Olajuwon Remains Hospitalized

Although Hakeem Olajuwon’s heartbeat was back to normal Wednesday, the Houston Rockets’ center remained hospitalized as doctors performed further tests.

Olajuwon developed an irregular heartbeat after drinking a glass of cold water at halftime Tuesday night.

He was given medication to try to stabilize his heart, but when that was not successful, doctors used a defibrillator Wednesday to shock his heart back to normal, said Dr. Bruce Moseley, a team physician.

Moseley said Olajuwon, 33, could be released from The Methodist Hospital within the next day or so, depending on test results.

Team officials expected Olajuwon to be sidelined for five to seven days.

The abnormal rhythm, or arrhythmia, appears similar to the irregular heartbeat he had in 1991, Moseley said.

“It resolved and he did well, and we hope it’s going to do the same thing this time,” Moseley said.

Houston forward Charles Barkley jokingly wondered if Olajuwon’s problem had anything to do with “Shaqitis,” because the Rockets face the Lakers and Shaquille O’Neal on Sunday.

“Is there something you could give him for that?” Barkley asked. “Ain’t there some type of pill for Shaqitis?”

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Five days after his first NBA victory, New Jersey Net Coach John Calipari had to think about what would happen if he were fired.

The former Massachusetts coach, who signed a five-year, $15-million contract to become Nets coach and executive vice president, met with team owners Tuesday to discuss a contract clause that would dictate how much money Calipari would receive if he got fired.

The so-called offset clause, which was not in the original agreement, says Calipari will receive the full balance of $15 million if he were fired by the Nets, but would allow the team to deduct what Calipari might earn in another coaching job.

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The Golden State Warriors put Bimbo Coles on the injured list, one day after the guard broke his right wrist in a game against the Lakers. To make room for Coles on the roster, the Warriors activated forward Lou Roe. . . . A new downtown sports arena for the Atlanta Hawks and a possible NHL expansion team was approved by a 6-1 vote of Fulton County commissioners.