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[ExpressNews]Rockets, Olajuwon brought pain to San Antonio in last playoff meeting with Spurs

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by tinman, May 12, 2017.

  1. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    http://www.expressnews.com/sports/a...n-brought-pain-to-San-Antonio-in-11109485.php
    [​IMG]
    Photo: Doug Sehres, Staff / San Antonio Express-News

    FILE -- DREAM SHAKE -- Hakeem Olajuwon is pictured here doing the famous "dream shake" which caught David Robinson off guard during the playoffs at the Alamodome on 5/24/1995. SPRUS V. ROCKETS -- Photo by Doug Sehres / Staff

    Rockets, Olajuwon brought pain to San Antonio in last playoff meeting with Spurs

    By Tom Orsborn

    April 29, 2017

    Jay Howard, radio voice for the Spurs at the time, recalled the ruckus raised by the Houston fans among the crowd of 33,337 at Game 1.

    “It was quite annoying,” he said.

    Making matters even worse for the Spurs, the Houstonians had plenty to cheer about.

    In a tone-setting performance, Olajuwon outscored Robinson 27-21, and the Rockets won 94-93 on Horry’s 15-foot jumper with 6.5 seconds left.

    Hitting 12 of 24 from the field, Olajuwon frustrated Robinson with an array of moves, including his vaunted “Dream Shake.”

    “I don’t usually go for all those fakes,” Robinson said afterward. “But he’s different from the centers I’ve been playing. I’ve got to get a feel for him.”

    It never happened.

    “You could tell,” Howard said, “that Olajuwon was very much at peace with himself and his game, and he played like it.”

    After Robinson received his MVP trophy from NBA commissioner David Stern before Game 2, Olajuwon poured in 41 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to power Houston to a 106-96 win. Robinson finished with 32 points and 12 rebounds.

    “It was like Hakeem was saying, ‘OK. You won the MVP. Now take this,’” Howard said.

    Robinson deserved the award after averaging 27.6 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.2 blocks in leading the Spurs to a then-club record for wins, though many thought Olajuwon got shortchanged after he averaged 27.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.4 blocks.

    “Who are the idiots who voted Hakeem fifth for MVP?” Rockets guard Sam Cassell asked reporters after Game 2.

    The Spurs bounced back to win the next two games in Houston, but the Rockets won Game 5 in San Antonio behind another monster performance from Olajuwon. In 44 minutes, he scored 42 points, grabbed nine rebounds, dished out eight assists, blocked five shots and recorded a steal.

    “He broke our spirit,” Hill said afterward. “Every time we’d get close, he’d make a shot with the clock winding down, failing off one leg.”

    Another factor in Game 5 was the sideshow that was Rodman. After pulling down 14 and 19 rebounds in Games 3 and 4, the tempestuous forward was benched by Hill after showing up late for practice the day before Game 5, then arriving late at the Alamodome for the game.

    “He was 35 minutes late, with no call in the Western Conference finals,” Hill said later.

    Rodman got into a lengthy argument with Spurs assistant coach Dave Cowens late in the contest. Afterward, he took his shoes off and remained slumped on the floor for several minutes while players from both teams returned to the locker room.

    “Coach is trying to tame Dennis Rodman, but nothing can tame him,” Rodman told the San Antonio Express-News afterward.

    Hill didn’t insert Rodman into the game until 4:49 remained in the first quarter. By that time, Houston enjoyed a 16-point margin en route to a 111-90 win.

    “Not in a million years would I guess we’d lose three home games,” said Robinson, who had 22 points and 12 rebounds but also committed seven turnovers.

    The Rockets wrapped up the series in Game 6 behind a 39-point, 17-rebound, five-block outing from Olajuwon that left Robinson perplexed.

    “I don’t know how I can say this with a straight face,” Robinson said afterward, “but I thought I defended him pretty well. He played at a level I haven’t seen often.”

    For the series, Olajuwon averaged 35.3 points per game on 56 percent shooting to go with 12.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 4.8 blocks.

    Robinson averaged 23.8 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.1 blocks.

    “Even to this day, I have a hard time swallowing it, but what can you say?” Robinson recently told the Washington Post. “Goodness gracious. The guy was really good.”

    Olajuwon, who would lead the Rockets to a four-game sweep of Shaquille O’Neal and the Orlando Magic in the 1995 Finals, told the Post he thought Robinson actually defended him “very well.”

    “People look at the numbers and don’t think that, but that’s not true,” Olajuwon said. “I had to give him one, two, three and four fakes, just to get my shot off, because he (always) recovered. …

    “It was a true championship series. I don’t think I’ve ever played better than that, because nobody pushed me to that level before.”

    Kind words, but even now they can’t remove the pain some fans still feel.

    “Hakeem,” Dailey said, “dashed our hopes.”

    torsborn@express-news.net
     
  2. Daddy Long Legs

    Daddy Long Legs H- Town Harden

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    Blasts from the past. Ive seen the documentaries other youtube videos but its cool to see an article from the time period
     
  3. CometsWin

    CometsWin Breaker Breaker One Nine

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    All hail the Dream. Still and forever the greatest Rocket of all-time.
     
    RocketWalta, J.R. and tinman like this.
  4. napalm06

    napalm06 Huge Flopping Fan

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    In today's NBA, what's happening in that photo would be called an offensive foul, double-tech, shooting foul.
     
  5. Tha_Dude

    Tha_Dude Contributing Member

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    Thank you. I love these threads.
     
  6. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    Clutch city forever
     
  7. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    Notice how San Antonio hasn't changed their uniforms
    Notice how classic and beautiful our uniforms are
     
  8. Verbal Christ

    Verbal Christ Member

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    Dream never quit in an elimination game in fact I'd guess those were some of his best performances. James has a ways to go to be counted on to be at his best when the team needs it the most.
     

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