Lakers-Rockets: Head to Head

The Houston Rockets beat the Lakers in three of four regular-season meetings, games that were often marked as much by those who played at less than full strength or not at all as those who starred. A review:

DEC. 6 AT HOUSTON: ROCKETS 112, LAKERS 99

The Lakers’ early season struggles included being used as a landing strip for Clyde the Glide. Clyde Drexler scored 34 points and had 10 rebounds and single-handedly outscored L.A. in the third quarter, 19-14. Vlade Divac limped through 22 minutes because of a knee injury suffered the night before. Elden Campbell was in foul trouble, compounding the problem, so Hakeem Olajuwon took advantage and added 30 points and 13 rebounds in only 28 minutes. Cedric Ceballos had 27 points and 17 rebounds, at that time a career high, for the Lakers.

JAN. 12 AT THE FORUM: LAKERS 101, ROCKETS 100

With Ceballos hospitalized because of flu, Divac had 25 points and 11 rebounds. Capitalizing on Olajuwon’s playing with five fouls, Divac scored a key late basket and then the free throw with 38 seconds left that sealed the victory. Houston’s Kenny Smith managed only six minutes before losing out to his flu bug. The Rockets were also without starting small forward Robert Horry because of tendinitis in his right knee.

FEB. 24 AT HOUSTON: ROCKETS 96, LAKERS 94

Kenny Smith lives. The former starting point guard had been kept on the bench 11 of the previous 12 games, playing only four minutes in the one appearance, then entered for the first time in the fourth quarter and made four of four three-point shots. They were crippling blows that ended the Lakers’ eight-game winning streak, their longest of the season. It came on the day the Rockets put Drexler on the injured list and announced he would soon undergo knee surgery, then got 34 minutes from Sam Cassell despite the stomach flu that caused him to miss a shootaround. Magic Johnson, who sat out the previous two games because of a strained calf muscle, lasted only 11 minutes.

MARCH 3 AT THE FORUM: ROCKETS 111, LAKERS 107

The big news of the day was Johnson taking himself out of consideration for a spot on the Olympic team and making it official that he would return next season. The Lakers missed 13 of 36 free throws. Divac had nine points, three rebounds and five fouls in 27 minutes. Olajuwon had 29 points on 12-of-17 shooting and 13 rebounds, both game highs. And then there was the Rocket bench. Cassell, questionable because of an inflamed right elbow, played 40 minutes, made 10 of 16 shots and finished with 24 points and 11 assists. Smith was again a major factor with six three-point baskets in seven tries and 21 points in 27 minutes.