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Houston Rockets: The ten best shots in team history

By Joe Fernandez

14 Jun 1995: Center Hakeen Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets celebrates after a Finals game against the Orlando Magic at The Summit in Houston, Texas. The Rockets won the game, 113-101. Mandatory Credit: Allsport /Allsport Mandatory Credit: Allsport /Al
14 Jun 1995: Center Hakeen Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets celebrates after a Finals game against the Orlando Magic at The Summit in Houston, Texas. The Rockets won the game, 113-101. Mandatory Credit: Allsport /Allsport Mandatory Credit: Allsport /Al /
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The tip that set the tone

In game one of the 1995 NBA finals, the Houston Rockets were in dire straights. The Magic came out swinging, popping the Rockets in the mouth and taking a 37-19 lead to open the game. But the Rockets had been in this situation so many times before.

Like clockwork, they mustered their way back into the game, with a little bit of help from the horrific free throw shooting of Nick Anderson, and took the game to overtime. In overtime the teams were tied 118-118 with five seconds to go.

Clyde Drexler got the ball off the inbounds pass and used his patented head down, don’t look up drive and went for the lay-up but was slightly off. However Hakeem was right there for the put back to give the Rockets a two point lead with three tenths of a second to go.

The Magic had every opportunity to take game one and really build momentum. Instead their game one collapse seemed to shake the confidence of the young up and coming squad and they never recovered from that game one choke job.

The Rockets took the next three games to win the series and complete their run as back-to-back champions. Shaq would go on to win multiple titles with the Los Angeles Lakers, but the Rockets denied him of his first one.

Since that time the Rockets have not returned to the NBA Finals, so we look back fondly on this incredibly improbable season and all the clutch moments that came with it. The moment happens at the 6:18 mark of the video above.

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