Rockets May Cause Celtics a Couple of Towering Problems

The last time Boston and Houston met in the NBA finals, in 1980-81, the Celtics won in six games. The Most Valuable Player was Cedric Maxwell of the Celtics.

Maxwell, now of the Clippers, thinks it could be tougher for the Celtics this time. He told the Denver Post that Akeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson present unique problems for Robert Parish and Kevin McHale.

Asked if Parish could keep up with Olajuwon for an entire game, Maxwell said: “I don’t think so. Robert is not part zebra. This guy has some zebra in him. If he’s not the best athlete in the league, he’s among the top two.”

As for Sampson, Maxwell said: “I know Kevin was sitting at home saying ‘Please, please win, L.A.’ Who would you rather guard, Rambis or Ralphie? The only way he can block Ralphie’s shot is if he gets a broom and tapes it to his arm. He’s had a great playoffs, but this will be like going from playing your son to playing your big brother.”

McHale will start out guarding Sampson, but he could be switched to Olajuwon.

McHale told Newsday: “Akeem in the quickest center in the league. And he’s got all those new-era moves, not just those John Wooden 1945 specials, like Bill Walton.”

Add Rockets: It wouldn’t be a surprise if Coach Bill Fitch assigns Robert Reid to guard Larry Bird.

When the teams met five years ago, Reid held Bird to an average of 15.3 points per game. Bird twice was held to eight points and wound up shooting 42% for the series.

Trivia Time: What do Bob Boone, Tom Watson and John McEnroe have in common? (Answer below.)

10 Years Ago Today: On May 26, 1976, Joe Niekro hit the only home run of his major league career. It came off his brother Phil and helped the Houston Astros beat the Atlanta Braves, 4-3.

Greg Minton of the San Francisco Giants, on the perils of arbitration: “I knew I was in trouble when the arbitrator asked what we meant by such symbols as IP, BB and ERA.”

Tom Selleck finally fulfilled a childhood dream Sunday. He took batting practice with his favorite team, the Detroit Tigers, and hit a couple into the stands at Tiger Stadium.

“This is a thrill for me,” said Selleck, who was born in Detroit. “All the major league teams should never have gotten rid of their old parks. There’s a lot of history here.”

Said Detroit catcher Lance Parrish: “His swing isn’t bad. I told him he could catch today if he wants to.”

Note: Selleck is 41. That makes him two years older than Detroit’s Darrell Evans, the 1985 American League home run champion, who turned 39 today.

Steve Jacobson of Newsday recalls these words of wisdom from former New York Knicks’ Coach Red Holzman, recently inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame: “Losing isn’t a disaster. When you get home and there’s no scotch, that’s a disaster.”

Tom Lasorda, on jogging: “You know what jogging has done for America? Now, when a jogger drops dead on the road, he’s in shape. And when the guy at the wake says, ‘He sure looks good,’ his widow says, ‘He oughta. He ran three miles every morning.’ ”

Trivia Answer: All three went to Stanford.

Quotebook

Boston Celtic rookie Sam Vincent, on his lack of playing time in the playoffs: “You can’t complain. Look at the whole picture. You could be at Cleveland.”