NBA ROUNDUP : Rockets Have No Trouble in 44-Point Rout of Perth

The Houston Rockets found the way to beat an unfamiliar zone defense: run, run and run.

With Clyde Drexler leading the break, the two-time NBA champions turned a frustrating game into a blowout over the Perth Wildcats, 116-72, Friday night in the McDonald’s Championship at London.

Drexler scored 14 of his 16 points in the third quarter as the Rockets, playing without injured center Hakeem Olajuwon, advanced to today’s championship game against Italy’s Buckler Bologna, which defeated Real Madrid, 102-96.

The Rockets’ 44-point margin of victory was the biggest in the history of the McDonald’s tournament, now in its seventh edition. No NBA team has lost a game in the event, considered an unofficial world championship for club teams.

With injured center Hakeem Olajuwon watching from the bench in street clothes, Drexler took over as the Rockets’ main man in the third quarter.

After scoring only two points on one-for-seven shooting in the first half, Drexler made five of six shots--including one three-pointer--during the quarter.

The Rockets broke the game open with an 18-0 run over a six-minute stretch, capped by Drexler’s fast-break dunk for a 78-50 lead. The spurt included a reverse slam by Robert Horry on a feed from Drexler.

Drexler and the rest of the starters sat out the fourth quarter as Coach Rudy Tomjanovich substituted freely.

Horry led the Rockets with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Kenny Smith and Pete Chilcutt had 13 points and Sam Cassell added 12.

Perth looked intimidated as it missed 18 of its first 19 shots and made only three field goals in the first quarter, shooting 14.3%.

In the first game, former NBA forward Orlando Woolridge scored 27 points and made a key block in the final seconds to lead Buckler Bologna.