Olajuwon Joins Ranks of Conspiracy Theorists

Hakeem Olajuwon bumped no referee, head-butted no referee, but knocked the officiating in his own inimitable way Saturday, saying everyone would “report to a Higher Authority”--a holy one, not the NBA commissioner--for the injustice that caused him to foul out of a playoff game for the first time since 1987.

“The only way I am going to stay in that game today is to stand out by the three-point line,” said an uncharacteristically sarcastic Olajuwon, who accepted responsibility for his fifth and sixth fouls, but considered the first four totally bogus.

Hakeem’s bad dream began in the second half of Houston’s 104-94 defeat against the Lakers, when he told teammate Sam Cassell that the officials (Hugh Evans, Terry Durham and Bernie Fryer) were out to get him.

Olajuwon said to Cassell: “These people are trying to get me out of the game. So, while I am in the game, you had better take advantage, because I will not be there long.”

He fouled out with 10:05 remaining, picking up two within 19 seconds.

“Four fouls, I know I didn’t commit. Five and six were legitimate,” Olajuwon said.

After a call against him in the third quarter that Olajuwon felt Vlade Divac conned the referee into, he warned Cassell that something was fishy.

“Go on. Ask Sam,” Hakeem said.

Cassell confirmed Olajuwon’s account.

“That’s true,” Cassell said. “He felt the referees were looking for him today.”

Rocket players Clyde Drexler, Mario Elie and Cassell each expressed similar opinions that Olajuwon didn’t get the respect due a player of his stature, Cassell adding: “He’ll get it Tuesday.” (Game 3 of this series will be played that night, in Houston.)

“You sure?” Cassell was asked.

“I know it for a fact,” Cassell answered. “That’s how it goes in this league.”

A gentlemanly player but no wimp--this was the 81st time in his career that Olajuwon had fouled out--Hakeem the Dream drew his sixth foul while a substitute knelt by the scorer’s table. Rudy Tomjanovich, the Rocket coach, said: “That’s never happened. I don’t remember that ever happening before.”

It was a tremendous break for the Lakers, who held a three-point edge when the 7-foot Olajuwon--possibly the greatest basketball player in the world today--was replaced by the 6-7 Sam Mack, who has never been nominated for that distinction.

Already disadvantaged by a foot injury to Dream Team member Drexler that forced him to wear high-tops for the first time in his life and kept him from pushing off as he usually does, the Rockets had enough difficulty overcoming an 11-point first quarter without Olajuwon having a complaint against the officiating.

“It is not a complaint. It is obvious,” Olajuwon contended.

“What game are you watching? How many fouls did you see? The first four fouls, I did nothing. I put up my hands, like this”--he demonstrated--”and they call a foul.

“What they see, only God knows. The people who govern the game, the power is in their hands. What can you say? We all report to a Higher Authority. It boils down to sincerity. Go back and look at my first four fouls, and you tell me what you think. If the referee is sincere . . . well, what can you do?”

On his fourth foul, Olajuwon said, “They made the right call on Chucky Brown, but then Divac told them it was me. They take me out right away, and I tell Sam Cassell what the situation is. That is when I tell him to take advantage of me while they can.

“Any time there was a foul between two people, they give it to me.” Tomjanovich being unable to remove him in time was irrelevant to Olajuwon, who continued: “It is not Coach’s fault. That was not even the point. They can put me back in, and on the first play, I can still foul out.

“Why was I so aggressive? What do you want me to be, aggressive or nonaggressive? It makes no difference today. I got four fouls just standing around. What can you do? You just wait for the Hour of Judgment.”

Drexler was asked if Olajuwon had gotten such calls in the past.

“Never,” Drexler said. “When I was with Portland, we always knew Hakeem wouldn’t get that ‘obvious’ foul. I call them touch fouls. Why he did today, I won’t even guess. I’m like Spock. I’m too logical. I can’t guess.”

Weird day for Hakeem the Dream’s team.

Jamaal Wilkes, the former Laker, dropped by Olajuwon’s locker, stuck out his hand and said: “Just wanted to say hello. You got robbed.”

“Thank you,” Hakeem said.