On this day 25 years ago, the 1994-95 Rockets finished off what could be the toughest path to a championship in NBA history.
NBA Finals MVP Hakeem Olajuwon led Houston in Game 4 versus Orlando with 35 points and 15 rebounds, sending “Clutch City” to a 113-101 home victory (box score) on June 14, 1995 and securing a series sweep.
Mario Elie chipped in with 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting (81.8%) from the field, including 4-of-6 on 3-pointers (66.7%). All-Stars Shaquille O’Neal and Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway each scored 25 for the Magic.
HoopsHype has more on the historic journey by the sixth-seeded Rockets to a second consecutive NBA crown.
“According to research in which we looked at every team’s path to their eventual championship wins, the 1994-95 Rockets had the toughest road ever to winning a title,” they write. “The worst team they beat had a 57-25 record, and that was their Finals opponent, the Orlando Magic, who boasted a lineup featuring Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway, amongst many valuable role players.” The HoopsHype story adds:
On top of that, the Rockets won four series without having home-court advantage, an almost impossible feat to even fathom, let alone pull off. Houston’s road was made that tough due to the fact that they went 47-35 that regular season, a disappointing campaign prior to the playoffs. The Rockets beat two teams in the Utah Jazz (60-22) and the San Antonio Spurs (62-20) that won at least 60 games, and a third, the Phoenix Suns (59-23) that came within one win of reaching that benchmark.
HoopsHype concludes:
A road that featured the aforementioned Shaq-and-Penny duo, along with Charles Barkley and Kevin Johnson, that year’s regular-season MVP in David Robinson, who Olajuwon made look very foolish during their matchup, and John Stockton and Karl Malone, there’s no questioning just how tough the Rockets had it during their second title run, and how well-earned their championship was.
It also served as the long awaited championship for future Hall of Fame guard Clyde Drexler, who had 15 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists in the decisive Game 4. Drexler was acquired by the Rockets in a bold move at the February 1995 trade deadline in exchange for power forward Otis Thorpe, who had played a key role in Houston’s 1993-94 title.
In all, the 1995 run can be summed up perfectly by the postgame quote that night from legendary head coach Rudy Tomjanovich.
“Don’t ever underestimate the heart of a champion!”
