NBA ROUNDUP : Bulls Fall Again to the Rockets

If the Houston Rockets played as well against the rest of the NBA as they do against the Chicago Bulls, they would probably be one of the best teams in the league.

Hakeem Olajuwon had 18 points and 17 rebounds as the Rockets defeated the Bulls for the fifth time in their last six meetings, 94-83, Thursday night at Houston, where the Rockets have won 12 of their last 13 against the two-time defending NBA champions.

“If we could have that kind of record against some of the sub-.500 clubs, we’d be sitting up there with a great record right now,” Rocket Coach Rudy Tomjanovich said.

Although the Rockets have played well against Chicago, they have not been very successful against the NBA’s poorer teams. They have lost twice to the Denver Nuggets this season and once to the Milwaukee Bucks. They lost four games to the Dallas Mavericks last season.

But against the Bulls?

“They’ve got our number,” said Michael Jordan, who had a team-high 26 points. “They play extremely well every time we play them. If they played the Bulls every night they’d probably have a better record than they do now. I’m glad we only see them twice.”

Vernon Maxwell scored 18 points for the Rockets.

Maxwell and Jordan tangled beneath the Bulls’ basket with 2:53 to play in the first half and spoke harshly to each other several times down the court.

Jordan made an alley-oop dunk and then pointed at Maxwell late in the second quarter.

Maxwell had a point to prove in guarding Jordan.

“When he talks about the guys that defense him well, he mentions other guys and not me,” Maxwell said. “That’s OK, he’s the absolute best. I’m a competitor and so is he. He makes me play at a better level.”

Former President George Bush was among the sellout crowd.

Atlanta 110, New York 105-- Dominique Wilkins scored 31 points at New York as the Hawks ended the Knicks’ four-game winning streak.

Wilkins, averaging 29.8 points in 10 games since returning after suffering a broken finger, scored 11 points during the third quarter.

The Knicks, who trailed by 21 points in the first half, pulled to 107-105 with 10 seconds to play on a basket after a rebound by Hubert Davis, but the Hawks made three free throws to ensure the victory.

John Starks scored 24 points for the Knicks. Kevin Willis scored 24 for Atlanta.

Dennis Byrd, the partially paralyzed New York Jet defensive end, attended the game. It was his first appearance at a public event since he broke his neck in a game against Kansas City on Nov. 29.

Milwaukee 109, Miami 87--Fred Roberts scored 22 points as the Bucks won at Miami.

Milwaukee made made 28 of 30 free-throw attempts, including its first 22.

Eric Murdock had 19 points and 10 assists for the Bucks. Rony Seikaly led the Heat with 18.

Cleveland 127, Orlando 113--Mark Price scored 29 points, 20 in the second half, and had 11 assists as the Cavaliers defeated the Magic at Richfield, Ohio.

Price, who missed nine of 10 field goals and scored a season-low three points in a loss at Utah on Tuesday, made his last eight shots against Orlando.

“I figure I’m a 50% shooter, so if I go one for 10 one night, I can go nine for 10 the next,” Price said. “Your mother says you’re going to have days like that. I didn’t think about it. When I had the shots, I took them. I didn’t worry about it.”

Orlando rookie Shaquille O’Neal, limited to five first-half points after going to the bench with two quick fouls, finished with 25 points and seven rebounds. Cleveland center Brad Daugherty had 17 points and 11 rebounds.

Denver 110, New Jersey 100--Chris Jackson was 13 of 18 from the field and scored 32 points, and LaPhonso Ellis added 20 points as the Nuggets won at Denver.

“When Chris gets it going like he did tonight, I don’t know many people in this league who can stop him,” Denver Coach Dan Issel said.

Drazen Petrovic had 21 points and Derrick Coleman 17 to pace New Jersey.