1994-95 Houston Rockets: Double Clutch Part 3/4

The Orlando Magic were the only team left to prevent the Rockets from collecting back-to-back championships. In Game One of the Finals, the Magic raced out to a 20-point lead in the second quarter. Houston worked the deficit down to 11 at halftime and had a seven-point lead going into the fourth quarter.

The Magic fought back to take a three-point lead with a little over a minute left in the game. An Olajuwon turnover should have spelled doom for the Rockets, but they fouled the right Orlando player. Magic guard Nick Anderson missed four straight free throws with 10.5 seconds left in the game to give the Rockets a chance. With 1.6 seconds left, Rockets guard Kenny Smith faked the Magic's Anfernee Hardaway out of his way and calmly sank his Finals-record seventh three-pointer to tie the game at 110.

The two teams played to an overtime score of 118-118 with mere seconds left on the clock. Drexler drove the lane for the final shot, but had to change it at the last moment to keep from being blocked by Shaquille O'Neal. Olajuwon simply tipped in the Drexler miss to give the Rockets a 120-118 win.

In Game Two, Olajuwon scored 34 points and Sam Cassell poured in 31 points to give the Rockets a 117-106 victory and their seventh consecutive road playoff victory.

The Rockets locked up their second straight NBA title with a 106-103 win in Game Three and a 113-101 victory in Game Four. Olajuwon was named the Finals MVP for the second consecutive year and the 1995 Rockets became the first team to ever win four playoff series against opponents with 50 wins or more.

"Nobody has ever done what this team has done ... come from the sixth seed ... down in the series," Coach Rudy Tomjanovich said on the platform as the Rockets were presented with their second straight Larry O'Brien Trophy. "We had nonbelievers all along the way. I have one thing to say to those nonbelievers: Don't ever underestimate the heart of a champion."

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[kwstastt]

@gluserty ohhh ok we agree!!,the 1994 bulls with the baseballer jordan was no mutch for the rockets for sure...and i think that was a good thing for jordan...he didnt lost to a final series and

made him very very angry for the next year.... ;-)

[gluserty]

@kwstastt I meant the 1994 Rockets vs. 1994 Bulls with Jordan; I agree, the 1997 Rockets most likely would have lost to the 1997 Bulls in six games, just like the Jazz.

[kwstastt]

@gluserty no way men..... even with barkley they didnt in post season...and never made into the finals...lost to kemp who was destroyed by the greatest team ever....respect to huston and akim but nowhere near mj and the bulls.....72 wins that year..no comparisons......

[gluserty]

Sam Casell; I loved that guy!

[realrocky8591]

@gluserty

Worthy is so overrated.

[tribalfish]

naw i don't think so!

[gluserty]

James Worthy? Yeah, he was special:-) I love the Rockets; I think even with Jordan on the Bulls this team had the type of players to win in the finals against them.