https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/sports-classics/nba/ Two Rockets games listed under expert picks: 1994 Finals Game 6 1995 Finals Game 1 Real Rockets fans know what happens.
Rockets v Spurs 1995 Western Conference Finals is my pick. Dream v Admiral. This series eviscerated any doubt who was top dog when it counted.
'88 Semis: Bird vs Dominique, Game 7. 118-116 https://stats.nba.com/game/0048700060/ One team shot 57% from the floor, the other shot 61%, combined 4-14 from 3.
they have last years game 2 first round game GSW vs. Clippers on there. Sure, I get it, it was a really really entertaining comeback. It's cool to see comebacks. But first round. Clippers were never going to win the series. Is that an all time great playoff game? I mean they don't have Rockets/Clippers Game 6 from 2015 on there... at least that was the second round, and the team that came back went on to win the series. They have Mavs/Thunder Game 2 from 2016. I had to google to remember wtf that game was... from just 4 years ago. Then if you filter by their categories, they do NOT have Cavs/Warriors Game 7 listed as an expert pick.... it's just a legendary matchup. I mean... how is that not one of the iconic playoff games ever? GSW blowing a 3-1 lead. As a 73 win team. Leads to the KD acquisition. With Lebron on the other side. With the monster block. And the Kyrie three. So... strange.. But great Rockets games. I love those games, of course, but of course also remember a lot of the other ones.
Rockets versus magic game 2 in 1995 finals. Cassell's 30+ point game to show that knicks series was not a fluke.
wait, what? from a rivalry (cavs/warriors), series (it's the finals), game number (it's game 7), and legacies perspective (lebron and steph), it's arguably the biggest nba game of all time going into the matchup. the only other game i can think of to compete is 1984 finals game 7 with magic and bird and lakers and celtics and maybe 1969 finals game 7 if the nba had been way more popular back then. then throw in the actual drama of the game and how would it not be near/at the top of any list? off of the finals game 7 train, maybe lakers/kings WCF game 7 since it was the actual finals and went to OT and was to complete a 3-peat, and bulls/jazz '98 game 6 since it was basically for the perfect ending for the GOAT (even if he later ruined it).
a good playoff game from james harden slipped through the narrative filter? delete video, ban company, burn down building.
That 1st quarter by the Rockets in game 6 was god awful for us. We must have run that Otis Thorpe pick and pop the entire quarter and barely posted Olajuwon, dribbling off our feet like 6 times.
Arguably, game 7 in 1995 against Phoenix (Mario KOD game) was the best Rockets playoff win ever (considering all circumstances). It was also a very good game.
Nothing beats game 7 against the Knicks. That game was back and forth and almost gave me a heart attack. When Mad Max hit that 3 and celebrated, I knew it was over.
it should definitely get consideration. i think it broke a streak of 20 straight home team game 7 wins. also, it's funny how even before i knew the result, in the moment i didn't think "why is elie shooting with so much time left in a tie game" but i was thinking it as soon as clyde let it go against utah in game 6, even though elie did it with waaayyy more time left, in a freakin' game 7, and it was a 3 with hakeem olajuwon under the basket. maybe it was because my heart was still racing from thinking horry's pass was going to sail into the stands and my brain wasn't ready to wonder what mario was doing.
funny to watch this year's and last year's rockets teams almost routinely turn 10-12 point games with a minute left into exciting adventures through unbelievable series of gaffes, and yet when max hit that 3 we were up 8 with 1:52 left and it seemed like an insurmountable lead and the championship was ours. maybe i was just younger and stupider.
Agreed. Coming back from 3-1 also hadn't been done very often... almost happened twice in that same round (Indiana vs. NY), and the Pacers also won a game 7 on the road. The Elie shot was a bad shot for the era.... plenty of time left on the clock, fast-break situation, best player in the league down low, don't need a 3 pointer. Now-a-days, its the best shot on the court at all times... the wide open corner 3. I also thought that game was amazing mainly because the Rockets were getting smoked in the first half... and nobody could stop KJ all series, including that game.
100% right bro. Everybody knew the game was over. All the Rockets has to do was play smart defense and hit free throws. We traded buckets (2's) and the 3 was not falling for either team that night. Mad Max sealed it
1995 Game 5 vs Jazz should have been on there too coming from down 10 in last 5 mins on the road. I agree with game 7 vs Suns
the most vivid choke job in history, by far. iirc, Kobe was sick from food poisoning from a burger in a Sacto hotel, was questionable for game. it was a close game from start to 3 min mark in Q4, w the Queens ahead by 3 all of a sudden nobody from the Queens wanted the hot potato. several times, ball ended up in the hands of the team's 5th offensive option, Doug Christie, whose shots bricked as the shot clock was running out. the TV audience sensed it, the players sensed it the biggest choke job, ever, by a home team. the Queens had Chris Weber, Mike Bibby, Peja S, etc on the floor
8 point lead with under 2 minutes left in 94 is equivalent to a 20 point lead in 2019. I think that’s really just true for most if not all of the NBA though.
