Dailey Can’t Stop Slide; Clippers Lose, 105-102 : Olajuwon Gets Season-High 44 Points and Has 14 Rebounds as Rockets Win

The Clippers put guard Quintin Dailey on the spot in his first game.

The Clippers trailed the Houston Rockets, 103-102, with 17 seconds left, when Dailey came off the bench to attempt a game-winning shot.

However, Dailey missed a 14-foot jumper with four seconds left, and the Clippers went on to lose their ninth straight game, 105-102, Tuesday night before an announced crowd of 8,019 fans at the Sports Arena.

Houston center Akeem Olajuwon put on a basketball clinic against the Clippers, scoring a season-high 44 points.

Olajuwon broke a 102-102 tie when he hit a free throw with 17 seconds left.

Akeem made 19 of 27 shots from the floor and 6 of 8 free throws. He also grabbed 14 rebounds, blocked 3 shots and had 3 steals and 2 assists.

The Clippers, who trailed by 16 points at halftime, outplayed the Rockets in the second half. Los Angeles took a 99-98 lead with 2 minutes 5 seconds left when center Benoit Benjamin dunked a missed shot by teammate Mike Woodson.

However, the Rockets scored four straight points to take a 102-99 lead as Akeem hit a layin with 1:41 left and point guard Robert Reid sank a jumper with 1:21 left.

But the Clippers tied it at 102 on a three-point play by Michael Cage. Cage followed his own missed and sank a free throw after he was fouled by Olajuwon with 53 seconds left.

Akeem then hit the second of two free throws with 17 seconds left after he was fouled by Cage.

Before the game, the Rockets announced that they have extended Coach Bill Fitch’s contract through the 1990-91 season. Fitch, who guided the Rockets to the NBA finals last season, was in the fourth year of a five-year contract that expires at the end of next season. He has been under fire this season.

The Orange County Register reported Tuesday that Ralph Sampson and Mitchell Wiggins have been playing poorly in an attempt to get Fitch fired and replaced by assistant coach Rudy Tomjanovich. Sampson took just four shots and scored only four points in a 134-111 loss to the Lakers last Friday, and he had only five shots and five points the following night in a 103-96 loss to Utah.

Wiggins was benched after starting the first 19 games of the season. He didn’t play against Utah. The Rockets held a team meeting to talk about the Clippers Tuesday. However it’s likely that the story was brought up and that the players were told to keep their mouths shut, because nobody was talking. “I don’t have no comment for nobody about nothing,” Sampson said when asked about the report.

“Don’t talk to me ever again.”

Said Wiggins: “No comment . . . I should be playing. If a trade is made it would be to the benefit of both sides.”

Said Fitch: “That was (bleep).”

Fitch’s contract extension had apparently been in the works for some time, but the Rockets decided to make the announcement to stop the speculation about Fitch’s future.

“I wanted to stop the calls from all over the country,” Rockets General Manager Ray Patterson told a wire service. “It seemed important for the franchise to do it at this time. He’s been with us for over 300 ballgames and, as far as I’m concerned, he’s one of the most outstanding coaches in the NBA. We’re extremely satisfied with Bill Fitch.

“I don’t think anybody consciously lies down on the job. I’m not ready to comment on any individual performances. If I have a message to a player, I’ll say it face up rather than through the media.”

Olajuwon had 28 points in the first half as the Rockets took a 61-45 lead at intermission, and he scored 16 points in the second period as the Rockets pulled away from the Clippers.

With the Clippers leading 32-30 with 9 minutes 24 seconds left in the second period, the Rockets blitzed the Clippers, 18-4, to take a 48-36 lead with 4:21 remaining in the half.

Olajuwon had eight points in the spurt and point guard Robert Reid had six, including a three-point shot which started the run.

Benjamin seemed helpless against Olajuwon. The Clipper center was called for his third foul with 2:52 left in the half. Benjamin was almost shut out in the first half, but he sank two free throws with 3:02 left in the second period. They were his only points of the half.