NBA FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
HOUSTON 23 30 25 26 104
LA CLIPPERS 22 17 28 28 95 FINAL
Extended Box
HOUSTON (104) AT LA CLIPPERS (95)
HOUSTON
REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===
BARKLEY F 37 3-5 6-8 2 12 14 6 2 2 2 12
PIPPEN F 41 3-7 6-6 1 3 4 5 0 3 3 12
OLAJUWON C 34 6-12 1-4 3 5 8 3 4 2 1 13
DICKERSON G 43 9-15 0-2 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 19
MOBLEY G 23 4-8 2-3 1 1 2 0 1 2 3 12
BULLARD 7 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
HARRINGTON 25 6-9 5-5 3 3 6 0 3 0 4 17
PRICE 30 6-10 3-5 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 19
CARR DNP - COACH'S DECISION
DREW DNP - COACH'S DECISION
MACK DNP - SPRAINED RIGHT THUMB
MILLER DNP - COACH'S DECISION
TOTALS 240 37-67 23-33 11 25 36 17 14 12 16 104
(.552) (.697) TEAM REBS: 12 TOTAL TO: 16(19 PTS)
LA CLIPPERS
REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===
NESBY F 43 10-14 3-3 2 2 4 0 3 5 1 24
TAYLOR F 35 8-16 5-5 1 0 1 3 4 0 3 21
OLOWOKANDI C 28 2-10 3-3 3 7 10 1 5 1 2 7
MARTIN G 40 6-12 4-4 0 1 1 5 4 0 0 19
PIATKOWSKI G 24 3-11 1-1 1 1 2 1 2 0 4 8
HUDSON 8 1-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3
MURRAY 16 1-4 1-2 0 2 2 1 0 2 3 3
ROGERS 13 1-3 0-0 0 1 1 4 0 0 0 2
SKINNER 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
SMITH 5 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
WRIGHT 27 4-5 0-0 2 2 4 0 5 0 2 8
CLOSS DNP - COACH'S DECISION
TOTALS 240 36-76 17-18 9 16 25 15 24 9 15 95
(.474) (.944) TEAM REBS: 8 TOTAL TO: 15(20 PTS)
HOUSTON 23 30 25 26 - 104
LA CLIPPERS 22 17 28 28 - 95
BLOCKED SHOTS: HOUSTON - OLAJUWON 2, BARKLEY, HARRINGTON. LA CLIPPERS -
OLOWOKANDI 3, TAYLOR.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: HOUSTON 7-18 (.389), PIPPEN 0-1, OLAJUWON 0-1,
DICKERSON 1-4, MOBLEY 2-4, BULLARD 0-1, PRICE 4-7. LA CLIPPERS 6-13
(.462), NESBY 1-3, MARTIN 3-4, PIATKOWSKI 1-4, HUDSON 1-1, ROGERS 0-1.
TECHNICALS: HOUSTON - ILLEGAL DEFENSE, LA CLIPPERS - ILLEGAL DEFENSE 3,
NESBY.
OFFICIALS: JOE FORTE, JOE DEROSA, DEE KANTNER.
A - 9,188. T - 2:06.
Box Score
HOUSTON (104)
fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
Barkley 37 3-5 6-8 2-14 6 2 12
Pippen 41 3-7 6-6 1-4 5 0 12
Olajuwon 34 6-12 1-4 3-8 3 4 13
Dickerson 43 9-15 0-2 0-0 1 1 19
Mobley 23 4-8 2-3 1-2 0 1 12
Bullard 7 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 0
Harrington 25 6-9 5-5 3-6 0 3 17
Price 30 6-10 3-5 1-2 2 2 19
Carr DNP - coach's decision
Drew DNP - coach's decision
Mack DNP - sprained right thumb
Miller DNP - coach's decision
_______________________________________________
TOTALS 240 37-67 23-33 11-36 17 14 104
_______________________________________________
Percentages: FG-.552, FT-.697. 3-Point Goals:
7-18, .389 (Pippen 0-1, Olajuwon 0-1, Dickerson
1-4, Mobley 2-4, Bullard 0-1, Price 4-7). Team
rebounds: 12. Blocked shots: 4 (Olajuwon 2,
Barkley, Harrington). Turnovers: 16 (Harrington
4, Mobley 3, Pippen 3, Barkley 2, Dickerson 2,
Olajuwon, Price). Steals: 12 (Pippen 3, Barkley
2, Mobley 2, Olajuwon 2, Price 2, Bullard).
LA CLIPPERS (95)
fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
Nesby 43 10-14 3-3 2-4 0 3 24
Taylor 35 8-16 5-5 1-1 3 4 21
Olowokandi 28 2-10 3-3 3-10 1 5 7
Martin 40 6-12 4-4 0-1 5 4 19
Piatkowski 24 3-11 1-1 1-2 1 2 8
Hudson 8 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 3
Murray 16 1-4 1-2 0-2 1 0 3
Rogers 13 1-3 0-0 0-1 4 0 2
Skinner 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Smith 5 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 0
Wright 27 4-5 0-0 2-4 0 5 8
Closs DNP - coach's decision
_______________________________________________
TOTALS 240 36-76 17-18 9-25 15 24 95
_______________________________________________
Percentages: FG-.474, FT-.944. 3-Point Goals:
6-13, .462 (Nesby 1-3, Martin 3-4, Piatkowski
1-4, Hudson 1-1, Rogers 0-1). Team rebounds: 8.
Blocked shots: 4 (Olowokandi 3, Taylor).
Turnovers: 15 (Piatkowski 4, Murray 3, Taylor 3,
Olowokandi 2, Wright 2, Nesby). Steals: 9 (Nesby
5, Murray 2, Hudson, Olowokandi).
____________________________________________
Houston 23 30 25 26 - 104
La Clippers 22 17 28 28 - 95
____________________________________________
Technical fouls: Houston 1 (Illegal Defense, 2:20
3rd). La Clippers 4 (Illegal Defense 3, 11:16
3rd, 6:01 3rd, 1:08 4th; Nesby, 4:40 3rd).
Flagrant fouls: Houston 1 (Barkley, 6:48 2nd).
A: 9,188. T: 2:06. Officials: Joe Forte, Joe
Derosa, Dee Kantner.
Game Story
LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Clippers' bid for their
second upset of an elite team in four days fell short.
Brent Price scored 14 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter as
the Houston Rockets posted their ninth straight victory with a
104-95 victory over the Clippers and pulled within percentage
points of first-place Utah in the Midwest Division.
"Tonight was a real good effort and we had a lot of guys
involved," Houston coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "Brent Price off
the bench played well and we had seven guys in double figures."
Houston recorded its eighth straight triumph at the Los Angeles
Sports Arena but had to hold off a rally in the fourth quarter
as the Clippers sliced a 22-point deficit to five early in the
period.
The Rockets matched their longest winning streak since running
off nine in a row from November 18-December 9, 1997.
After stunning Utah 103-77 on Saturday, Los Angeles closed to
84-79 on Maurice Taylor's jumper with 9:06 remaining. Price hit
consecutive 3-pointers to give the Rockets a 90-79 bulge with
7:56 left.
The Clippers closed to 90-84 on Taylor's jumper, but the Rockets
responded again as Hakeem Olajuwon and Price hit jumpers to make
it 95-84 with 5:04 to play. Los Angeles got no closer than nine
in the final minutes.
"We finally got everyone together," said Houston forward Charles
Barkley, who added 12 points and 14 rebounds. "Price is playing
well and we're coming together as a team. We're on fire right
now."
Rookie Michael Dickerson also scored 19 points and Othella
Harrington added 17 for the Rockets, who opened a 61-39 bulge on
rookie Cuttino Mobley's layup with 10:53 remaining in the third
period.
"They had their way with us," Los Angeles coach Chris Ford said.
"They pounded us on the boards and Brent Price killed us. He and
Othella had 36 points between them."
"(Harrington) has to have some consideration for Sixth Man
(Award)," Tomjanovich added. "He's a phenomenal player. For
minutes played, he can score with anybody in the league. He's a
valuable asset to this team."
Olajuwon finished with 13 points. The veteran center needed 28
to become the 12th player in NBA history to score 25,000 career
points, but he got in foul trouble and scored just four after
the first period.
Rookie Tyrone Nesby scored a career-high 24 points and Taylor
added 21 for the Clippers, who dropped to 2-12 at home.
Houston shot 55 percent (37-of-67) from the field and Los
Angeles shot 47 percent (36-of-76). The Clippers also made made
17-of-18 from the line.
"We cut in down to five and I thought we were going to get back
in it," Nesby said. "Then Price hit those two 3s and that kind
of shot the game."
Darrick Martin added 19 for Los Angeles, including a 3-pointer
that gave the Clippers their only lead at 22-21 with 56 seconds
left in the opening period.
But the Rockets grabbed a a 53-39 halftime lead, outscoring the
Clippers, 30-17, in the second period.
"I think we're starting to play better because we're starting to
get more comfortable playing with each other," Houston forward
Scottie Pippen said.
After taking a 23-22 lead into the second quarter, Houston
ripped off an a 18-4 run, grabbing a 41-26 lead on Harrington's
jumper with 7:14 left in the half.
The Clippers sliced the deficit to 71-63 on Eric Piatkowski's
layup with 1:42 remaining in the third perod before the Rockets
took a 78-67 edge into the final 12 minutes.
"I was concerned about this game with Utah and Seattle coming
up," Tomjanovich said. "Our guys did a geal good job staying
focused and and giving the Clippers the respect they deserve."
