NBA ROUNDUP : Akeem Quadruples His Pleasure Again

Less than four weeks after the NBA stripped him of an apparent quadruple-double, Akeem Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets left nothing to dispute Thursday night against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Olajuwon became the third player in NBA history to record a quadruple-double, scoring 18 points, grabbing 16 rebounds, blocking 11 shots and handing out 10 assists as the Rockets defeated the Bucks, 120-94, at Houston.

“I thought if not this year I would get it next year,” Olajuwon said. “I knew I needed three blocks and three assists in the third quarter. When I got the blocks, I concentrated on passing the ball.

On March 3, Olajuwon was credited with a quadruple-double in a game against Golden State, only to have it withdrawn by the NBA. Olajuwon had been given a 10th assist when the Rockets’ staff looked at the game film.

After the league ruling, Olajuwon wound up with 29 points, 18 rebounds, 11 blocked shots and nine assists.

The other two players to record quadruple-doubles were Nate Thurmond of Chicago with 22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists and 12 blocked shots on Oct. 18, 1974, and Alvin Robertson, then of San Antonio, with 20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals on Feb. 18, 1986.

The victory pulled the Rockets within half a game of Seattle for the final playoff berth in the Western Conference.

Otis Thorpe scored a team-high 21 points for the Rockets and Buck Johnson added 19.

Robertson led the Bucks with 18 points, and Jay Humphries added 17.

Portland 112, Atlanta 106--Buck Williams scored a team-high 18 points at Portland and was one of eight Trail Blazers in double figures.

Dominique Wilkins scored a team-high 27 points for the Hawks and Moses Malone added 23.

Terry Porter and Clyde Drexler each scored 17 points for the Trail Blazers.

Portland is two games behind the first-place Lakers in the Pacific Division.

Phoenix 105, Charlotte 92--Tom Chambers scored 29 points and Kevin Johnson added 25 as the Suns took advantage of some cold second-half shooting by the Hornets at Charlotte, N.C.

Chambers, who had 60 points against Seattle on Saturday, sat out the fourth quarter.

Trailing, 79-69, the Hornets missed eight of their first nine shots in the fourth quarter and the Suns went on a 12-2 run over a four-minute span to clinch the victory.

Hornet reserve forward Brian Rowsom was carried off on a stretcher after injuring his neck when he fell to the floor with 1:32 left in the game.

Armon Gilliam scored a team-high 21 points for the Hornets.

Dallas 109, San Antonio 105--Rolando Blackman scored 28 points at San Antonio, including 13 of the Mavericks’ final 15, as the Mavericks posted their sixth consecutive victory.

The Spurs went almost 5 1/2 minutes without a field goal midway through the final quarter. The Mavericks took their first lead, 94-93, on a three-point shot by Sam Perkins with 3:21 left.

David Robinson led the Spurs with 33 points and Terry Cummings added 17.

Indiana 111, Sacramento 101--Detlef Schrempf scored 14 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter at Indianapolis as the Pacers won their fifth consecutive game.

The streak matches the Pacers’ longest of the season. The Kings ended a five-game trip with their fourth loss.

Chuck Person scored 25 points for Indiana and Reggie Miller added 21.

Antoine Carr scored a game-high 26 points and Pervis Ellison added 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Kings.

Golden State 128, Utah 123--Chris Mullin scored 29 points at Oakland and the Warriors made 55 of 65 free throws to break a 38-year-old club record, spoiling a 49-point performance by Karl Malone of the Jazz.

Golden State was assessed seven technical fouls, one on Coach Don Nelson and six for illegal defenses.