Thompson Defensive About Role : NBA playoffs: But the Lakers’ center was in the middle of successful tactic against Rockets’ Olajuwon in Game 1.

Mychal Thompson does not so much talk with reporters as playfully spar. Suggest that Thompson was primarily responsible for neutralizing Houston Rocket center Akeem Olajuwon in Friday night’s playoff opener, and the Laker center delivers a rapid exchange of verbal counter-punches.

“I wish I had something to do with it,” Thompson said. “In my fantasies, I lay down at night and say, ‘Yeah, I stopped Akeem one-on-one.’ But realistically, it was the other players around me who did. In 10 or 15 years, I plan to lie to my sons and say I stopped the great Akeem all by myself.”

As far as Thompson is concerned, he was merely some slug that Laker Coach Pat Riley used to prop up against Olajuwon until the real defenders arrived.

In truth, though, the veteran center was so effective as the Lakers’ first line of defense in Friday’s 12-point victory that Rocket Coach Don Chaney said Olajuwon will probably move out of the low post for Game 2 today at 12:30 at the Forum.

If the Rockets harbor hopes of achieving a split before the best-of-five series moves to Houston for Game 3 Tuesday night, they somehow must involve Olajuwon in the offense. Chaney said he also might put Otis Thorpe, instead of the overmatched Buck Johnson, on Laker forward James Worthy, who had 34 points and made 17 of his 22 shots in the opener.

Better utilization of Olajuwon, however, is Houston’s biggest problem. Olajuwon was held to 13 points, nine coming in the fourth quarter, in 41 minutes Friday night. He attempted only 13 shots, at least seven less than Chaney said he wants his center to take.

If the Lakers’ constant pressure was not frustrating enough for the Rockets’ All-Star center, Olajuwon also came away with a small scar above his left eye after a collision with Worthy resulted in a deep cut.

The deepest cut for Olajuwon, however, was being reduced to a passer Friday night. Olajuwon had no other choice, because Laker defenders cut off his driving lanes and seemingly dared him to force fall-away jump shots, which he chose not to do.

So Olajuwon passed to the Rockets’ perimeter shooters, whose cold shooting made the Lakers less apprehensive about leaving players open to double-team. The outside trio of Johnson, Vernon Maxwell and Sleepy Floyd combined to make just 20 of 51 shots.

“We’ve got to change something,” Olajuwon said. “It’s not working now. I guess I’ll just have to play more on the perimeter. (Other teams) have double-teamed me before, but they (the Lakers) are more focused on me. It’s difficult to do anything.”

Chaney said his preference is to play Olajuwon in the low post, where he can do more damage. But the Lakers’ strategy probably will force Chaney to take Olajuwon out of the post.

“I’d rather have Akeem taking shots than just being a distributor,” Chaney said. “He’s not able to get open down there. They had three guys on him all the time. What they are saying is that they want the other guys to beat you. But (Olajuwon) needs 19 or 20 shots a game. If he shoots the ball well, it could open things up.”

The Lakers say they are not convinced Chaney would voluntarily move Olajuwon out of the low post. After all, Olajuwon led the league in offensive rebounding, which is how he accumulates many of his points.

“If Don wants to make adjustments, that’s the only adjustment he can make,” Thompson said. “Either give (Olajuwon) jump shots or get pick-and-roll games for him. I wouldn’t be surprised if they changed, but I still think they’ll go to Akeem’s strength inside. Maybe our double-team won’t be as effective this time.”

Thompson certainly would be less effective guarding Olajuwon on the perimeter. He does not have Olajuwon’s quickness and could be vulnerable to screens set to free Olajuwon.

Olajuwon credits both Thompson and the double-teams for his relatively unproductive game.

“He is very physical,” Olajuwon said. “I have to give him credit for banging and bumping. He knows how to play. But I’m not just playing against Mychal Thompson. I’m playing against all the Lakers.”

Thompson’s point, precisely. But others say Thompson is playing as well against Olajuwon as any one player can.

Worthy calls Thompson “one of the best post-up defensive players in the league; everybody knows that.” Byron Scott, who often is part of the double-teaming, says Thompson’s defensive skills are subtle.

“Mychal is very experienced in what you have to do,” Scott said. “He uses his lower body very well, just to root out (Olajuwon) and not let him get in what I call his comfort zone.”

Said Chaney: “I’m really impressed with Mychal Thompson’s man-to-man defense. That’s one reason why we may go outside. It’ll be interesting to see how (Thompson) does on the perimeter. Akeem can put the ball on the floor and do more things.”

Thompson said he would not mind a break from the constant bump-and-grind of the low post.

“I’ll be a lot less sore on Monday morning (if Olajuwon plays away from the basket),” Thompson said. “I feel like I had a bad massage, all beat up and bruised.”

Thompson listened to all the testimonials to his defense, but again deflected credit.

“I wasn’t the one who did it,” Thompson said. “You got to give credit to Byron and Magic and James. Those guys. You can’t stop Akeem one-on-one, come on. Our defense denies the middle. there’s me, James and A.C. (Green) and Magic’s a 6-9, 220-pound guard. That cuts down a lot of room for Akeem to duck into his favorite spots.

“Akeem will come back strong and more aggressive. That’s the way he plays. A player of his caliber does not like to be slowed down. So, he’s going to try to beat the whole team by himself.”

Thompson, however, has a new strategy, borrowed from his passion for boxing.

“You gotta jab away at that cut and, hopefully by the fourth quarter, the blood will get in his eyes so he can’t see to shoot,” Thompson said.

Laker Notes

Responding to James Worthy’s 34-point effort Friday night, Houston Coach Don Chaney said he might try taller, more physical Otis Thorpe against the Laker forward. “I’m entertaining that idea,” Chaney said. “We’ll probably start with Buck (Johnson) on him again, then use Otis during the game. We’ll try to do a few things on (Worthy). The playoffs are all about adjustments.” . . . Byron Scott said his sprained left ankle is sound enough to play, but he said he still has swelling and tenderness. “I can run up and down well, but it’s a problem planting and cutting and turning,” Scott said. Magic Johnson said Scott’s cold shooting (three of 13 in Game 1) could be attributed to being sidelined for nine days because of the injury. “That’s a long time to sit out,” Johnson said. “I think you’ll see him shoot better (today).”

NBA RECORDS: The Boston Celtics set playoff records for scoring and shooting percentage in a 157-128 victory over the New York Knicks. C9