European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 17, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 26 the stars and stripes tuesday March 17, 1992smith Calls tune As rockets Roll by the associated press Kenny Smith says he a been getting More chances to play a key role for the Houston rockets since Rudy Tomjanovich took Over As head coach. Smith scored 28 Points and handed off nine assists sunday night to Lead the rockets to a 106-97 Victory Over the visiting Utah jazz. The rockets had to overcome a Strong performance by Karl Malone who scored 36 Points including 30 in the second half for the jazz. But Smith was the key to the Victory As the rockets sent him crashing Down the Middle on the pick and Roll play time and time again. Smith was Able to score or pass off an assist. A a it a getting to where Kenny Smith needs to be mentioned with the big names a Tomjanovich said. A late in the game we got into our pick and Roll and Kenny did just a great Job of picking the right option every time. He a finishing the plays and making the Contact. A rarely do we go to our pick and Roll play that much. We ran it Over and Oyer tonight and Kenny did a great Job with  they wore me out running that play in the fourth Quarter a Smith said. In addition to Smiths output the rockets got 21 from Vernon Maxwell who also grabbed six rebounds and had four assists. Otis Thorpe had 12 Points and 12-rebounds. Malone had 16 rebounds. John Stockton backed him with 25 Points and 16 assists. In other late games sunday suns 118, Timber wolves 113 Phoenix won at Minnesota for its third straight Road Victory after an eight game Road losing Streak. Jeff Hornacek led four suns with 20 or More Points with 26, including 11 in the third Quarter. But the Timber wolves led 105-103 in the fourth Quarter before baskets by Hornacek and Kevin Johnsonn a gave Phoenix the Lead for Good. Scott Brooks scored a career High 21 Points for the Timber wolves. Dan Majerle had 22 Points and Tim Perry and Kevin Johnson had 20 each for the suns. The loss leaves Minnesota 0-11 against Phoenix one of Only two Aba teams Minnesota has not beaten. Clippers 131, Kings 105 Ron Harper scored 18 of his 20 Points in the first half As the clippers coasted past the Kings and established a club record for Home victories in los Angeles with their 24th of the season. Harper made nine of his first 11 shots to help the clippers built a 51-31 Cushion with m minutes left in the second Quarter. They led 63-44 at halftime and Sacramento got no closer than 17 Points during the final 16 minutes. Rockets 106, jazz 97 the rockets withstood a second half Utah rally to beat the jazz behind the 28 Points and nine assists of Kenny Smith. Utah a Karl Malone scored 30 of his 36 Points in the second half including 18 in the third period As the jazz tried to come Back from a 25-Point deficit. Vernon Maxwell complemented Smith with 21 Points six rebounds and four assists. Otis Thorpe added 12 Points and 12 rebounds Malone had 16 rebounds. John Stockton backed him with 25 Points and 16 assists. Supersonics 109, Mavericks 100 Ricky Pierce scored 10 of his 23 Points the last five minutes lifting the supersonics Over the Mavericks. Shawn Kemp came off the Bench and added 20 Points and 15 rebounds for the sonics. The Mavericks lost a franchise record 20th straight Road game and ninth straight Overall. Utah a Mark Eaton gets rejected by Houston Shakeem Olajuwon on sunday. Nil mulling $140 give Back to the networks Phoenix Ariz. A nil owners hedging against a further downturn in the Economy discussed sunday extending their television contract two More years at a Flat rate in return for what amounts to a give Back of about $140 million. To put it simply if the owners agree to the Deal with the five networks that carry their games each of the 28 teams would get about $34 million for each of the next four years about what they re due to get for the 1992 season. The give Back comes from next seasons revenues when each team was supposed to receive $39,5 million under the terms of the contract agreed to two seasons ago. Instead they will receive $34,2 million or More than $5 million less per team. Quot in a looking for stability a said Dan Rooney of the pit Burgh St Celers. Quot our ratings Are excellent but the networks Are losing Money. We re having problems because of the  the television talk pushed Back discussion of two other issues a the Fate of the new England patriots whose owner Victor Kiam is haying financial difficulties a and expansion. The latter is expected to come up tuesday. For now however the focus is to. Rooney a sentiment is similar to those of commissioner Paul Tagliabue and Cleveland owner Art Mode who Heads the a Fly a television committee who worked out the Deal with the networks lbs Abc Abc esp and int. The contracts signed in 1990, called for $3.6 billion Over four years. In trying to sell it to the owners they note that because of the recession the advertising Revenue has fallen off even with decent ratings. For example one network source noted that even though cd so ratings for the past Winter olympics were higher than expected the network just about broke even on its telecasts. Nil spokesman Joe Browne said the decision to discuss an Extension beyond 1993 was due to a the uncertainty of network television and its advertising  the owners also discussed the labor impasse that has existed since 1987, when the 24-Day strike ended without a contract. That impasse could be resolved this summer by an antitrust suit filed by a group of players seeking free Agency. The trial of that suit is scheduled to begin june 15 in Minneapolis although Tagliabue has been pushing the owners to come up with a settlement offer. The television Deal could help expedite such a proposal by letting the players know How much Money will be available for the next four years. A from an owners standpoint 1 think its an excellent package a said Robert Tisch co owner of the new York giants. Tisch is in a unique position a a he is a minority stockholder in lbs and his brother Laurence is the networks chief executive officer. "1 think its Good for the nil and its Good for the giants a Tisch added. Browne insisted that the give Back is not exactly a precedent. In 1987, the league agreed to a three year contract that dropped average Revenue from $17.2 million a team to $17 million. That also coincided with labor talks the ones that resulted in the 24-Day walkout. Browne acknowledged that if there was an upturn in the Economy the nil might be getting less than it would if it renegotiated at the end of the 1993 season when the current contract expires. A fall 1 can say is that you re rolling the  he  joins entries list for indy 500 Indianapolis a Nelson Piquet of Brazil a three time world Champion with 23 formula one victories will make his first attempt at the Indianapolis 500. He will join last years fast qualifier Gary Bettenhausen in a five car stable entered monday for the May 24 race by team Menard of eau Claire wis. Piquet 39, would be the 10th former formula one Champion since 1950 in the indy lineup. The most recent and the Only ones still competing Are Mario Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi. Both Piquet and Bettenhausen 50, were assigned new Lolas powered by Buick v6 engines. The five entries raised the total to 34, and the Indianapolis motor Speedway said More than 80 were expected before the april 1 deadline. The Only former winners entered so far Are Gordon John cock the 1973 and 1982 Winner and Bobby Rahal who won the race in 1986. Piquet is second in All time formula one starts trailing Riccardo Patrese 224204, in a career that began in 1978. His first formula one Victory and his first of five in North America came at the . Grand prix West at Long Beach calif., in 1980. His 23 titles ranks seventh among All formula one Drivers