Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!maytag!looking!clarinews From: clarinews@clarinet.com (ROBERT J. MURPHY, UPI Sports Writer) Newsgroups: clari.sports.basketball,clari.sports.top Subject: NBA Roundup Keywords: basketball, men's professional Message-ID: <1Rbkp-nbarup_a9@clarinet.com> Date: 2 Feb 90 07:16:13 GMT Lines: 64 Approved: clarinews@clarinet.com ACategory: sports Slugword: bkp-nbarup Priority: major Format: summary X-Supersedes: ANPA: Wc: 700; Id: s0341; Sel: ns--s; Adate: 2-2-210aes; Ver: sked Codes: yskpmxx. What the Chicago Bulls did to Atlanta on Monday they got back in their face Thursday from the Houston Rockets. The Rockets, led by Otis Thorpe's 30 points and 13 rebounds, sprinted out to a 41-21 lead after one quarter and coasted to 133-112 rout of the Bulls at Houston. Chicago, on the first leg of a six-game road trip, was coming off a 121-111 victory over the Hawks in which they led 35-15 after one. Needless to say, it was an uncomfortable night for rookie Bulls Coach Phil Jackson, whose team suffered its worst loss of the season. ``I have only one thing to say,'' Jackon said. ``This is one of the longest nights I have ever had in the NBA, and I have been in this league 18 years.'' Akeem Olajuwon finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds and 7 blocked shots for the Rockets, while Eric ``Sleepy'' Floyd had 20 points and 7 assists. Houston had won 10 straight at home before losing to the Mavericks on Saturday and were beaten again at Dallas Wednesday night. ``We really needed this game tonight,'' said Thorpe, who has scored 59 points in his last two games. ``We jumped right on them and stayed right there. I wanted to establish myself and to protect my territory.'' Chicago received the usual peformance from Michael Jordan, who led all scorers with 35 points. The only other Chicago starter in double figures was Scottie Pippen with 10. ``It is sad, but there are going to be nights like this,'' said Jordan, who left the game with 8:27 to play and his team trailing 122-89. ``We were never in this ballgame. We did not show up tonight.'' The Rockets never allowed the Bulls closer than 12 after their first-quarter outburst. They led 77-55 at the half, grabbed their first 30-point lead with 5:44 left to play in the third quarter on a pair of Thorpe free throws, then led 110-80 entering the final period. ``Last night we could not hit anything,'' said Houston Coach Don Chaney, referring to the 98-91 loss at Dallas in which the Rockets scored just 11 points in the fourth quarter. ``Tonight, we came out shooting well right off the bat. I would like to see us have the same mental intensity on the road.'' Elsewhere around the NBA Thursday night, New York knocked off Sacramento 96-89; Milwaukee breezed past Orlando 129-111; Phoenix handed Atlanta its third straight loss, 102-90; and Denver gave New Jersey its seventh loss in a row, 123-112. _K_n_i_c_k_s_ _9_6_,_ _K_i_n_g_s_ _8_9 At New York, Patrick Ewing scored 12 of his 31 points in the final period and grabbed 9 rebounds. His basket with 6:46 to play put the Knicks ahead to stay at 83-82. Johnny Newman finished with 19 points, Charles Oakley l6 points and 16 rebounds and Mark Jackson 14 points for New York. Waymon Tisdale led Sacramento with 22 points. _B_u_c_k_s_ _1_2_9_,_ _M_a_g_i_c_ _1_1_1 At Milwaukee, Alvin Robertson registered his second triple-double of the season with 16 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists, and eight Bucks scored in double figures for their fifth straight home victory. Orlando, 4-19 on the road, was led by Michael Ansley's 24 points. Magic forward Sidney Green missed the game due to strep throat. _S_u_n_s_ _1_0_2_,_ _H_a_w_k_s_ _9_0 At Phoenix, Dan Majerle came off the bench to score 10 of his 22 points in a 21-1 second-half run that gave the Suns their 10th straight home win. Tom Chambers paced the Suns with 32 points, while Kevin Johnson had 19 points and 16 assists. Moses Malone led Atlanta with 25 points and Dominique Wilkins added 21. _N_u_g_g_e_t_s_ _1_2_3_,_ _N_e_t_s_ _1_1_2 At Denver, Alex English scored 20 of his 26 points in the second half, while Lafayette Lever added 22 points, 13 assists and 9 rebounds for the Nuggets, who broke a two-game losing streak. Rookie Mookie Blaylock finished with 24 points and Dennis Hopson 23 for the Nets, who suffered their 11th consecutive road loss.