NBA Playoffs : Floyd Gets 42 Points, and the Rockets Get Even

As great as he is, Akeem Olajuwon can’t carry the load by himself. His help came from the teammate he openly feuded with in the first game of the playoffs.

Eric (Sleepy) Floyd, chastised by Olajuwon Thursday night, scored 42 points Saturday at Dallas to help Olajuwon lead the Houston Rockets to a 119-108 victory over the Mavericks and even the best-of-five series at one game apiece.

Olajuwon looked every inch the best center in basketball as he took charge late in the game, and the Rockets, on the second go-round, became the first visiting team to score a postseason victory.

Olajuwon finished with 41 points, 26 rebounds, 4 blocks and 3 steals. In the last 2 minutes, he had 8 points, 2 rebounds and a steal to break a tight game open.

Roy Tarpley, the celebrated sixth man who led the Mavericks to victory in Game 1, had 23 points and 13 rebounds off the bench, but he was also the goat.

In a game in which the Mavericks trailed almost from the start, Tarpley, after missing two free throws that would have tied the score with 2:40 to play, committed back-to-back fouls less than a minute later.

After a Sam Perkins jumper tied the score, 103-103, with 2:29 left, Tarpley fouled Joe Barry Carroll, who sank two free throws to give Houston the lead for good.

On a missed Dallas shot, Tarpley fouled Olajuwon on the rebound. It was his sixth foul and, when Olajuwon made both shots, the Mavericks were finished.

When Floyd was only 2 for 10 from the field Thursday night, he and Olajuwon had words. But, in this game, Floyd came out with confidence. He shot about as well as he did last spring when he scored 51 to lead the Golden State Warriors to a playoff victory over the Lakers.

Floyd seemed to feel that every shot was going in, and 16 of 22 did. This time, Olajuwon had only good things to say about the slender guard.

In the opener, Olajuwon said he felt Floyd wasn’t getting the ball to him at the right time.

“He was the Sleepy we know and love today,” Olajuwon said. “He played with a lot of heart. He’s my friend.”

It is the third time in four seasons that the Mavericks have lost the second game of a best-of-five series at home. In the other two, including last year with the Seattle SuperSonics, the Mavericks lost the series.

They will play at Houston Tuesday night and Thursday night, knowing they have to win one or get knocked out in the first round again.

Detroit 102, Washington 101--Hubie Brown, considered one of the brains of pro basketball, has picked the Pistons to knock off the Celtics and go on to win the National Basketball Assn. championship.

It would appear the Pistons still have a long way to go to be ready for the Celtics.

Isiah Thomas sank an off-balance bank shot with nine seconds remaining at Pontiac, Mich., to give the Pistons their second hard-earned win over the lowly Bullets.

Thomas wound up with 30 points in a game in which the Pistons trailed by 12 points in the third quarter. In a 96-87 win Thursday night, the Pistons trailed by nine in the third quarter.

The Bullets missed a victory when Jeff Malone, who scored 31 points, missed an off-balance jumper with one second remaining.

“The coaching staff and team have confidence in me to take the last shot,” said Thomas, who celebrated his 27th birthday. “We’re supposed to be up 2-0. We’re not lucky, the Bullets are playing very good.”

Utah 114, Portland 105--The Jazz, with Karl Malone doing a complete turnabout, became the second playoff team to win a road game and evened their series with the Trail Blazers.

Malone, who had only 16 points in Thursday’s loss, scored 37 points, 10 of them as Utah built a quick 27-13 lead.

Although they hit only 38% of their shots to 61% for the Jazz, the Trail Blazers trailed by only five points at halftime.

Early in the third quarter a jumper by Terry Porter put Portland ahead, 63-62. Bobby Hansen made two quick baskets, and Utah was never headed.

Malone, who was 6 for 16 Thursday night, was 12 for 21 in this one.