This would be a good night for Hakeem Olajuwon to start earning his money.

Wouldn't it be nice for the Raptors if the 39-year-old Olajuwon were motivated enough by his return to Houston to turn back the clock to, say, 1994? If Olajuwon somehow could squeeze 25 points, 10 rebounds and a half-dozen blocked shots out of his creaky frame tonight against the Rockets, it would go a long way toward helping the Raptors bust free from their 11-game losing streak.

Olajuwon essentially has been a non-factor since leaving the Rockets and signing a three-year, $17-million US contract with the Raptors last summer. But if ever there were an evening when Olajuwon's new team needed him, this is it.