NBA Roundup : Rockets Edge Nuggets to Pad Lead, 104-102

Akeem Olajuwon scored four points in the final minute Monday night at Houston to lead the Rockets to a 104-102 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

The Rockets are 25-1 at home and lead the Midwest Division by 5 1/2 games over the Nuggets.

The Nuggets blew a 16-point third-quarter lead but fought back to grab a 99-95 lead with 3:50 remaining. But they failed to score in the next three minutes, missing half a dozen shots.

The Rockets didn’t blister the nets, either. They managed to draw even on two free throws by John Lucas and a jumper by Robert Reid, but it took a three-point play by Olajuwon to give them the lead for good with 56 seconds remaining.

Lucas finished with 29 points. He hit five shots in a row to lead the third-quarter rally that got the Rockets back in the game. Lucas also had 12 assists and 5 rebounds.

Olajuwon, who fouled out with 20 seconds left, made only 5 of 13 free throw attempts. He was 2 for 3 in the last minute before departing.

Ralph Sampson scored only 15 points for the Rockets, but his defensive job on Alex English in the stretch was a key factor in the victory. English, the NBA’s leading scorer, had only 14 points. Sampson didn’t let him get off a shot in the last 3 1/2 minutes.

Wayne Cooper led the Nuggets’ early surge, getting 22 points in the first half. But he was in foul trouble in the third quarter and scored only five more points before fouling out on Olajuwon’s three-point play.

San Antonio 112, Utah 104--Artis Gilmore had 26 points and 12 rebounds at Salt Lake City to lead the Spurs to victory.

Mike Mitchell scored eight of his 14 points in a 19-6 spurt in the fourth quarter that clinched the win for the Spurs. He also guarded Adrian Dantley much of the night. Dantley, averaging 29.3 points, had only 12.

In the fourth quarter, the Jazz missed 18 of its first 20 shots from the field.

Sacramento 94, New York 90--Mike Woodson scored 24 points and stole a pass with seven seconds remaining at Sacramento to lead the Kings to victory. The other Kings’ guard, Reggie Theus had 12 assists.

The Knicks, who destroyed the Lakers on the boards Sunday night, were outrebounded by the Kings, 59-50. Mark Olberding had 13 rebounds to lead both teams.