NBA ROUNDUP : Olajuwon Spins to Milestone, Then Sends Rockets to Victory

Another career milestone for Hakeem Olajuwon, another victory for the Houston Rockets. The two seem to go hand in hand.

Olajuwon scored 21 points, becoming the 21st NBA player to compile 20,000 points as the Rockets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 119-97, at Houston.

Olajuwon, a 10-time all-star center, reached 20,001 with 3:28 remaining in the first quarter, spinning around Sean Rooks for a baseline basket that cut the Minnesota lead to 23-20. The sellout crowd at the Summit gave Olajuwon a standing ovation when the milestone was announced.

“I don’t think I really realized the importance of this until I was reading about the players that have accomplished this,” Olajuwon said. “That’s something that you have to acknowledge.”

He reached the 20,000-point plateau in 833 games, 13th fastest in league history, just behind Larry Bird, who did it in 806 contests.

Charlotte 123, Toronto 117--Larry Johnson scored 12 of Charlotte’s 18 points in overtime to help the host Hornets defeat the Raptors.

Charlotte rallied from a 12-point deficit in the final nine minutes of regulation. The Hornets scored the last four points of the period to force the overtime, including Glen Rice’s 22-foot basket that tied the score, 105-105, with 7.5 seconds left.

Johnson finished with 34 points and Rice added 31 points and 10 rebounds for the Hornets, who are off to their first 3-0 start at home in the franchise’s eight seasons.

The Raptors turned 17 Charlotte turnovers into 27 points, but it wasn’t enough to prevent them from losing their fifth consecutive game.

Orlando 94, Miami 93--Anfernee Hardaway’s driving layup with 1.2 seconds remaining gave host Orlando its only lead of the game as the Magic handed the Heat its first loss of the season.

The Magic overcame 10-point deficits twice in the second half but didn’t go ahead until Hardaway, who had 33 points, came off a solid screen from Horace Grant and laid the ball off the backboard over Bimbo Coles and Alonzo Mourning.

Orlando, off to its fastest start in franchise history despite the absence of injured NBA scoring champion Shaquille O’Neal, improved to 5-1.

New Jersey 86, Sacramento 84--The Nets held the Kings scoreless for the final 3:49 at New Jersey, rallying over short-handed Sacramento, which lost for the first time this season.

The Kings suited up only eight players for the game because of a raft of suspensions assessed by the NBA for a bench-clearing brawl the previous night in Indianapolis. Duane Causwell, Tyus Edney and Byron Houston all served one-game suspensions, and Michael Smith sat out the first game of a two-game suspension.

Kevin Edwards led the Nets with 24 points. Mitch Richmond had 17 for the Kings, and Sarunas Marciulionis and Olden Polynice each added 16.

Chicago 110, Portland 106--Michael Jordan scored 15 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter as the Bulls came back to beat the Trail Blazers at Chicago and begin the season 5-0 for the first time in their 30-year history.

Portland’s Clifford Robinson scored 39 points on 15-of-22 shooting--six of seven from three-point range. But he missed five of eight free throws, including two with 1:51 left that would have tied the game.

After Robinson’s key missed free throws, Chris Dudley made one of two free throws as Portland pulled to 102-101 with 1:06 left. Jordan’s 12-foot jumper and two free throws gave the Bulls control, but they didn’t clinch the victory until Jordan made a foul shot with 2.7 seconds left.

Atlanta 113, Dallas 100--Andrew Lang scored six of his 21 points during an 18-0 fourth-quarter run and the Hawks handed the host Mavericks their first defeat of the season.

It was the Hawks’ sixth consecutive victory over Dallas, led by Ken Norman’s 21 points and Mookie Blaylock, who added 20.

Atlanta Coach Lenny Wilkens said the Hawks’ run was triggered by a trapping defense that caused 18 turnovers and so threw the Mavericks out of their offensive sets that Dallas hit only five of 24 shots in the fourth quarter.

Seattle 117, Vancouver 81--Shawn Kemp scored 24 points and Hersey Hawkins added 16 as the SuperSonics routed the Grizzlies at Seattle.

The SuperSonics led, 61-34, at halftime, and the Grizzlies did not get closer than 20 points in the second half. The Grizzlies, who beat Seattle in their only exhibition victory, had their second poor-shooting game in four days. They shot 28% in a 111-62 loss to San Antonio on Wednesday, and 38% against the SuperSonics.