Houston's Olajuwon to `fight' New York's Ewing in NBA final

Houston's Olajuwon to `fight' New York's Ewing in NBA final

By Barry Dols

JAKARTA (JP): Gone are Michael and Magic, Larry and Isiah. It
is fitting that this "year of the big man" in the NBA boils down
to Hakeem Olajuwon's Houston Rockets against Patrick Ewing's New
York Knicks.

The Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year, the
6-10 (2.08 meter) Olajuwon uses his guard-like quickness to
create shots inside. His trademark fadeaway jumper is virtually
unstoppable. The Knicks hope Ewing can handle him one-on-one, so
that they can match up with the other Rockets.

Ewing has played all year like a man on a mission. The
consummate team player, his leadership has a calming influence on
his petulant teammates. Ewing's patented drop-step moves in the
paint and baseline turnaround jumper are the Knicks main
offensive weapons, but finding shooting room with Olajuwon in his
face is going to be something else altogether.

Although Olajuwon dominated their two regular season meetings
(both won handily by the Rockets), he readily admits "the
playoffs are a different ball game."

Olajuwon and Ewing will get their points and rebounds. And
block a few shots along the way. But this year's champion will be
the team whose side-men lift their games to that "next level"
coaches always talk about.

Streak shooters

Fittingly, level is the last word that comes to mind when
describing the play of the Knicks' John Starks and the Rockets'
Vernon Maxwell, two players who have never met a shot they didn't
like.

Streak shooters both, Starks is more explosive, as his
thunderous left-handed jam during last year's playoffs with four
Chicago Bulls (including one current minor league outfielder)
draped all over him attests. He is also a far better defensive
player than Maxwell.

Both Starks and "Mad Max" have the ability to take over a game
with their perimeter shooting and slashing drives to the hole,
and when they're on, opposing defenses must come out and play
them, opening up the inside for the big men.

But they have to stay in the game to do these things. Who can
forget Ewing glowering over Starks after the mercurial guard
head-butted Reggie Miller on his way to an ejection during last
year's playoffs. For his part, Maxwell watched the closing
seconds of two games in the Rockets recent series with the
Phoenix Suns from the comfort of the locker room, the second
after taking on Charles Barkley.

Coach Pat Riley, who guided the Lakers to four championships
in the 1980s, has the Knicks playing punishing, physical
basketball. They led the league this year in defense, rebounding
and bruising. Their style is more effective than elegant.

The key to this series is the Jekyll and Hyde play of John
Starks. If he maintains his focus, Coach Riley will soon be
getting "one for the thumb."

The series will be shown live on SCTV beginning today at 8
a.m. West Indonesia Time.