# Houston Rockets Championship Years Summary



## kingofkings (Jun 9, 2002)

I am reposting this thread, as it forms some of my greatest ever NBA memories, as a fan of the Dream.

I just finishing watching the whole 7 games of this remarkable series and let me say, there were more twists and turns in this series then any other series that I have seen in a long time. To re cap the Rockets won the series 4-3, but this series was memorable:

Matchups:

Centre: - Olajuwon - Ewing
Power forwards - Thorpe - Oakley
Small Forwards - Horry - Smith
Shooting Guards - Maxwell - Starks
Point Guards - Smith - Harper

Game 1 - 
Houston 85 - Knicks - 78 in Houston

Game 2
New York 91 - Houston 83 in Houston

Game 3
Houston 93 - New York 89 in New York

Game 4
New York 91 - Houston 82 in New York

Game 5
New York 91 - Houston 84 in New York

Now at this stage the Knicks are on the verge of a Championship. They only need to win game 6 against the Rockets in Houston. 

Now the Dream begins....

Game 6 - Houston, Texas

Rockets go back to their original offense and feed Dream in the post. Dream goes to work on Ewing. Using predominantly isolation plays, isolating Ewing one on one in the post. Ewing cannot stop the shakes and spins of Dream.Dream scoring on him at will. At times taking him outside hitting the jumper over Ewing and Oakley. 

If he is doubled, the ball goes back out to the perimeter and the offense starts again. Hakeem is seemingly in charge of the offense!

Key play , second quarter, Dream shows Ewing the ball, waves it in his face, turns and spins baseline and throws it down with power. 

Starks gets hot in this game scoring 27 points and 16 in the 4th quarter. Looks like Knicks are going to win the championship. Starks three point attempt to win, blocked by Dream with 2 seconds remaining. Rockets win, 86 - 84. Dream scores 30 points and grabs 10 rebounds.

Game 7 -
It all comes down to this game in Houston....

We all know how bad Starks went, shooting 2 for 18, and he missed all 11 of the three pointers that he attempted. Vernon Maxwell in his face all the time. With Dream on Ewing, the Rockets targeted Starks, knowing that if he got hot, then it would be hard to stop the Knicks. Maxwell was a terrior on Starks denying him the ball and getting a hand in his face at all times.Starks seemingly taking bad shots and often unbalanced at times, struggles.

Once again, Dream unstoppable scoring 25 points and grabbing 10 boards, as the Rockets won the game 90 - 84 in Houston, to win the championship and finish one of the truly great series of all time.

What made this series so good is that no team scored more than 93 points in the entire series. It was a defensive battle between these two teams. Tough man on man defensive sets with hard fouls throughout the series.It was a great grind to the death.

Ewing was good but the difference between the teams was a whole lot of Hakeem Olajuwon. When the Rockets were under pressure the ball was instructed to go to Dream. If he was doubled he kicked it out to Maxwell, Elie and Horry spotting up for unmarked threes. It was a dominant performance. Ewing could not have played any harder or done anything more to stop Hakeem. He was clearly outmatched in this series.

Some of the moves that Dream made were guard like. It was like he was a point guard in an athletic centres body. One play Mason and Starks two on one on Olajuwon, Dream anticipates the pass to Starks on the break and rejects his layup with power and authority.

Derek Harper had a great series, but in the end it was all left to two few on the Knicks with Ewing and Starks forced to carry too much of a load on offense. Rockets got more offense out of their bench through Elie and Cassell coming into the game hot.

This was truly a great series and I am really surprised that many more people do not mention it enough.Dream ended this season earning the MVP and defensive player of the year averaging 27 points 12 rebounds and almost 4 blocks per game.
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CHAMPIONSHIP #2 VS MAGIC

A continuation of my finals recap comes to 1995, when the Rockets played the Magic. The Magic had home court advantage and if you remember the Rockets qualified with the 6th seed in the West.

Game 1 at Orlando

Houston 120 - Orlando 118 (OT)

The Magic came out steaming in the first half. Playing an inside outside game. Going to the post, then having the ball kicked out to the long ball threats - Nick Anderson and Dennis Scott.

Magic led by 20 points at half time and O'Neal was having the better of Hakeem. The game started to tighten up after half time and Hakeem seemingly managing to counter Shaq with his own offense. The Magic had a 110 - 107 lead and Nick Anderson goes to the line and misses 4 consecutive free throws. You could tell how nervous he was, but in his career he has never been able to hit his free throws consistently.

1.6 seconds left in regulation, Kenny Smith has the ball and launches a huge three pointer which goes in. Game goes into overtime. Hakeem is now the focus of the offense. Play directed to go through Dream at all times. If he is doubled, get the ball back out and find the open man with precise perimeter passing.

1 second left, Hakeem tips in the game winner. Unbelievable scenes. Rockets steal another win on the road. Nick Anderson gets crucified by the media and deservedly so, for not sinking 4 simple free throws. 

Game 2 at Orlando

Houston 117 - Orlando - 106

Hakeem scores 34 points in a battle against O'Neal. Both players really cannot counter each other. The keys are the other players on each team. Enter Sam Cassell, his break out party. Subbing in for Kenny Smith he scores 31 points and hits jumpshots from everywhere. He is seemingly playing a scorers role, not looking to distribute. The Magic, especially Hardaway, keeps getting burned by Cassell, using a flurry of fakes and pull up jumpers to keep scoring. Game never looked like being lost by the Rockets. Magic offense starting to suffer, through excessive 3 points shooting. Players scared to drive the lane, because of the presence of Hakeem Olajuwon.

Game 3 - at Houston

Houston 106 - Magic 103

Tight throughout. Close checking matchups. Game still at a fast tempo. Horry gets free and hits a 3 pointer with 14 seconds to go. Game over. Magic cannot recover from a 3-0 deficit. Once again the game is dominated by three point shooting.

Game 4 - at Houston

Houston 113 - Orlando - 101

Rockets get control of the game early. Offense flowing well. Ball going to Hakeem. Magic struggling to cover all of the Rockets threats in Cassell, Elie, Drexler and Horry. Game looked like being in the bag early on.

ROCKETS SWEEP SERIES 4 -0

To recap, both Hakeem and Shaq played each other to a standstill, with no winner.

Stats:

Hakeem 32.8 points, 11.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists

Shaq - 28 points, 12.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists

The difference was that when the Rockets needed a score, Hakeem always came through for them. When the Rockets were under pressure, the ball went to Dream and no-one else.

The Magic did not play the Rockets as they should have. They were too predictable. Both teams set the record for the most 3 pointers attempted for a 4 game series. They lived and died by the three pointer. The Magic needed more drivers, then outside shooters in Scott and Anderson. The Rockets got more out of their bench then the Magic did.

Matchups:

ROCKETS

Hakeem
Horry
Drexler
Elie
Smith

MAGIC

Shaq
Grant
Scott
Anderson
Penny

Overall an entertaining series but after the Rockets pinched Game 1, it seemed that the Magic lost a bit of confidence. Still a memorable series. Finals MVP - Hakeem. It has to be remembered that the Rockets came from nowhere to win their 2nd straight championship, beating the Suns, Jazz and Spurs.


Hakeem vs David Robinson

1995 Westen Conference Finals

To get to their 2nd NBA Finals series, the Rockets had to beat the Spurs as well as not having home court throughout the playoffs. Robinson then MVP. Rockets looking for Dream. Robinson wants to play Dream straight up and tight. Hakeem moving around and being active on offense. He is varying his play, going inside and outside and getting free from Robinson.

Robinson wants Hakeem to be stationery on offense and play into his hands, but Hakeem is too smart. When the ball goes into the post, the only way to score on Robinson is to put some moves on him. Get around him any way that you can. With a flurry of spins, fadeways and shakes, Hakeem seemingly is scoring at will on Robinson. Taking him outside, creates space for Hakeem to outmanouver Robinson. Hitting 15 footers in his face. Beating him down court for the fast break finish and driving around his long frame.

A really memorable display. Robinson has no answer for Hakeem. It is not that he is not playing bad defense, it is just that Dream is playing on another level to the then MVP - David Robinson. He is killing him and the Rockets are riding Hakeem to the Finals!!

I know that this is the past, but the past paved the way for the future of the Rockets!!


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## hunterb14 (Jun 12, 2002)

Great post kingofkings. Yes Hakeem was one of those special players and will always be in my mind. He always stepped it up in the clutch and is one of the best to ever play the game.


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## kingofkings (Jun 9, 2002)

The amazing thing about the championship years with the Rockets, was that whenever they were in trouble or needed a clutch shot, the ball was delivered inside to Hakeem.

There are not that many centres of today that when they get the ball, that they can actually do something with it. Dream could get the ball and either score, pass it, or create space for himself to manouver into a better scoring position. Now how many of todays centres have this degree of versatility and awareness.

The great thing with the Rockets in those years, was that they surrounded Dream, with perimeter snipers, who benefited whenever the defense collapsed on Dream. If they doubled down on him, the ball was delivered by Hakeem and passed around the perimeter to the open man spotting up for the open and uncontested three pointer.

My greatest memory was the eclipsing that Dream gave to the then MVP David Robinson in the 1995 NBA WCF. I remember sitting up late one night and watching this guy put up so many moves on a helpless David Robinson. It was like a lesson that the whole world needed to witness and know that Dream was special.


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

Bump, great read.


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## kingofkings (Jun 9, 2002)

the thing that i will always remember about the Rockets 1995 championship, was winning from the 6th seed. getting out on the road, with no real pressure to succeed.

The other thing that stands out was the demolition job that Dream put on the then MVP David Robinson. It was pure dominance that will live in my mind forever. At the time The Admiral was a dominating force on defense, but had no answer for the skills of The Dream.

I think the Rockets put together a great team. Big dominating inside presence, with smart shooters and steady players. Guys who could conform to the game plan of inside/outside play and playing within that structure.

It was execution at its finest and playing to the Rockets strengths at the time.

He was beating The Admiral with all kinds of moves. Mixing it up, going outside, driving on him, shaking him, cutting on him, beating him on the fast break, beating him with crafty passes to cutters, feeding the shooters, dunking on him mercilessly. It was pure artwork!!


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

kingofkings said:


> the thing that i will always remember about the Rockets 1995 championship, was winning from the 6th seed. getting out on the road, with no real pressure to succeed.


It's not like anyone could claim this was a fluke; they were defending NBA champs and... _Indeed, no team had ever stopped four 50-win teams en route to the title, as Houston did in overcoming the Utah Jazz (60-22), Phoenix Suns (59-23), San Antonio Spurs (62-20) and Orlando (57-25). No team ever beat the clubs with the four best regular-season records in the league in order to win the championship. No team ever won as many as nine road games in one year's playoffs, and no team ever won seven road games in a row. Houston did it all. _



> The other thing that stands out was the demolition job that Dream put on the then MVP David Robinson. It was pure dominance that will live in my mind forever. At the time The Admiral was a dominating force on defense, but had no answer for the skills of The Dream.


 :clap: 



> I think the Rockets put together a great team. Big dominating inside presence, with smart shooters and steady players. Guys who could conform to the game plan of inside/outside play and playing within that structure.


Elie, Smith and Cassell were great role players, although none of them were average defenders. In that aspect Hakeem really helped them out, they could afford to overplay their man and "funnel" them into the paint where Hakeem would be waiting.



> He was beating The Admiral with all kinds of moves. Mixing it up, going outside, driving on him, shaking him, cutting on him, beating him on the fast break, beating him with crafty passes to cutters, feeding the shooters, dunking on him mercilessly. It was pure artwork!!


That's another reason the Rocket fans are so hard on Yao right now. Houstonians were totally spoiled by Hakeem's game, and too many expected Yao to show the same progress and ability with his game.


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## kingofkings (Jun 9, 2002)

It was a great team structure when you look back on it. Big dominating post presence and smart veteran players. Drexler, Elie, Smith and yound up and comers in Horry and Cassell to get the team running and gunning.

Great game plan as well. Feed the ball inside first. Look for the easy score. Wait for the defense to colla[se on Dream, feed the ball outside and swing it to the open man. That is basic basketball at its best. And it worked for 2 championships!!

Switch the tempo, by inserting Cassell off the bench for instant offense.

I always said that you win in the NBA with a dominating post player and surrounding him with smart shooters and structure players. Forget about athleticism and go with smart players who know their roles and play within the system.

You don't win as the 6th seed in the playoffs if you do not have great team structure.Forget about Jordan being out or whatever, the Rockets were well coached in those years and played to the teams strengths.


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

kingofkings said:


> It was a great team structure when you look back on it. Big dominating post presence and smart veteran players. Drexler, Elie, Smith and yound up and comers in Horry and Cassell to get the team running and gunning.
> 
> Great game plan as well. Feed the ball inside first. Look for the easy score. Wait for the defense to colla[se on Dream, feed the ball outside and swing it to the open man. That is basic basketball at its best. And it worked for 2 championships!!
> 
> ...


Yup, and another thing about Hakeem was that he was probably the only big man whose team would rely on him to knock down big shots. Not to take away from Elie, Horry, Cassell and Drexler, but Rudy could tell the players to dump it into Hakeem and he WOULD deliver. It's not often you see a big man creating shots for himself in the last minute of the game.

And to all those who think fundamental basketball isn't fun to watch: The Summit was sold out for close to 6 years during and after the championship years.


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## kingofkings (Jun 9, 2002)

The thing about it though was people think that Drexler was on the downslide when he was traded to the Rockets for their second run. Couldn't be further from the truth. In my opinion, he was that link man that the team needed. Another smart player, who if you followed the Rockets in that time period, was cutting and slashing his way to 20 or so points per game.

They had talent everywhere and clutch players. Elie, Cassell, Dream and Smith were all clutch players not to mention Horry!!

I always like to talk up that team, as they won for a reason and not because Jordan was out of the league. They showed that you win NBA games with execution and having players executing within the team structure.

The game is too confused right now and it needs to get back to basics. Simple basketball, like the 94/95 Rockets.

I swear to the good lord, that coaches try to over complicate the game. Complex offensive sets,etc. I guess when you have Dream, the offense can be very simple and it was great to watch.

If you really watch the 94/95 Rockets game plan, you will note that all players were never stationery. They were rotating to set positions and knowing in advance what play was being run. The vets like Drexler/Smith/Dream had NBA smarts and knew how to get it done.


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

I think Drexler was on the way down when he came to the Rockets, though that doesn't change the fact that he was a great fit for the team.

Regarding the Spurs series, wasn't Hakeem doubled for a lot of the first three games? And after that, didn't they cease doubling him and sort of resign themselves to allowing him to get 30+? Or am I remembering incorrectly?

And yeah, Shaq was great in '95. I've always said that Shaq was almost at his best that year. He was so much quicker then than he has been these last few years, and he had such good balance.


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

kingofkings said:


> The thing about it though was people think that Drexler was on the downslide when he was traded to the Rockets for their second run. Couldn't be further from the truth. In my opinion, he was that link man that the team needed. Another smart player, who if you followed the Rockets in that time period, was cutting and slashing his way to 20 or so points per game.
> 
> They had talent everywhere and clutch players. Elie, Cassell, Dream and Smith were all clutch players not to mention Horry!!
> 
> ...


As a coach, I still don't know how to rank Rudy T. He definitely wasn't an X's and O's guy, but he created plenty of motion on offense like you said, had a foolproof (possibly) offensive set but had the luxury of isolating Hakeem. Like you mentioned, it's funny that the coaches come up with all these multiple screens and what not when the triangle offense and Rocket offense were the only things that achieved success in the 90's. 

It pissed me off that Houston never met Chicago in the finals.


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

Hakeem said:


> Regarding the Spurs series, wasn't Hakeem doubled for a lot of the first three games? And after that, didn't they cease doubling him and sort of resign themselves to allowing him to get 30+? Or am I remembering incorrectly?


From what I remember they kept the double teams going at Hakeem, especially during games 5 and 6 (where he exploded). He would simply pass out of them with great efficiency or just knock down shots over the double teams. The thing was that Houston dumped the ball down to Hakeem on close to every posession, and he had no problem throwing the ball out where the perimeter would swing the ball and look for the open shot. The Spurs defense was kept on the run.


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

Mr. Roger's Cardigan said:


> It pissed me off that Houston never met Chicago in the finals.


I seem to remember us beating the Bulls a lot from 1990-97. At least, we beat them more often than most other teams did.


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

Hakeem said:


> I seem to remember us beating the Bulls a lot from 1990-97. At least, we beat them more often than most other teams.


We were the only team in the NBA with a winning record against the Bulls in that span (I actually think it was throughout the entire 90's).


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

Whoa. I remember one game in the '96-97 when they killed us. Hakeem and MJ went for the same from the field. Pippen and Rodman pretty much shut down Drexler and Barkely.

But later that season we killed them without Charles (I don't think they had Rodman). Olajuwon dominated and Drexler had a triple-double.


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## kingofkings (Jun 9, 2002)

There was something special in my opinion of that championship in 93/94, the first one of the nineties. I think it was special, because the Rockets prevailed in a close, hard, grind of a series against the Knicks.Going up against a team of grinders and body bangers, in Ewing/Oakley, etc. 

Forget about Jordan being retired, the whole series was a slugfest and a last man standing affair. I am not sure why the series keeps getting dismissed, because in my opinion, it was the true meaning of playoff basketball. Down to the wire, going to 7 games, not knowing when the game was going to turn and watching two superstars go at it, in Dream and Ewing.

The series could have gone either way and it was decided by a play here and a play there. Tough, no easy baskets, intense basketball.


And it was the moment that Dream became an NBA superstar, winning his championship and doing it when it mattered and.........

DUNKING ON PATRICK EWING AT WILL!!!!!!!


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## sherwin (Mar 21, 2005)

Where did you get the tape? Man I really want to sit down and watch the entire 94 and 95 post seasons. They were pretty much magical. I was so y oung back then that I didn't watch much except the finals.


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

then we got drexler now we got tmac and 6th seed hummmm any thought


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## kingofkings (Jun 9, 2002)

If you want the tape, try ringing the Rockets organisation and see what they can do for you. They would be the best medium for getting the game tapes.

I would advise you to watch the Rockets/Knicks series in preference to the Rckets/Magic series. The Rocks/Magic series was a different affair. It was a three point bombing event, with both teams using the three extensively. It was not as good a series to watch, in my opinion.

In the Rockets/Knicks series, if you guys ever watch it, watch how the Rockets swing the ball to the corners regularly, where Maxwell, Elie, Horry and Smith were usually open. We know how the Knicks had a great interior defense, but the Rockets tried to exploit their lack of speed by using a fast tempo passing game and you have to say that it worked.

Watch how the ball goes deep to Dream. He waits, pivots, the double comes, he passes it back out and then they swing it around the perimeter, looking for the jumshot. If nothing is on,it goes back inside for the shot.

The 7 game series would have taken a huge toll on both teams, as like i keep saying it was physical. You know the Bulls/Knicks series of the 90's? Well, this was the same Knicks team. 

And to those who thought that the Rockets were just a finesse team in the 90's need to watch the tapes, as they not only matched the Knicks in physicality, but also in aggression.


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