him, and Olajuwon doesn't feel slighted. He goes his merry way making points out of garbage.
There's no denying Sampson's stature among his teammates. He is clearly the emotional pivot of the team, despite Olajuwon's more consistent effort and output, probably on account of a combination of talent, clean habits and moral leadership. It was Sampson who tried harder than anyone else associated with the club to save John Lucas from his drug demon.
Just as plainly, he has matured on the court this season. He played with authority during Olajuwon's absence and, on occasion, since. When he does, the confidence level of his teammates soars. Jump shots drop and rebounds and steals occur as though some hand in the sky were writing the script in their favor. Now that he has asserted himself against the Lakers, on their court, in the playoffs, perhaps he has advanced to another plane.
And just incidentally, does anyone else think now that Bill Fitch knew what he was doing when he benched Sampson for the final four minutes of Game 1?
Sampson needs help, but now more than ever before it can be expected. Mitchell Wiggins has come into his own as a force at both ends and Rodney McCray improves in two games out of three. Jim Petersen didn't score, but he made a splendid contribution on the boards in the fourth quarter Tuesday night.
And Los Angeles hasn't seen Houston's best shooter yet, and Steve Harris won't be awed by the Lakers.
The desperation factor seems to favor the Lakers. If they lose, Kareem will be adjudged decrepit, some others overrated. If the Rockets lose, they will be deemed hail fellows well met, still on course for greater things. The desperation factor, though, is a double-edged sword.
Yes, I'm sure of it. The Rockets have a chance.
NBA PLAYOFFS/Rockets edge Lakers, take 2-1 series lead/Akeem, Ralph overcome fouls
The Los Angeles Lakers' ancient but proud warrior returned to prime form. The talented heir apparent discovered his game, too, in a big way.
And still the defending National Basketball Association champion Los Angeles Lakers, with their key elements playing well, couldn't solve the puzzle of a young and hungry Houston Rockets team eager to dethrone them.
Yes, indeed, the Lakers are in a heck of a battle now.
The Rockets absorbed blow after blow from Los Angeles stars Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy and responded with a courageous 117-109 victory in Game 3 of the National Basketball Association Western Conference finals Friday night at The Summit.
Houston, a decided underdog when the best-of-seven series began, grabbed a 2-1 lead with its second consecutive victory.
Game 4 is scheduled Sunday at 2:30 here.
A capacity crowd of 16,016, some of whom paid up to $250 for a tickey, saw a classic confrontation between a perennial NBA powerhouse and the league's up-and-coming giant.
Abdul-Jabbar, the premier center for many years, rebounded from a rare bad performance in Game 2 to score 33 points.
Worthy, ineffective in either of two games at Los Angeles, scored 27 points.
But Houston's Akeem Olajuwon outperformed both Lakers, scoring 40. Ralph Sampson was a big force, too, getting 18.
The Rockets held a 101-97 lead well into the final quarter but Los Angeles scored six consecutive points and moved ahead on an Abdul-Jabbar basket with 6:05 remaining.
Then, when Rodney McCray converted one of two free throws at the 3:54 mark, the Rockets led by three points.
Maurice Lucas cut the margin to one point from outside, but Mitchell Wiggins scored for Houston on a fast break and the Rockets led 110-107 with 2:51 remaining.
By that point, Sampson, Olajuwon, Abdul-Jabbar and Lucas all were playing despite five fouls, one away from elimination.
It didn't slow the action.
Robert Reid's two free throws with 2:04 remaining gave Houston a 112-107 lead. Olajuwon scored inside with 1:20 left and it was 114-107.
The Lakers couldn't recover. On one late possession, they missed three consecutive three-point attempts.
This was Houston's night.
Whether viewing their act through Jack Nicholson-style sunglasses or rose-colored glasses, the Rockets were anything but pretty in the first three minutes.
They didn't even score.
Abdul-Jabbar, who failed to make one sky hook in the previous game, converted twice during that early span. Byron Scott and Worthy scored, too, and the Lakers burst to an 8-0 lead, prompting Houston Coach Bill Fitch to call a quick timeout.
Who could have guessed at that point that the Rockets would finish the opening quarter with a whopping 37 points?
And still trail?
Playing at a frantic pace, the teams had most of a sellout crowd on their feet cheering loudly during one of the wildest quarters of The Summit season.
After not scoring for the first 3:05, the Rockets poured in 17 points in the next 2:51.
Sampson connected on a short jumper, on a dunk and twice from outside. Next, Lewis Lloyd took charge from long range and Olajuwon found the mark from every direction, including consecutive menacing dunks.
During one stretch, the Rockets made nine of 10 attempts and built a 23-16 lead.
But the defending champions refused to back down. Abdul-Jabbar fueled a Los Angeles rally and before the quarter ended, the Lakers regained the lead 38-37.
Los Angeles had to shoot 69.2 percent from the floor, however, to maintain that advantage, making 18 of 26 efforts.
The Rockets shot 53.3 percent in the quarter.
Neither team approached those performances in the second period, each shooting below 40 percent. But that quarter, too, was far from dull.
Much to the delight of the crowd, Abdul-Jabbar had one sky hook blocked by Olajuwon into the first row of seats. Another hook resulted in an air-ball.
Kareem reached the 20-point mark, though, before the quarter was half spent. And the Lakers improved their lead to 57-53 only 2:13 shy of intermission.
Suddenly, though, the Rockets struck again. Olajuwon hit a free throw and a jumper, Lloyd connected twice from outside and within 90 seconds Houston was ahead by three points.
Two Magic Johnson free throws left the Rockets with a 60-59 halftime advantage.
While the Rockets' finished the half shooting only 44.6 percent compared to 56.8 percent for the Lakers, Houston controlled the boards 24-18. And the Rockets made only seven turnovers, five fewer than Los Angeles.
Abdul-Jabbar got 21 points for the half, but Olajuwon and Sampson combined for 31, more than half Houston's total.
As the third quarter began, the tension merely grew. Not the lead, however.
First one team, then the other toyed with breaking away. Neither did. And during one span of about four minutes, fans were treated to a dazzling display of roller-coaster activity.
The Lakers moved ahead 69-68 on Scott's basket. The Rockets led 70-69 on Robert Reid's jumper from far outside. Worthy put Los Angeles ahead 71-70 and Lloyd countered for Houston. Worthy tallied again and Olajuwon responded.
And that was only the beginning. The teams swapped holding the slimmest of advantages until only 4:06 remained in the quarter and Lloyd deposited two free throws to put Houston on top 80-77.
At the time, that almost seemed like a rout compared to what had been taking place.
But Abdul-Jabbar scored inside for the Lakers, Magic Johnson created a turnover, Michael Cooper produced on a fast break and Los Angeles was ahead again by one point.
It was that kind of evening.
Worthy provided a clinic during that period, scoring 15 of his team's 32 points.
But just when it seemed the Lakers might finally gain momentum, Olajuwon offered the perfect response.
Baskets by Johnson and Worthy had put Los Angeles ahead 87-84, and the Lakers had the ball again when Olajuwon stole it from Johnson in the backcourt.
Olajuwon turned quickly, scored, was fouled and made the free throw.
Tie game.
Worthy untied it seconds later but was hurt on the play when fouled by Olajuwon. The Lakers' forward recovered within minutes, though, and that action created a problem for Houston instead.
Olajuwon's foul was his fourth. Sampson already was on the bench saddled with four. And more than an entire quarter remained.
That final period began with Los Angeles leading 91-90.
Magic man says Lakers need new tricks for Olajuwon
LISTEN TO MAGIC Johnson talk and you wonder if he is campaigning forpresident of the Los Angeles chapter of the Akeem Olajuwon fan club.
"In terms of raw athletic ability, Akeem is the best I've ever seen," the Los Angeles Lakers' All-Star guard says.
"I'm definitely amazed at him - at his fakes, his pivot move, his timing on blocked shots, his scoring ability, his effort.
"He's been outstanding against us."
Don't misunderstand Magic. While he applauds Olajuwon's role in the Houston Rockets' building a 2-1 lead over Los Angeles in the best-of-seven NBA Western Conference Finals, he firmly believes, too, that the Lakers can - and must - do a better job against Akeem.
"I'm angry and upset about the way we've played in this series," Johnson says as the defending champion Lakers prepare for Game 4 today at 2:30 p.m. before a sellout crowd at The Summit.
"We can't let the Rockets keep pinning us up under the hoop," Johnson says. "We can't let them take us this easily. We've been backed up under the basket, while they get all the offensive rebounds. You don't let anybody force you to back up in the Western Conference Finals."
The Rockets, however, have done exactly that, especially 7-footer Akeem the Dream and 7-foot-4 center Ralph Sampson.
The Twin Towers have combined for 151 points and 72 rebounds in three games. They are primarily responsible for Houston holding a surprising 137-107 advantage in overall rebounding and a 49-33 edge on the offensive boards.
In their spare time, Olajuwon and Sampson have blocked 20 shots, six more than the entire Los Angeles team.
"We're going after every rebound and trying for every blocked shot, and we'll continue to do that," Olajuwon says. "We don't want to give them any second shots. That's our goal. Offensive rebounding is the key."
The Lakers agree.
"We've got to emphasize defensive rebounding," Johnson says. "We gave up 20 offensive rebounds Friday night (in a 117-109 Houston victory), and that's way too many.
"If we can cut that in half, we'll probably win because we've been shooting 50-60 percent.
"That's what makes me mad. If we weren't making any shots, we could accept it and just say they beat us. But we are shooting well. And we've played good defense. We watch the film and it's clear: We're getting beat by second shots."
Especially by Olajuwon.
Three-year professional Sampson has been effective playing head-to-head against 17-year Los Angeles legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
But Olajuwon, who is completing only his second professional season, has been the standout.
"And Akeem probably is going to overshadow Ralph forever because there are so many things he can do," Johnson says.
"That's not a knock at Ralph. We know Ralph is good. And he helps make Akeem better. But Akeem does so much. He knows he can score every time he gets in a one-on-one situation. He can score off the glass, on the jump shot, even on the fast break because he's so fast.
"And the stats don't tell you everything. I wish I'd have known two days ago he used to be a soccer goalie. He stole the ball from me once Friday night when he moved his hands quicker than I ever thought he could. I've made that same pass hundreds of times. But his hand reaction stole it. That's a soccer goalie."
Reminded that Olajuwon has played basketball only for seven years, Johnson says, "He looks like he's done it forever. His repertoire is amazing for a man who has played such a short time."
But enough compliments. The pressing question is how do the Lakers combat Olajuwon's overwhelming presence?
First, they must assess what they've done wrong. Or what Akeem and teammates have done right.
Los Angeles Coach Pat Riley says the Lakers have been physically whipped.
"We have to stay with every possession," Riley says. "We can't be spectators or they'll continue to physically outplay us."
Houston guard Robert Reid offers another suggestion.
"It hasn't been so much a matter of us having lively, strong bodies as it is a lively, strong eagerness," Reid says. "Sometimes we're even overeager. Coach (Bill Fitch) keeps telling us to put two men on Kareem, and we get so involved that every now and then we have four guys on him."
Magic cites two needs.
"We've got to be more physical against them," Johnson says. "We can't let them keep pushing us around.
"But I don't know if the problem has been physical or one of position. You can't go out on the court and start pushing everybody around. Getting good position usually is more important. That's what the Rockets have done."
And specifically against Olajuwon?
"We've got to make him work for every point and every rebound," Johnson says.
But haven't the Lakers already concentrated on Akeem and failed? And hasn't Olajuwon been working hard?
"He's got an excellent workmanlike game," Johnson says. "He's the best in the league at second, third and fourth efforts.
"But we've got to extend him to sixth and seventh efforts. We haven't done all we can do. He wouldn't be playing 45 minutes and scoring 40 points if we were."
The Lakers say they must defense Olajuwon long before he gets the ball.
"We've got to work harder after he's got it, but before is more important," Johnson says. "We've got to work together. If he gets in a one-on-one situation, and if he only has to make one move, he's too good to stop. So we can't let him have those situations.
"Whether it's through talking to each other on the floor, through effort or execution, we have to get the job done."
Players on both teams know Game 4 today is pivotal. If the Rockets prevail again, it would mark three victories in a row. And the Lakers' only hope would be to match that accomplishment.
"It's time to say this is a must game," guard Byron Scott says.
That idea was stressed at a team meeting prior to practice Saturday. The Lakers held a similar confab last year during their final series against Boston and emerged a stronger team. A champion.
"This meeting wasn't as heavy," Johnson says. "But we made it clear we're not happy. We know what we've got to do. Now, it's a matter of execution."
Meanwhile, the Rockets express a different concern.
"The pressure is still on us," Reid says. "We don't want a split of two games here. If we lose now, the Lakers go back to Los Angeles with the home-court advantage. And that's where we were in the beginning."
"This is the most important game yet," Olajuwon says. "We have to win at home. We can't lose our advantage here. We can't let up for one minute."
That's not good news for the Lakers.
NOTES
Following The Magic Johnson Show, otherwise billed as the National Basketball Association Western Conference Finals opener, the Houston Rockets' guards were dismissed as mere sacrificial pawns in Los Angeles' up-tempo attack.
All-Star guard Johnson dazzled Lakers partisans that afternoon at the Inglewood, Calif., Forum: scoring, passing and running the Rockets dizzy.
Almost all surveyed agreed afterward that even if Houston's inside game offset Los Angeles captain Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's performance, the Lakers would prevail because of their talented backcourt.
According to the projected Hollywood script, Byron Scott and Michael Cooper would bang home three-pointers at will. And Johnson would direct the proceedings with the steadiness that has gained him a reputation beside Boston's Larry Bird as the game's best players.
We all knew Houston didn't have a point guard, didn't we?
Three games into the series, that scene has been rewritten. Maybe destroyed.
Guards Lewis Lloyd and Mitchell Wiggins have played key roles in consecutive Rockets victories, outshooting their Los Angeles counterparts.
And unsung point guard Robert Reid, thrust into the position only because of John Lucas' drug problems, is showing renewed leadership and calm under pressure.
"I'm not ever going to be a flashy type player like Magic Johnson," Reid says. "I'm not going to get a lot of attention.
"But that's not my job. My job is to take care of the ball, to keep us from turning it over and to get everybody else into the game.
"Everybody may remember most a last-second shot or some other big play, but the team that wins this series will be the one that makes the fewest mistakes."
Game 4 today will be televised in Houston by Ch. 11 at 2:30 p.m. . . .All tickets have been sold for the game today and for the Rockets' next home playoff game, either Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals or in the Championship Series against Boston or Milwaukee . . .Several hundred people camped outside The Summit overnight to purchase tickets for a potential Game 6. Between 10 a.m., when sales began, and noon, all 6,000 remaining tickets were sold . . .Houston center Ralph Sampson on the difference between respect and awe: "I've respected Kareem Abdul-Jabbar since the first time I watched him. And he'll always have my respect. But I stopped being in awe of him my first year in the league. When the game begins, you can't worry about who's on the floor."
Petersen becoming Rockets' 3rd tower
For two seasons, the Houston Rockets have built their reputation on the nationally celebrated Twin Towers, Ralph Sampson and Akeem Olajuwon.
Today, a different story.
"We're the Triple Towers now," Rockets guard Robert Reid said. "Jim Petersen is our third tower. He's one more part of our skyline."
Petersen, a 6-foot-10 reserve forward, was a tower of strength Sunday at The Summit as Houston whipped the Los Angeles Lakers 105-95 to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven National Basketball Association Western Conference Finals.
"He turned in an unbelievable performance," Los Angeles forward Kurt Rambis said.
"He was the difference," Lakers guard Magic Johnson said.
After a quick glance at the box score, you may ask why. Petersen made 2 of 8 shots and scored only four points in 26 minutes, hardly an overwhelming offensive production.
But the Rockets' success isn't built on scoring alone any more than that success is due to just two men, no matter how talented.
Indeed, Jim Petersen in a sense symbolizes this Houston team through his hard work, patience, dedication and hustle.
While replacing foul-plagued starter Sampson on Sunday, Petersen brought down 13 rebounds. More than Sampson or Olajuwon. More than Lakers center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. More than anybody else who played in this game.
And Petersen's defensive performance on Abdul-Jabbar in the second half overshadowed even his work on the boards.
"It's the best defense I've seen on Kareem in a long time," the veteran Reid said. "He didn't try to muscle him. But he was on Kareem's right side one minute, on the left the next. He reminded me of a busy bee. He had Kareem looking over his shoulder wondering where he'd be next."
Petersen, 24, hardly expected to arrive at this moment.
He was 7 years old when Abdul-Jabbar emerged as a professional. Throughout Petersen's youth, he admired Kareem. But even while playing for the University of Minnesota, Petersen had no inkling he'd go head-to-head with a legend under such pressure circumstances.
"Never in a million years," Petersen said. "In college, I didn't think it was realistic to depend on an NBA career. I only weighed 215 pounds in my senior year.
"But I started pumping iron and eating lots of pancakes and spaghetti. I got my weight to 245. And the Rockets took a chance on me."
Petersen remembers well his first up-close encounter with AbdulJabbar.
"It was last year, my rookie season, and the game was nationally televised by CBS," he said. "I went in to guard Kareem and he stuck his elbow in my jaw and swished through his patented sky hook. It was the most incredible feeling I've ever had.
"Maybe I got a little revenge today."
Did he ever. Playing again on CBS, Abdul-Jabbar scored only eight second-half points.
"I tried to move around," Petersen said. "I didn't want to let him get his footwork going. I wanted to do the footwork.
"I have no choice. Others can play behind Kareem. Akeem has the jumping ability. Ralph has the 7-foot-4 size. I have to try to confuse him instead."
One Rockets starter not surprised by Petersen's heroics was Olajuwon.
"I know what he can do because I play against him every day in practice," Olajuwon said. "He plays me the same way he played Kareem today. He's a great defensive player.
"I wish people could see how hard he makes me work in practice. Jim Petersen has helped me become a better basketball player."
Akeem has helped Petersen, too. By his presence - and absence.
"I've had to improve my quickness going against Akeem in practice," Petersen said. "I've learned to do the footwork against him."
Perhaps more valuable was the considerable game time Petersen accrued late in the regular season when Olajuwon and Sampson were sidelined because of injuries.
"I was playing 40 minutes or more per game, getting career highs in scoring and rebounding," Petersen said. "It was a big confidence-builder.
"Having to play without Akeem, and later without Ralph, probably helped prepare our whole team better for the playoffs."
"All their big men are playing tremendous basketball now, including Pete off the bench," the Lakers' Rambis said. "It's so much harder for us to win when we can't concentrate on shutting down one or two players."
Petersen knows, however, he is only a miniskyscraper.
"The important question is whether Akeem and Ralph will continue to play this well," he said. "They've been sensational. Akeem has dominated. He's the greatest offensive rebounder I've ever seen. When I'm in the game with him, he suckers two or three guys to the boards and leaves me lots of room for rebounds."
Petersen senses a special hunger in Olajuwon. In Sampson, too.
"Ralph and Akeem were outstanding college players, but Ralph never won a championship at Virginia and Akeem never won a championship at the University of Houston," Petersen said. "They want to take care of that now.
"We're all hungry. The Lakers are the defending champions. We haven't had our chance. The Lakers say they are angry because we're beating them. But a hungry dog will beat an angry dog."
Jim Petersen promises to be hungry again the next time he is needed.
But he'll pause long enough to savor this experience. "This was the biggest game of my life," he said. "It's what a backup center lives for, especially a white backup center.
"I always hoped people would talk about the Triple Towers some day."
The time is now.
Olajuwon, Rockets humble Lakers again
THEY SHOOT Lakers, don't they?
After all, this is a stable of thoroughbreds that has broken down in the backstretch of the NBA Western Conference Finals.
Now the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers are staring down the barrel of a gun, one squeeze of the trigger from being blown away after a 105-95 beating about the head by the Houston Rockets on Sunday afternoon before a sellout crowd of 16,016 at The Summit.
Uneasy rests the head that wears the crown, indeed.
The Rockets now lead the best-of-seven series 3-1 following their third consecutive victory and have added history as their ally. Only four teams in the annals of the NBA have ever rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win a playoff series, the last being Boston over Philadelphia in 1981.
But historical perspective does not loom nearly as large over the Lakers as the sheer presence of Akeem Olajuwon, who has made this playoff series his oyster and added yet another near-perfect specimen to his string of pearls.
Olajuwon again used his strength, quickness and relentless drive to pile up 35 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocked shots and left the Lakers in the same ruined shape as Mexico City after the earthquake.
He has left the Lakers a befuddled group, helpless and moving toward an inevitable elimination. A team waiting to be put out of its misery.
Olajuwon led a Houston assault that outrebounded LA for the fourth consecutive game and treated the Lakers like interlopers at a private party.
The Rockets beat LA 49-38 on the backboards and dominated the inside on defense by blocking seven shots.
Houston also received timely outside shooting all day from Robert Reid, who finished with 23 points on 9-for-15 shooting and got a strong 13 rebounds off the bench from Jim Petersen.
It's the same thing all the time," said Magic Johnson. The boards and free throws are killing us. They shot 20 more free throws than we did today. They had six more offensive rebounds and nine more total rebounds.
They are all things that you can correct. But right now, I just don't know how."
Olajuwon continues to be the most unsolvable riddle facing the Lakers, grabbing every key rebound and making every key play even on a day when he did not have the benefit of his bookend teammate Ralph Sampson for very long.
Sampson, shackled by foul problems, played just six minutes in the entire second half. But the Rockets never missed a beat and pulled away again from LA down the stretch.
Olajuwon was able to have his way again, despite a more determined, more physical Laker effort that tried to push him, bang him and throw him to the floor at every opportunity.
They beat the bleep out of me," Olajuwon said. But that is OK. If they want to play that kind of ball, play physical, I like it. That is the style that I first learned how to play, and I am not afraid to bang anybody."
Olajuwon's shooting touch was off a bit on Sunday as he hit just 11 of 23 shots from the field. But the fury with which he latched onto six offensive rebounds and his explosiveness in going to the hoop, resulted in his virtually establishing residence on the foul line, hitting 13 of 20 free throws.
Lakers Coach Pat Riley has thrown everything but the proverbial kitchen sink at Olajuwon in terms of defense, only to watch it all wind up going down the drain.
Olajuwon makes his move so fast that there has been no time for the Lakers' double-teaming defense to even develop.
He is a twisting, juking, flying explosive device in the Lakers' faces, running the floor faster than any big man in memory and seemingly materializing at the last second to snatch away rebounds, then ramming them home.
Olajuwon is not playing the center position by the book, he is writing a brand-new one.
As a result, the Rockets are in the process of adding a new chapter to the NBA books at least a year ahead of their projected schedule.
Isn't Houston supposed to be the team of the future?
The future is now," said Johnson. It is right now for them. And there is no more future for us, either.
We've either got to go out and get it done now or we'll be sitting home watching them play the Celtics."
Indeed, the chants of We want Boston! We want Boston!" rang from the balcony in the fourth quarter. But not before the two teams put on another gallant and breathless slugfest that will likely bump CBS' ratings up another notch.
The final margin of 10 points was the biggest lead for either team in a game that had 13 ties and seven lead changes.
James Worthy, who was supposed to be a doubtful starter due to a neck injury, played all 48 minutes and finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Lakers, while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 24 points and Johnson another triple-double with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists.
Yet the Lakers could only put on one big push in the second quarter, when Riley went with a small lineup that had Worthy and Michael Cooper at the forward spots and ran off a 14-4 string.
Still, that second quarter epitomized the frustration of the Lakers, who held the Rockets to just three field goals in the final 9:24, but walked off the floor at halftime clinging to a mere 53-50 lead.
In the third quarter the Lakers shot 10 of 16 (.625), yet still saw the Rockets push in front 80-79.
Then the Rockets brought down the fourth-quarter hammer. Friday night in Game 3, the Rockets' defense tightened and allowed the Lakers just 18 points in the fourth quarter. This time they shut LA down in the final period, allowing the Lakers to hit just 6 of 21 (.286) from the field and surrendering only 16 points.
The Rockets' lead was still only 86-83 with 10:08 to go when Olajuwon was called for goaltending against Johnson.
But Reid simply responded by drilling a 20-footer from the top of the key, Rodney McCray nailed a 20-footer from the left wing and the Rockets were firmly in control.
McCray then provided the topping with a rejection of Cooper on a 3-on-1 fast break. That finished off another quietly effective game for McCray, who had 12 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists. More importantly, McCray and Reid - the ball handlers in this offense without a real point guard - committed just three of the Rockets' amazingly low total of nine turnovers.
The Lakers had their worst shooting game (.465) of the series, including a 5-for-12 game by Byron Scott, who had the open jumpers and the opportunities to provide a spark, but fizzled out.
Meanwhile it was another all-around masterstroke effort by the Rockets, whose confidence is now as big as all of Texas.
While Lewis Lloyd (1 of 8) was struggling, Reid picked up the slack from the outside. Mitchell Wiggins did his junkyard-dog impersonation on defense again. And when Sampson became mired in foul trouble, Petersen stepped forward and got the job done.
Not only did Petersen produce on the boards, but he played some solid defense on Abdul-Jabbar.
That's what is making us such a good team now," said Reid. Every night when we need somebody to do something, a different person will step forward. Today I was able to hit the outside shots, Pete did a great job inside and Akeem was Akeem.
Now we're in a position where we have had this handed to us on a silver platter. All we've got to do now is concentrate and wrap it up.
The pressure now is definitely on them."
Certainly a strange position for a Laker team that six months ago was being touted as the best to ever play the game.
Now we just want to win one," said Abdul-Jabbar. We're down to our last tango.
We can't play desperately. We need to play with poise and do what we need to do."
Otherwise, they shoot Lakers, don't they?
Rockets snatch victory from Lakers
The Houston Rockets eliminated the Los Angeles Lakers 114-112 early today at Inglewood, Calif., in the National Basketball Association Western Conference Finals and gained the NBA's Championship Series against the Boston Celtics starting at 2 p.m. Monday in Boston.
Ralph Sampson's last-second shot was the game-winner after Sampson took Rodney McCray's long inbound pass, pivoted and got the ball in the air before the buzzer. Houston's Robert Reid fired in a three-point field goal with 15 seconds left to tie the game 112-112. Then Laker Byron Scott missed a jump shot with two seconds remaining.
The Rockets won the game with Akeem Olajuwon in their dressing room for the final 5 minutes, 14 seconds of the game. Olajuwon was ejected for fighting after scoring 30 points. Sampson scored 29.
In sidelining the defending champion Lakers, four games to one, the Rockets continued the trend of one-year reigns atop the NBA. The Boston Celtics of 1968-69 were the last team to win back-to-back championships.
This will be the second trip to the NBA finals in Rockets' history. They lost to Boston, four games to two, in 1981 after defeating Los Angeles, San Antonio and Kansas City to gain the championship round.
That Houston team was coached by Del Harris with Reid a starting forward.
The Rockets charged back repeatedly after the Lakers took a lead in the opening minutes. L.A. retained a nine-point lead with about nine minutes left to play before Sampson's stuff shot had Houston within two points. Sampson was enraged when fouled on the play by Maurice Lucas and had to be restrained by Akeem Olajuwon. Sampson made the free throw and Houston trailed by two.
Then it was Olajuwon and Mitch Kupchak who began swinging. Referee Earl Strom had to tackle Olajuwon to the floor to break up the fight. Olajuwon and Kupchak both were ejected with 5:14 left to play and the Lakers in front 103-99.
Even with Olajuwon in the dressing room, Houston rallied to a 106-106 tie with 2:52 remaining on Sampson's hook.
Los Angeles sped to a 26-12 lead in the opening minutes as the Lakers pulled down 10 of the game's first 11 rebounds, and Sampson was charged with two personal fouls. The Laker lead was 35-23 at the end of the first period.
The Rockets mounted a charge to cut the margin to 48-46 late in the second quarter, but the Lakers extended the margin to 61-54 at halftime. Los Angeles outshot Houston 62 percent to 49 percent and, unlike the first four games of the series, soundly outrebounded the Rockets by a 2-1 margin.