Olajuwon Forced Out of Rockets’ 91-81 Loss

A bad bruise to Hakeem Olajuwon’s thigh made a bad loss for the Houston Rockets even worse.

Olajuwon was kneed in the thigh by Shawn Bradley on Thursday night, causing a deep bruise that forced him from the court during the fourth quarter of a 91-81 loss to the Dallas Mavericks at Houston.

“He has very sharp bones, like needles,” Olajuwon said. “I won’t know how bad it is until I wake up in the morning.”

Coach Rudy Tomjanovich said Olajuwon was “no better than 50-50” for tonight’s game against the Utah Jazz.

The injury happened during the second quarter when Olajuwon drove baseline and Bradley stepped in his way. Olajuwon continued to play, but the pain worsened during the third quarter and the Rockets’ medical staff tried treating it with heating pads.

Olajuwon gave it one last shot midway through the fourth quarter as Houston was trying to come back, but the pain was too much.

Michael Finley and rookie Dirk Nowitzki scored 22 points apiece and Gary Trent added 20 for the Mavericks, whose victory helped the Lakers close to within 1 1/2 games of the fourth-place Rockets in the Western Conference.

Boston 107, Miami 96--Paul Pierce scored 31 points and Dana Barros scored 27 at Miami as the Celtics completed a three-game season sweep of the Atlantic Division leader.

Pierce scored 10 points, including a pair of three-point baskets, during a 15-0 spurt late in the third quarter as the Celtics ran off to a 21-point lead and held off Miami’s comeback attempt.

Boston’s 40 points in the quarter were the most by any Miami opponent this season. The Heat has given up 100 points only three times, twice to the Celtics.

San Antonio 99, Vancouver 72--Tim Duncan had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs at Vancouver.

The Spurs, coming off Tuesday’s loss to the Kings, beat the Grizzlies for the seventh consecutive time and remained 1 1/2 games behind first-place Utah in the Midwest Division. San Antonio hasn’t lost two in a row since Feb. 28, and is a league-best 27-5 since then.

Indiana 115, Charlotte 110--The Pacers finally found a way to win a close game, overcoming a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter at Indianapolis and winning in overtime to boost their hopes for the Central Division title.

Reggie Miller led the Pacers with 27 points and matched his career high with 12 rebounds.

The Pacers have lost six times in seven one-point games this season and are 6-8 in games decided by three or fewer points.

New York 85, Philadelphia 70--Latrell Sprewell scored 30 points and Allan Houston added 22 for the Knicks at New York in a key matchup in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

The 76ers (26-20), who could have clinched their first playoff berth since 1991 with a victory, fell into a three-way tie for fifth place in the conference with the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons. They’ll play Detroit twice in their final four games.

The Knicks (25-22) hold the eighth and final playoff spot.

Utah 96, Golden State 85--Karl Malone scored 25 points at Salt Lake City as the Jazz won its 12th in a row over the Warriors.

Phoenix 98, Denver 87--Cliff Robinson made six of 10 three-point shots and scored 25 points to lead the Suns at Denver.

Washington 97, Cleveland 86--Ben Wallace and Otis Thorpe each scored 20 points at Washington.

Around the League

Scottie Pippen made a brief courtroom appearance in Houston and was granted his request to put off a hearing in his drunk-driving case. Pippen, playing his first season for the Houston Rockets, was arrested last week for suspicion of driving drunk. No new date for the hearing, which was scheduled for Thursday, was immediately set. . . . Keith Van Horn of the New Jersey Nets had surgery on his broken left thumb. Van Horn, who was injured Sunday in a game against the Indiana Pacers, will have to wear a cast for four to six weeks before beginning rehabilitation. . . . Forward Corie Blount of the Cleveland Cavaliers will have knee surgery next week and will sit out the rest of the season.