European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 28, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 30 the stars and stripes sports tuesday december 28,1993 Smith hits 41 to lift Houston Over lakers by the associated press. The Houston rockets did no to want losing to become a habit and Kenny Smith did something about it. Smith Slung by a four Point performance in a 20-Point loss to Phoenix on Christmas Day scored a Carcer High 41 Points sunday night As the rockets routed the los Angeles lakers 118-93. Goal was Tat come out and be assertive a said Smith who made 16 of 24 shots. A yesterday was an embarrassment to our whole team and for myself. Quot i told Vernon Maxwell a that a it that a the last game you re going to see me play like  if i m going to go Down to be the Way i playing its going 15 Points in the fun u by from the lakers by a a a of Wii a them 38-27 in the fourth Quarter. Houston had suffer Iff to Floc a in Nontia Annj .#4 a  Smith scored rockets pulled away from the lakers a Quot i-27 i a final period As the a outscoring double digit losses to Denver and Phoenix after win Ning 22 of its first 23 games. Smith and Hakeem Olajuwon combined to score 22 of Houston s first 26 Points in the fourth Quarter. Ola Juwon had nine Points in the period and finished with 17 Points and 14 rebounds for Houston. The lakers with 20 Points while Vlade Divac added 16. In other games sunday warriors 108, blazers 106, of Golden state beat Portland for the first time in 10 tries behind Latrell Sprewell a season High 33 Points and Rookie Chris webbers 24,. Warriors trailing 83-77 after three periods led 94-93 with 4 18 left in regulation before Strickland came Back with a 5-footer and two free throws giving the blazers a 97-94 Edge with 1 29 remaining. A free throw by Chris Mullin and webbers Layup with 5.7 seconds left tied the score and Strickland missed a follow shot forcing the overtime. Rod Strickland and Clifford Robinson scored. 27 Points apiece for Portland spurs 99, celtics 65 David Robinson scored a season High 46 Points As san Antonio handed Boston its seventh consecutive Road loss and fifth straight defeat Overall. Robinson made 16 of 26 shots from the Field and 14 of a Carcer High 23 attempts from the free throw line to Kuli into a virtual tie with Shaquille of Neal for the Iba scoring Lead. Of Neal a exact average is 28.600 and Robinsons 28.593, Boston was led by Xavier Mcdaniel with 18 Points. A i Radja 0-for-14 from the Field and acid Earl 0-for-l were scoreless., nuggets 100, Timber wolves 97 Denver won its third consecutive game for the first time this season while handing visiting Minnesota its fifth straight defeat. Bryant Stith a 16-foot jump shot from the Lane with 25 seconds left broke a 9?-97 tie a the 17th of the game a and Reggie Williams converted a free throw 20 seconds later. Christian laettner then missed a 3-Pomter for the Timber wolves. Atlanta s Kevin  soars to the Basket past new Jersey defenders Johnny Newman left and Benoit Benjamin. Chuck person came off the Minnesota Bench to Lead All scorers with 22 Points. Laettner added 19. Heat 109, Kings 95 Miami beat Sacramento for its fifth straight Victory and the heat out rebounded the opposition and held an opponent under 100 Points for the sixth straight game. Reserve guard Brian Shaw stored a season High 20 Points and Steve Smith had 23 for the heat. Mitch Richmond had a season High 38 Points for the Kings who lost for the 10th Lime in 11 Road games. Nets 91, Hawks 97 net Jersey extended its Home winning Streak to four despite the absence of Derrick Coleman. Armon Gilliam starting because of Coleman a stomach virus had 18 Points and 13 rebounds for the nets new Jersey prepares for another pm4siqu� Wilkins scored 23 Points and Kevin Willis had 20 Points and 10 rebounds for Atlanta which lost its second straight game after winning 16 of 17. Kenny Anderson who finished with 15 Points and 13 assists iced the Victory with three late free throws. Cavaliers 107, pacers 103, of Mark Price had 16 assists and scored seven of his 21 eth flt including the go ahead 18-footer with 28 seconds left in Cleveland a 10th consecutive Victory Over Indiana. Frn no Ivl ,ii� a so 80t a season High 27 Points amp a a Daugherty extended their winning Streak to Fnu Tkv Quot the la tins pacers losing Streak to for in Dav s matched his career High with 21 Points for Indiana and he grabbed 18 rebounds. By Larry my Siul new York a Why does no to Johnny know geography maybe he lives in new Jersey where Many pro sports teams play Ball hut Only a couple admit it. The Philadelphia 76ers Are close to becoming the Garden states fifth pro team a and the third to eschew a geographically Correct name. The basketball team plans to maintain its Pennsylvania affiliation despite a Camden n.j., address Welcome to the club fellas. Already hunkered Down at the sprawling sports Complex at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford n.j., Are the new York giants and the new York jets of the National football league. And still talking about joining them on the West Side of the Hudson River Are the new York Yankees one of baseball a most intensely neighbourhood identified teams the a Bronx  mixers owner Harold Katz at a Phila Delphia news conference  see what the big Deal was a we arc seven minutes from Here. You people act like we re moving to Kansas  no just East across the Delaware River into a new bigger Arena still to be built. But when he makes that seven minute trip Katz will find the natives a bit Touchy about constant out of state references. The 50-Yard line at giants stadium was emblazoned with an outline of the state and the words a new Jersey Mead of wiands in 1986 to make the Point perfectly Clear. Not that the fans fret much about the name game. The sellouts for every single giants and jets Home game Are testimony to the passions and loyalties of the people in the seats a wherever the seats Are. While the mixers would make their Home in South Jersey the displaced denizens of the North the giants and jets a have their own twisted take on the metropolitan map. Consider this the new York giants who played for a time in new Haven Conn. In the Yale bowl while Yankee loin Quot was be is refurbished in the Newster Sevath a  off Ces in i Jersey. They practice every Dav in new Jersey. Their training Camp is in new Jersey. Their coach and most of their players live in new Jersey the new York jets on the other hand have their offices on Long Island. They practice on Long Island. But they tooth Quot ecu try at iams stadium Many teams around the country Nav in places that Are not where the name says a observed John sumerian Nokel Man for he new Jersey spot pfc n team sit Ion authority. A the Washington bullets play m Landover  if the bad news is that some new Jersey teams use outside Billing the worse news is that some do not and their tans sometimes wish they would. The new Jersey devils of the National hockey league and the new Jersey nets of the National basketball association residents of the Meadowlands Arena Nave Hung Zero championship banners in the rafters. R p not that winning solves these identity crises. When the giants were churning toward the 1987 super bowl a decade a Ter abandoning new York City then new York Mayir de Koch labelled the team  about a ticker tape Parade for the eventual super bowl victors Koch scornfully replied a let them have a Parade in Moonachie a the tiny new Jersey Tow n just North of the Meadowlands