clarinews@clarinet.com (01/13/90)
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (UPI) -- Magic Johnson scored 31 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists Friday night in leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 107-98 victory over the Houston Rockets. Johnson earned his fifth triple-double of the year as the Lakers improved their NBA best-record to 25-8 and snapped the Rockets' four-game win streak to drop their record to 16-19. Orlando Woolridge came off the bench to score 17 points for the Lakers. Mitchell Wiggins and Akeem Olajuwon paced the Rockets with 18 points each. The Lakers outscored the Rockets 10-6 in the final 3:31 of the game, with Johnson scoring 8 of the 10 points on a jumper, a pair of layups and a pair of free throws. Houston took a 15-15 lead on Olajuwon's 8-foot jumper with 5:53 left in the first quarter. Otis Thorpe picked off Johnson's errant pass and fed Olajuwon for an easy layup to give Houston a 32-24 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Laker coach Pat Riley inserted Woolridge, Vlade Divac and Larry Drew to start the second quarter. Woolridge scored five straight baskets en route to a 13-point quarter. He put the Lakers back in front at 43-42 with 6:35 to play in the half. Houston, despite losing Olajuwon with his third foul with 4:57 to play, led at the half, 61-55. Olajuwon picked up his fourth and fifth fouls and had to leave the game with 7:35 to play in the third quarter and the score tied, 64-64. Johnson immediately attacked the Rocket defense in the middle, twice driving to the basket for layups and then for a pair of free throws as Los Angeles took a 79-76 lead into the final period. Wiggins kept the Rockets in the game with 12 points in the final quarter before Johnson took over.