Houston Rockets

When Dave Carrodine sat down nearly three years ago to develop a marketing plan for Sam Cassell, he didn't have the easiest of jobs. Cassell was not a lottery pick (he was the 24th player taken in the 1993 NBA draft, by the Houston Rockets). He lacked the name recognition of Chris Webber, the top pick that year. And he was attempting to break through in a market where future Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon was entrenched."When I first started out with Sam, it would be hard to get people to take my calls, and when they did they said, 'No, thank you,' " said Carrodine, the vice president for marketing at Columbia-based Precept Sports.

Spurs@Cavaliers 1 p.m. [chs. 2, 7] Cleveland is suddenly looking vulnerable after a pair of bad losses, and a victory over San Antonio could help refuel its mojo, as well as keep it ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers for best record in the league. The Spurs are trying to hold off the Houston Rockets and New Orleans Hornets for the Southwest Division title.

During a recent Houston Rockets practice at the Compaq Center, the equipment manager caught a mouse and showed it to the team's 7-foot-5 rookie center, Yao Ming. Yao studied the mouse at length. Then, turning, he called to his teammate, Moochie Norris, the shortest player on the team at 6-1. Norris is nicknamed Mouse. "Hey, Moochie, your brother is here!" Colin Pine, the man who is Yao's public voice, laughs as he tells the story. "Yao has a wonderful relationship with his teammates," Pine said.

No. 24 Clemson @Georgia Tech 7 p.m. [ESPN2] Clemson (21-7, 9-5) is trying to hang onto third place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Georgia Tech (12-16, 5-9) is just trying to stop a free fall in which the Yellow Jackets have lost six of their past seven. NBA Doubleheader 7 p.m., 9:30 p.m. [TNT] LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers play against the Chicago Bulls at 7. At 9:30, the Houston Rockets -- who have played well without the injured Yao Ming -- get tested by the Dallas Mavericks.

BasketballHouston Rockets -- Activated F Matt Bullard from injured list.CollegeWest Virginia Wesleyan -- Named Brian Jozwiak (Catonsville), former Kansas City Chiefs player, defensive line coach.

BasketballChicago Bulls -- Waived G Rory Sparrow. Activated F Scott Williams from the injured list.Denver Nuggets -- Activated F Anthony Cook from the injured list. Waived F Jerome Lane.Houston Rockets -- Placed C Hakeem Olajuwon on the injured list.Los Angeles Clippers -- Waived G Elliott Perry. Signed G David Rivers.CollegesOhio State -- Signed football coach John Cooper to a 3-year contract extension.

Spurs@Cavaliers 1 p.m. [chs. 2, 7] Cleveland is suddenly looking vulnerable after a pair of bad losses, and a victory over San Antonio could help refuel its mojo, as well as keep it ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers for best record in the league. The Spurs are trying to hold off the Houston Rockets and New Orleans Hornets for the Southwest Division title.

VS. HOUSTON ROCKETS* WHEN: Tonight, 8:30.* WHERE: The Summit, Houston.* TV/RADIO: Channel 20, WTOP-AM 1500.* OUTLOOK: The Bullets (21-28) continue their three-game swing through Texas that concludes tomorrow night in Dallas. Losers of four of their last five, the Bullets need a win to move back into third place, ahead of the Knicks, in the Atlantic Division. The Rockets (27-22) are in third place in the Midwest Division, 7 1/2 games behind San Antonio and 5 1/2 games behind Utah, but should qualify for the playoffs.

BaseballAtlanta Braves -- Agreed to terms with P Mike Stanton (5-5, 2.88 ERA, 7 saves) and P Armando Reynoso (2-1, 6.17) on one-year contracts.New York Mets -- Agreed to terms with P Julio Valera (2 IP) on a one-year contract.St. Louis Cardinals -- Agreed to terms with C Alex Trevino on a minor-league contract.BasketballHouston Rockets -- Named Bill Berry assistant coach.HockeyEdmonton Oilers -- Traded RW Max Middendorf to the Red Wings for C Bill McDougall.Washington Capitals -- Recalled D Ken Sabourin from Baltimore (AHL)

No. 24 Clemson @Georgia Tech 7 p.m. [ESPN2] Clemson (21-7, 9-5) is trying to hang onto third place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Georgia Tech (12-16, 5-9) is just trying to stop a free fall in which the Yellow Jackets have lost six of their past seven. NBA Doubleheader 7 p.m., 9:30 p.m. [TNT] LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers play against the Chicago Bulls at 7. At 9:30, the Houston Rockets -- who have played well without the injured Yao Ming -- get tested by the Dallas Mavericks.

HOUSTON -- Hakeem Olajuwon, the soft-spoken Nigerian emigre who led the Houston Rockets to two NBA championships, is becoming as celebrated in the city's real estate circles as he was on the basketball court. Following an unorthodox yet disciplined strategy, he has managed to make as much in real estate in the past 10 years as he did in 17 seasons playing professional basketball. "He buys high and sells higher," said David L. Cook, executive vice president with the commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield, who has represented Olajuwon in several transactions.

There are plenty of curiosities about the NBA this season. Take, for example ... The long-running, prime-time drama that is the New York Knicks. The lost - and losing - stars in Boston, Minnesota, Indiana and Philadelphia. The return of Don Nelson to Golden State. Michael Jordan's re-emergence as part-owner in Charlotte. Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson: still together, still in Los Angeles. The question of when Mount Artest might blow up. The defense of the Chicago Bulls. And the offense of a half-dozen other teams.

MARYLAND Rain stops, but water still rises Nearly a week of rains that drenched Maryland wound down yesterday, leaving behind widespread damage and six people dead or missing. But even as the sun emerged, some people were fearing what might lie ahead with streams and rivers still rising. pg 1a Review finds falsified records Officials at a state-run juvenile detention center falsified records for more than a year to make it look like workers were getting required training on how to deal with troubled youths, an independent monitor has found.

Through the first month of the NBA season, a few trends are starting to develop. Let's take a look at the league, division by division: Atlantic Call this the gang that can't shoot straight, as no team has seen fit to stick its head much above .500. The New Jersey Nets, the two-time defending Eastern Conference champions, have been the biggest surprise, stumbling about, what with three of their top six (Jason Kidd, Kenyon Martin and Lucious Harris) hobbled with injuries, and the retirement of Alonzo Mourning.

NEW YORK - The Houston Rockets are expected to meet this week with Jeff Van Gundy about becoming Rudy Tomjanovich's replacement as coach, according to an NBA source. Houston must get permission from the New York Knicks before it can formally interview Van Gundy, who is still under contract with the team until July 31. As of late yesterday, Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson had not spoken to Knicks president Scott Layden. Knicks officials yesterday declined to comment on Van Gundy's status.

During a recent Houston Rockets practice at the Compaq Center, the equipment manager caught a mouse and showed it to the team's 7-foot-5 rookie center, Yao Ming. Yao studied the mouse at length. Then, turning, he called to his teammate, Moochie Norris, the shortest player on the team at 6-1. Norris is nicknamed Mouse. "Hey, Moochie, your brother is here!" Colin Pine, the man who is Yao's public voice, laughs as he tells the story. "Yao has a wonderful relationship with his teammates," Pine said.

The Los Angeles Clippers announced yesterday that forward Danny Manning, who has missed the past six games with a broken left ring finger, will be activated for Saturday night's home game against the Houston Rockets.Manning was placed on the injured list Nov. 15 after getting hurt in the fourth quarter of the Clippers' 112-99 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 11.The Clippers (5-5) were 3-3 without Manning, who averaged a team-high 25.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in four games.

BASEBALL (AL)* League -- Suspended Jack McDowell (Chicago White Sox pitcher) and Mark Whiten (Toronto Blue Jays outfielder) three games for fighting in a game May 19.* Orioles -- Fired Frank Robinson (manager) and reassigned him within the organization. Named Johnny Oates manager.* Texas Rangers -- Signed Eric Nolte and Drew Hall (pitchers) and assigned them to Oklahoma of the American Association.BASKETBALL (NBA)* Houston Rockets -- Signed Don Chaney (coach) to a multi-year contract.FOOTBALL (NFL)

Look for Clyde Drexler's name on a team Web site, and you won't find it this year, but the former Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets guard is hoping that won't be the case next season. Drexler, one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players, isn't looking to add a chapter to his playing career, like Michael Jordan, but is taking the necessary steps to become an NBA coach, serving as an assistant with the Denver Nuggets. "For me, it's more of what I would like to do," said Drexler while helping Nuggets players prepare for a game against the Washington Wizards.

The Houston Rockets were prepared to draft former Maryland standout Terence Morris with the last of the team's three NBA first-round picks last night. Then the phone rang, with the New Jersey Nets calling to offer former Seton Hall standout Eddie Griffin for all three picks. There was one stipulation: The Rockets had to draft Pepperdine guard Brandon Armstrong at No. 23, the pick with which Houston was hoping to take Morris. It was the first in a series of telephone calls that finally ended with the Rockets obtaining Morris, who had been picked early in the second round and 34th overall by the Atlanta Hawks, for a future draft pick.