Hakeem

Orlando, Fla. -- It's a little more than seven hours until tip-off of the much anticipated meeting between the Orlando Magic and the Houston Rockets. And under the dimmed lights of the Orlando Arena -- void of the 15,291 screaming fans that will fill the stands this night, void of the officials, void of opponents challenging every movement -- the beauty of the game of basketball is being broken down.You could liken it to a dance lesson, with Houston's 10-year veteran Hakeem Olajuwon as the choreographer, and rookie center Eric Riley the student.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Forget the endorsements, forget the recording career, forget the upcoming movie and forget the superman insignia tattooed on his left tricep.If Orlando Magic center Shaquille O'Neal wants to be considered the best center in basketball, he's going to have to prove it on the court against the NBA's best.He did that last night, playing the league's top big man, Hakeem Olajuwon, to a standoff and his teammates did the rest in a 115-100 win before 15,291 at Orlando Arena and a national cable audience.

SALT LAKE CITY - With the retirement of superstars Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, who dominated pro basketball in the '80s, the NBA torch has been passed to Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, David Robinson, and the New Breed, featuring first-time All-Stars Shaquille O'Neal, Shawn Kemp, Larry Johnson and Danny Manning.Together, they represent the wave of the future, but the Old Guard will not go quietly.Three proud over-30 veterans - Hakeem Olajuwon, Isiah Thomas and Dominique Wilkins - are at today's All-Star Game to prove they can still hold their own with the new kids.

It became unfashionable last season to refer to the Houston Rockets as "Team Hakeem" after the Rockets posted a 15-10 record while All-Star center Hakeem Olajuwon was sidelined with an eye injury.With backup center Larry Smith filling in admirably, the Rockets finished 52-30 and earned Don Chaney Coach of the Year honors.But the Rockets, who entertain the Washington Bullets tonight, discovered this season that Olajuwon really is indispensable.With Olajuwon healthy, the Rockets jumped out to a 7-2 start and suddenly were viewed as a legitimate title contender in the Western Conference.

Rockets put Olajuwon on injured listHouston Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon, hospitalized after suffering a fluttering heartbeat, was placed on the injured reserved list yesterday. "All of the doctors are optimistic about Hakeem's full recovery and early return to the lineup," Houston general manager Steve Patterson said in a statement.The all-star center, 28, won't be eligible to return until Dec. 5. Olajuwon can begin full physical activity again after outpatient diagnostic tests are performed in seven to 10 days, the team said.

People have been jumping on the Don Chaney bandwagon for Coach of the Year honors as his Houston Rockets have won 17 of 18 games to challenge the San Antonio Spurs and Utah Jazz for the Midwest Division title.Chaney deserves the praise, particularly for making his team competitive despite the loss of All-National Basketball Association center Hakeem Olajuwon, who was sidelined for two months with an eye injury.But overlooked in monitoring the Rockets' dramatic turnaround has been the contribution of general manager Steve Patterson, who was responsible for making several key acquisitions.