It was 25 years ago today when it became evident that the playoff form of the 1994-95 Houston Rockets was very different than the regular season.
Led by 63 combined points from future Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, the Rockets won a decisive Game 5 at Utah, 95-91 (box score). The Jazz went 60-22 in the regular season, while the defending NBA champion Rockets were a mere 47-35 and a lightly regarded No. 6 seed entering the Western Conference playoffs.
But the Rockets proved in that first-round series versus Utah that they were able to flip the switch. The May 7, 1995 win in Salt Lake City was the second of five playoff games they’d win when facing elimination.
Olajuwon led the Rockets with 33 points (10-of-16 FG) and 10 rebounds, while Drexler had 31 points (8-of-15 FG) and 10 rebounds. Drexler also made five of his seven shots (71.4%) from 3-point range.
No other Houston player scored in double figures. The Jazz were led by 35 points (10-of-21 FG) and 10 rebounds from Karl Malone.
By defeating the Jazz, the Rockets advanced to the second round of the 1995 playoffs to face the Phoenix Suns (59-23). In that series, Houston also won the decisive game with a road victory in Game 7. And few weeks later, they claimed their second consecutive NBA championship.
