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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
CHICAGO (AP) -- Rudy Tomjanovich's fear of the hapless Chicago
Bulls was warranted for a little more than a quarter.
Steve Francis scored 21 points and Hakeem Olajuwon added 17 as
the Houston Rockets overcame an early 12-point deficit to beat
Chicago 95-78 Wednesday night.
"This is one of those games that you're really concerned about
as a coach," Tomjanovich said.
Reserve Kenny Thomas had 14 points and 11 rebounds for the
Rockets, who have won five of six and finished February 9-4.
Elton Brand scored 21 points to lead the Bulls, who have lost
five of six.
Bryce Drew hit three 3-pointers and dished out four assists in
the first quarter as the Bulls broke out to a 29-19 lead.
"We started out badly, but sometimes that's good," Tomjanovich
said. "It got our attention."
Chicago led by as many 12 before Houston rallied. The Rockets
went on a 15-2 run, aided by six quick points from Thomas and a
3-pointer by Walt Williams to grab a 34-33 lead midway through the
second quarter.
"We had basically the same pattern that happened the other
night," said Chicago coach Tim Floyd, whose team blew a 10-point
lead Monday against Golden State. "Our guys started out well, but
we went to our bench and lost the margin there."
Houston built its lead to 59-49 on Olajuwon's jumper with 6:12
left in the third. The Bulls closed to five points several
times, but the Rockets held them at bay.
Early in the fourth quarter, Kelvin Cato clanked a dunk off the
back of the rim, the ball going straight up about 20 feet in the
air and coming down right through the net for two points.
"I hope they don't show it on the highlight shows," Cato said.
The Rockets, who shot 51 percent from the field, are 12-0 when
making over 50 percent as a team.
Game notes
The Bulls placed guard Khalid El-Amin on the injury list
with a sore knee and activated guard A.J. Guyton, who missed 40
games with a right knee sprain. ... Chicago's Ron Mercer, who has
missed five of six games, said he will test his ailing left ankle
in practice Thursday. ... The Rockets placed forward Matt Bullard
on the injured list with a stress fracture in his back. Filling the
roster spot is guard Sean Colson, signed to a 10-day contract. ...
Maurice Taylor has tendinitis in both feet and did not play in the
second half.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Houston Clubhouse
Chicago Clubhouse
RECAPS
Indiana 99
Milwaukee 86
Toronto 95
Atlanta 88
Charlotte 91
New Jersey 88
Minnesota 111
Detroit 100
Philadelphia 79
Miami 69
Houston 95
Chicago 78
Orlando 97
Phoenix 91
Utah 101
Vancouver 83
Denver 107
LA Lakers 101
Sacramento 122
Golden State 101
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