European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 14, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sam Cassell gives rockets Victory 2-1 advantage Over kicks the stars and stripes sports yen four tit june 14,1994 Page 32 by Dill Barnard a basketball writer new York a John Starks tried to be the hero. So did Derek Harper Otis Thorpe Patrick Ewing and Robert Horry. In the end however it was an unlikely player a Skinny Rookie named Sam Cassell who grabbed the heroes role and held it until Houston had a 93-89 Victory and a 2-1 Lead in the Aba finals against the new York kicks. Cassell playing the entire fourth Quarter although he is a Reserve Point guard scored Houston s last seven Points hit a 3-Pointcr that put the rockets ahead to stay and had nine of his 15 Points in the final period sunday night. A every game someone different is going to step up a Cassell said. A dream Hakeem Olajuwon will do everything out there but we need different Guys to give him help. If we help each other out Well be  Olajuwon has led the rockets in scoring in All three games but he had a series Low 21 Points on 8-for-20 shooting sunday night and he is now 2-for-12 in the fourth Quarter in the series. He needed All the help he could get in game 3, and he got it from Cassell. A i done to look at him like a Rookie a Olajuwon said. A a he san experienced player who grew up playing India Litke comments on schoolyard tactics and Sam Cassell a see Page 28. The Park. He a very smart knows How to use his body and knows How to run the  rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said he does no to hesitate to use Cassell in the fourth Quarter even though starting Point guard Kenny Smith has far More experience. A the bigger the Challenge the More he Steps up a Tomjanovich said of Cassell. A a he a still a Young player so he Hasni to done it a thousand times. But he has that Quality in  Houston led by As Many As 16 Points in the first half by 14 in the third Quarter and never trailed until Ewing a Baseline jumper gave the kicks an 82-81 Lead with just 2 52 left in the game. Ewing also gave new York an 86-84 Lead with 1 29 left and finished with 18 Points 13 rebounds and seven blocked shots. But the heroes Crown did not fit As he missed 20 of his 29 shots in the game and committed a crucial offensive foul with the kicks trailing 89-88 in the final minute. Harper with 21 Points and Starks with 20, also tried to step up for the kicks. Both had seven Points in the fourth Quarter. Starks hit a free throw and a 3-Pointcr to close the kicks to a 73-71 deficit Early in the period and his fas Brcak Layup tied the score 77-77, the first time new York was even since it was 2-2. Harper hit a 3-Pointer just before Ewing gave the kicks their first Lead and he had a jumper to give them an 88-86 advantage with just 52 seconds left. That was when Cassell took Over. Olajuwon surrounded after taking a pass inside passed to Cassell for the go ahead 3-Pointcr at the top of the key making it 89-88. Quot i made a move but i saw him open and went for three Points instead of two a said Olajuwon who also blocked seven shots. A i was t comfortable taking an off balance jump  Ewing then was whistled for an offensive foul while trying to set a screen on Vernon Maxwell for Starks and Cassell hit four free throws without a miss in the final seconds sealing the outcome. A i did no to think it was an offensive foul especially at that Point in the game a Ewing said. A i did no to think 1 put a hip into him. Its a Lough Call at that Point of the game 22 seconds  referee Jake o Donnell said he saw Ewing stick out his hip twice. A the moved his hip out and then he did it again a rocket Robert lorry trips Over Knick Derek Harper in wild Aba playoff game at Madison Square Garden sunday. Of Donnell said a a in a not Gonna let it be twice. You done to get away with it  Harper said the kicks a played with a Lack of Effort. We allowed them things that made them a Good basketball team. We did not play with enough Force. I can to say Why. Guys come to a game they think they re prepared and they re  Quot Riley agreed with Harper saying the kicks a we rent to in the same mental mind As we were Friday when new York won game 2. A i thought we were  the a Nicks loss guaranteed that the Home team will not sweep the Middle three games of the finals for the 10th straight year since the 2-3-2 format was re instituted. New York gets two More chances to gain the Lead in the Best-of-7 series with Home games wednesday and Friday nights. Before Cassells heroics Down the stretch Horry and Thorpe both had big baskets for the rockets to keep the kicks from completing another fourth Quarter comeback at Home. Horry twice sliced through the new York defense for dunks m the fourth Quarter and he finished with in Points and nine rebounds. Thorpe who also grabbed nine rebounds broke a 77-77 tie with a left handed Layup with 4 52 left and his three Point play with 2 31 remaining put Houston in front 84-82, but in the end it was Cassell who saved the rockets. A Houston a Sam Cassell. Kicks done to scare Rookie c tit 0 246850 000504