Clippers Can’t Overcome Olajuwon : Pro basketball: Houston center scores 30 points as Rockets gain on Lakers. Lamond Murray suspended indefinitely.

Hakeem Olajuwon was perfect for the first three quarters. He wasn’t too bad for the whole game.

Olajuwon made all 11 of his shots in the first three quarters and finished with 30 points Monday night as the Houston Rockets defeated the Clippers for the 18th consecutive time in The Summit, 121-111.

“I felt much better tonight,” Olajuwon said. “I felt really strong early in the game. I felt better overall. If you have energy, you can always create.”

The Clippers played without Lamond Murray. The rookie forward, the team’s top draft pick, was sent home late Sunday night after being suspended indefinitely by the team for disciplinary reasons after an incident at practice earlier in the day at Houston.

The victory pulled the Rockets, currently in the No. 6 playoff position, within one game of the No. 5 Lakers in the Western Conference.

Olajuwon, playing his third game since recovering from iron-deficiency anemia, missed his first shot of the fourth quarter and was 14 for 18 for the game.

“He didn’t touch it that much,” Clipper Coach Bill Fitch said. “Eighteen attempts is not that bad, but his percentage is high. He made some shots that only he can make. It’s a tough job, any night to defend him.

“He’s a super player. There’s just not much you can do with him.”

Olajuwon’s shooting was infectious as Houston shot 57% from the field. Clyde Drexler scored 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting and Kenny Smith scored 21 points, going five for seven from three-point range.

The Clippers, 4-35 on the road this season, trailed, 98-88, going into the fourth quarter but pulled within 103-99 with 6:55 to go before the Rockets pulled away.

The Clippers declined to reveal the reason for the suspension of Murray.

“This is an internal team matter and it’s being handled as such,” Clipper spokesman Joe Safety said.

“Our team is based on two things, attitude and work ethic,” Fitch said in a TV interview. “I thought it was a good chance to teach a young person a lesson in life.

“I think he’s looking at things a lot differently. Like I told him, ‘It’s not punishment, everything I do is a non-personal thing, it’s a learning situation.’ ”

The suspension will cost Murray, who signed a $13.5-million, five-year contract last October, $32,926.83 per game.

Murray wasn’t available for comment.

Houston built a 61-49 lead with 2:31 to go in the first half aided by 11 first-half points by Vernon Maxwell, but the Clippers cut the deficit to 64-59 at halftime. Gary Grant made the last three baskets for the Clippers.

“At halftime we thought we had a decent shot to win the game,” Clipper guard Pooh Richardson said. “Houston was really shooting the ball well. The big fella (Olajuwon) prevailed at the end.”

The Clippers, who haven’t won a game in The Summit since a 104-97 victory on Nov. 6, 1986, were led by Terry Dehere, who had 23 points, and Eric Piatkowski with 19.

“They have some very hard-playing players,” Rocket coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. “I knew Bill Fitch would have them ready. It’s hard to win in this league and if you let up you’ll get beat. We had a couple of good plays at the end and pretty good shooting overall.”

Said Rocket forward Mario Elie: “We’re playing well right now. I just want us to finish the regular season strong and make a statement. I don’t care who we play, I just want to finish up on a positive note.”

Rocket forward Carl Herrera, who already missed 18 games because of injuries and illness, dislocated his right shoulder late in the first quarter and will be sidelined about two weeks.

Times staff writer Chris Baker contributed to this report.