Lakers Put Their Fear Far Aside : Pro basketball: Club beats Houston, 113-102, and clinches its ninth consecutive Pacific Division title.

Of course, the Lakers will not say they worry about having to play the Houston Rockets in the first round of the NBA playoffs, a distinct possibility.

But . . .

“Let’s just say, you wouldn’t want to play against any team with Akeem Olajuwon,” Laker Coach Pat Riley recently said.

If Sunday night’s 113-102 Laker victory over the Rockets is an indicator of competition to come, however, then maybe the Lakers’ concern is unfounded. They treated the Rockets, Olajuwon or no, like any other team struggling to make the playoffs.

In clinching their ninth straight Pacific Division title, which also assured them the Western Conference’s best record, the Lakers shut down Olajuwon with a swarming.

It was quite a change from the Lakers’ previous three games against the Rockets. Houston had beaten the Lakers by 17 and seven points in Houston this season, while the Lakers had recorded a hard-fought, nine-point victory at the Forum in January.

Sunday’s game, however, was no contest. The Lakers, now winners of 60 games in five of the last six seasons, led by as many as 23 points and dominated in nearly every facet. They out-rebounded the Rockets, 50-39, and forced the Rockets into making only 46.2% of their shots. And, most important, the Lakers’ double-team of Olajuwon limited the Rocket center to 12 points, only two more than his season low.

The Lakers have rarely played better than they did Sunday. Magic Johnson recorded his second straight triple-double, with 25 points 11 rebounds and 11 assists. James Worthy added 23 points, A.C. Green 16 and 10 rebounds and Mychal Thompson had 12 points in his first game back from a right knee injury.

Houston dropped to 39-39 and is tied with Seattle for the eighth, and final, Western Conference playoff spot. Should the Rockets finish eighth, they will play the Lakers again. And, while smarting from the defeat, Rocket Coach Don Chaney said his team learned something about the Lakers’ defensive tactics should the teams meet in the first round.

“I thought this game was good for us,” Chaney said. “We realize now how they can take us out of our game. Had we not played them, we might have faced this type of (tactic) in the first game of the playoffs.

“They doubled and tripled Akeem and rotated well. We were reluctant to take the open jumper, and then we weren’t hitting. They made the adjustment on us. So, we’re next in line to make the adjustment against them--if there is a next time.”

While the Rockets’ playoff status is tenuous, the Lakers were typically unexcited about winning their ninth consecutive Pacific Division title. Asked about its significance, Riley pointed behind him to a chalk board with the number 1 circled.

“We’ve still got one more win left for the (NBA’s) best record,” Riley said.

The Lakers (60-18) only need to win one of their remaining four games--or the Detroit Pistons lose another game--to secure home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

“It’s a good feeling,” Johnson said. “But we’ve still got work to do. It’s not a feeling of celebration. We have to clinch the best record and then move on into the playoffs.”

Added Riley: “The Pacific Division is nice. But I can’t remember the last time we celebrated. Maybe 1983. Not to be smug about it, but (the Lakers) have bigger goals to reach.”

For at least one Laker, reserve point guard Larry Drew, a division title was an achievement to savor. Drew had played eight seasons on losing teams, most recently the Clippers, and was about the only elated Laker in the locker room.

“Being associated with something like this, well, this is a great night for me,” Drew said. “These guys have done it so many times, it’s no big deal. This is kind of peanuts for them. They are looking beyond this. But this is the first time something like this has happened to me. Maybe my wife and child will go and have some apple cider.”

The game went exactly the way the Lakers had planned. It took two sound road beating to the Rockets for the Lakers to develop the right plan.

“Our defense was successful,” Riley said. “Akeem won’t force the issue if you double-team him strong. He’ll pass off and they weren’t hitting the jumpers. They handled us twice in a row in Houston. They hammered us on the boards those times. But when our physical game is there, we can play with them.”

Olajuwon seemed so frustrated by the Lakers’ defense that he drew a technical foul in the second half while sitting on the bench. Afterward, he credited the Lakers for his off night.

“This is the best defense I’ve played against all year,” Olajuwon said. “Their trap in the post was excellent. They were very aggressive. They were coming from every angle. I couldn’t even see the open man.”

The Lakers’ double-teamming of Olajuwon worked as planned in the first half. The Rocket center had only four points in the first half--and it took him 20 minutes 13 seconds to score.

However, the Rockets stayed within reach of the Lakers, thanks to Otis Thorpe. Thorpe, having his way inside because the Lakers were concentrating so much on Olajuwon, scored 21 first-half points. Seventeen came in the first quarter and, had Thorpe not been in foul trouble, he might have pushed 30 in the first half.

When Thorpe was given his first rest 2 1/2 minutes into the second quarter, the Lakers had a 37-31 lead. With Olajuwon in, the Rockets stayed close, trailing, 43-35, when Thorpe came back in with 5:39 to play. But, a minute later, Thorpe was out after getting his third foul. He would score only four points in the second half.