Olajuwon Stops Bulls

A depleted Hakeem Olajuwon was still enough to lead the Houston Rockets over the Chicago Bulls.

Olajuwon, who didn’t drink liquids during the game because of his religious fast, had 32 points and 16 rebounds as the Houston Rockets finished with a 19-2 run to defeat the Bulls 102-86 Sunday.

The victory snapped Chicago’s nine-game winning streak and Houston’s four-game losing streak - dating to 1994 - against the Bulls.

Olajuwon, a Muslim, is observing Ramadan, a period of fasting that includes no liquids between sun up and sundown. On game days, he rises before dawn to eat a meal.

“I had some rice and also chicken and hoped that would stay with me,” Olajuwon said. “The hunger was not there, it was the thirst. I tried not to think about it. The thing is to control your desire.”

Olajuwon’s fast didn’t slow him down against the Bulls. Olajuwon played the entire third quarter and after taking a brief rest, returned to help put down Chicago’s final charge. He played 39 minutes.

“We have a team that can beat them, but you have to pay the price,” Olajuwon said. “This is just one game but this is satisfying. We knew we could play with them. This is character-building for this team.”

Clyde Drexler started slowly, but finished with 17 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his 23rd career triple-double.

Michael Jordan led the Bulls with 26 points. Scottie Pippen was only 2-of-14 from the field.