NBA ROUNDUP : Olajuwon, Rockets Beat Magic

Hakeem Olajuwon is not letting his anger at Houston management prevent his trying to get his teammates into the playoffs.

Olajuwon had 22 points, 11 rebounds and eight blocked shots Saturday night at Houston to lead the Rockets to a 110-101 victory over Orlando. Their second victory in a row put the Rockets one game behind the Lakers in the fight for the final playoff spot in the West.

It was the third game back for Olajuwon, who was suspended by management when he said he couldn’t play because of a hamstring injury. The Rockets’ doctors had cleared the veteran center, who said his hamstring still bothered him.

Olajuwon returned for a game Tuesday against the Lakers, which the Rockets lost.

Houston jumped in front at the start and by halftime was coasting, 58-39.

“There’s no question if we win all our games we can get in the playoffs,” Olajuwon said. “A lot can happen with seven games left. I’m getting back in shape and if we can get some momentum going, it can take over.”

Vernon Maxwell led the Rockets with 24 points. His three-point shot after Orlando cut the lead to 90-81 midway through the fourth quarter broke the back of a rally.

Anthony Bowie led the Magic with 23 points. Otis Thorpe added 21 for the Rockets.

Philadelphia 126, Atlanta 121--Ron Anderson scored a season-high 27 points at Atlanta, and the 76ers moved to within two games of eighth place New Jersey in the East. The 76ers have seven games left to catch either the Atlanta Hawks--also two games ahead of Philadelphia--or the Nets.

Charles Barkley contributed 23 points and 16 rebounds as the 76ers ended a seven-game road losing streak. They are 11-27 on the road with three of their last seven games away from home.

Charlotte 118, Washington 109--Kenny Gattison had 23 points and Johnny Newman 20 as the Hornets ended a two-game losing streak with their 13th victory at home in their last 16 games.

The Hornets, with a 30-44 record, trail New Jersey, the eighth-place team in the East, in the bid for the final playoff spot, by 4 1/2 games. The Hornets have only eight games to play.

The Bullets, who have lost six road games in a row, were again without Pervis Ellison, their top scorer and rebounder. He has a strained groin.