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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
HOUSTON (AP) -- If it was Hakeem Olajuwon's last game in a
Houston uniform, a sellout crowd made certain the franchise's
greatest player went out with a hero's goodbye.
|  | | Beneath a flurry of confetti, Houston's Hakeem Olajuwon waves to the fans as he leaves the court following the Rockets' final home game. |
Olajuwon, a free agent after this season, scored 24 points and
thrilled fans with some vintage moves as the Rockets rolled to a
season-ending 114-87 victory Tuesday night.
Olajuwon, who has played 17 seasons for the Rockets, started the
season planning to retire, but changed his mind and is expected to
play again next season, even if it means leaving the Rockets.
That didn't keep the crowd of 16,285 from cheering Olajuwon's
every move and clamoring for giveaway Bobble Head dolls prior to
the game.
"All I know is I still feel that I can play," Olajuwon said.
"This is really the first time in two years that I've really been
healthy. You can see if you are healthy you can play."
As time ran down in the fourth quarter with their hero on the
bench, the demand went up "We want Dream! We want Dream!"
Coach Rudy Tomjanovich responded immediately. Olajuwon returned
to the court smiling broadly to the standing ovation that awaited
him. When Olajuwon left the game with 53 seconds to play, fans
stood the remainder of the game chanting "Hakeem! Hakeem!"
It was Olajuwon's greatest moment in the game.
"It was just that crowd reaction," Olajuwon said. "I was
sitting on the bench and I looked at the coach and he said just go
back in the game. This is my home and my ideal situation is here.
"This will always be a family regardless of what happen, you
can't overlook that."
Tomjanovich isn't giving up on Olajuwon's
return to the Rockets.
"I'm not going to jump the gun. If we can make it happen, if we
can have him be a Rocket, we're going to try everything in our
power to have it happen," Tomjanovich said.
"We're going to try and not let this be his last game."
Olajuwon had nine rebounds and six assists. His final points
came on a pair of free throws with 3:05 to play. He made a brief on-court appearance after the game with fans shouting "MVP, MVP," an
honor he won in 1994.
"He was all over the place," Tomjanovich said. "He was so
sharp right from the beginning. Not only on the offensive end but
everywhere. I was watching on fastbreaks and he was so light on his
feet. He's a tremendous athlete."
Olajuwon missed the previous three games with a sprained right
ankle, but he started against the Timberwolves and had nine points
in the first quarter. He was 5-for-6 in the period and treated fans
to his signature Dream Shake jumper in the opening minutes.
Olajuwon had 14 points at the half and helped the Rockets to a
65-52 halftime lead. In the third quarter, Olajuwon threw a blind
pass to Shandon Anderson, who was fouled on the play and made a
pair of free throws.
The Rockets would like to have Olajuwon back, but he'd have to
accept far less than his 2000-01 salary of $16.5 million. The
Rockets want to reduce their salary cap to seek free agents to
build around guard Steve Francis.
Olajuwon has played all of his basketball career in Houston,
first leading the University of Houston to three consecutive NCAA
Final Four appearances and then taking the Rockets to NBA titles in
1994 and 1995.
In 1994, Olajuwon became the first player to win the MVP,
defensive player of the year and finals MVP. He was the finals MVP
again in 1995.
Olajuwon is a six-time all-NBA first teamer and the leading shot
blocker in league history.
Olajuwon became the first player in NBA history to block 200
shots and have 200 steals in the same season. He had a string of at
least 200 blocks and 100 steals for a record 11 consecutive seasons,
ending in 1996.
Houston took the lead early in the first quarter and never
trailed after the opening basket. Wally Szczerbiak led the
Timberwolves with 16 points. Kevin Garnett had 11.
Garnett didn't feel a need to comment about Olajuwon.
"Next question. He speaks for himself. He's not the Dream for
nothing," Garnett said.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Minnesota Clubhouse
Houston Clubhouse
RECAPS
Toronto 94
Detroit 92
Atlanta 122
Washington 119
Miami 91
Milwaukee 89
Chicago 100
New Jersey 94
Philadelphia 111
Indiana 105
Houston 114
Minnesota 87
Utah 97
LA Clippers 92
San Antonio 99
Portland 93
LA Lakers 108
Denver 91
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