NBA Champions ·
1994 Houston Rockets
Houston won its first title in 1994, going 58-24 and beating the New York Knicks in seven low-scoring games. Hakeem Olajuwon swept the major awards, becoming the first player to win regular-season MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP in the same season. He sealed Game 6 by blocking John Starks at the buzzer.
The Rockets opened 15-0 and never let go of the Midwest Division, finishing 58-24 in Olajuwon's tenth season. He was the only player left from Houston's 1986 Finals team, and now the franchise belonged to him: 27.3 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks a game.
The playoffs nearly ended early. Houston blew big fourth-quarter leads at home against Phoenix and fell behind 2-0, drawing the nickname Choke City from the local paper. They recovered, beat the Suns in seven, and swept past Utah to reach the Finals.
The series against New York was a defensive slog, two great centers and two stubborn teams. The Knicks led 3-2, but Houston won Games 6 and 7 at The Summit. Olajuwon's fingertip block of Starks in the closing seconds of Game 6 saved the season, and rookie Sam Cassell hit the big shots a 24-year-old should not have been calm enough to take.
It was the first major sports championship for the city of Houston. Olajuwon's three-award season has been matched only by Michael Jordan and Giannis Antetokounmpo since.
Championship roster
Featured in Ring Holders Club
| Player | Role | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Kenny Smith | PG | 76 |
| Vernon Maxwell | SG | 75 |
| Robert Horry | SF | 77 |
| Otis Thorpe | PF | 79 |
| Hakeem Olajuwon | C | 96 |
| Mario Elie | 6th man | 75 |
| Rudy Tomjanovich | Coach | 83 |
Ratings are year-specific curated estimates for Ring Holders Club, not official NBA stats.
Rest of the roster
| Player | Pos | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sam Cassell | G | rookie who hit clutch shots throughout the run |
| Carl Herrera | F | |
| Matt Bullard | F | |
| Scott Brooks | G | |
| Earl Cureton | F/C |