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.