Series tied 2-2? Rockets left for dead? A role player becoming a hero? BELIEVE IT AGAIN! http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/millennium_index.html (May 13-15, 1994) Two hours after blowing the biggest lead in NBA playoff history, the Rockets flew out of Choke City down 0-2 to the Phoenix Suns. Four days later, the Rockets flew into Clutch City with the series tied 2-2. In Game 1 of the 1994 Western Conference Semifinals, Houston built an 18-point lead but lost. In Game 2, they had a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter but lost in overtime. "I'll never forget getting on the charter flight after Game 2," Rockets television commentator Bill Worrell said. "It was like a morgue." The Rockets didn't rise from the dead until the second half of Game 3 when they found themselves behind 49-41 at halftime. Then Vernon Maxwell got hot, scoring 31 points in the second half as the Rockets won 118-102. Houston finished "Desert Sweep" by winning Game 4, 107-96, to even the series.
http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1994_1203018 Choke City. All it took was those two words to appear in headlines on the front of the sports section, and the Rockets went from looking like chumps to champs in the fourth quarter. All it took was for me to type out that pair of words to open the column that appeared exactly one week ago today on these pages for the Rockets to become Russell's Celtics, Magic's Lakers, Isiah's Pistons and Michael's Bulls all rolled into one. Geez, if I knew it was this easy, I'd have called them month-old hamburger meat back on Nov. 1 and they'd have probably cruised through the entire season undefeated. Choke City. It's not exactly "Remember the Alamo!" But it's the battle cry that just might produce the first major championship in Houston sports history. Mario Elie took a black marker and wrote "Choke City" on the backs of his hightops, and it gave him the strength to discard the bandages that had wrapped his broken right hand prior to Game 3 and transformed him into the super sub again. Kenny Smith put his hands up to his neck and made a choke sign to the fans at America West Arena last weekend and since that time has been playing the most inspired ball of his tenure with the Rockets. Hakeem Olajuwon came off the floor on Sunday chanting, "Choke City! Choke City!" and, well, he's been playing like an MVP. "Sometimes, you need something negative to happen," said head coach Rudy Tomjanovich. "Ever since that Choke City thing, these guys have been busting their tails to prove they're better than that." Olajuwon even went so far as to say that opening up 0-2 against the Suns was the best thing that could have happened to the Rockets. "It made us focus, made us play together as a team," he said. "If we would have won the first two games, we probably would have gone to Phoenix and lost the next two. But our chemistry is stronger now and we've become a better team because of it. We're showing the media how wrong they all were and, as a result, going to win a championship."
ahhh the glory days i remember watching that series an emotional ride that had the extremes at each end
this story has to be told. especially on this anniversary, since it's a been along time since we were playing in May. This is the true story behind the name "CLUTCH CITY" This is the genesis.
they kinda lumped both years together as CLUTCH CITY. but this is the true story. It's like when the say Christmas is about Santa Claus. This is the true story of Clutch City. They built a church in Houston on the place that team played.
It's true, we *really* need the chronicle to again proclaim the Rockets are out of it, no way the Astros will make it to the post season and the Texans will never win the AFC South...
I know people here think the media is against us, but this choke city label was made by our own houston media !
The NBA has evolved since then. I hope you don't think these Rockets can do what those Rockets have done. That's one dream i would love to see. All I can really say is I would love to see how Dream, Kenny Smith, Clyde, Maxwell and all of those guys play in the game now. That would be something to watch. Also to see Artest play the way it was back in the days with the Bad Boys what a game what a game.
The lesson learned from this is team work, toughness, and heart will overcome adversity. Besides Yao and tmac aren't playing! And kenny is going to wear a red blazer!
Wafer does remind me of max except wafer doesn't pass the ball well. Maxwell did lead the team in assists that year.
He's kind of like Maxwell, in the way he likes beat his man off the dribble, dribbles in a similar way but Vernon played amazing D, was much stronger and kept his head up most of the time. Von just puts his head down, tries to beat his man and go even when 4 defenders are waiting for him. He should look up more but he has also vowed to become stronger in the offseason which is a good sign. He should gain some muscle so he can become the type of defender Vernon was. Remember what Don Chaney said on the 89-90s Rockets when Maxwell was there for only 2 months ? He said: Maxwell is exceptionally strong and a strong third behind Hakeem & Otis. That's what Von needs, the muscle to body up on D because basically his defense stinks. He should not be compared to Maxwell at all but can be a similar player if he remains humble and gets more focused on defense, but also is not always about the spectacular play with his dunks etc. Vernon was never like that so Von shouldn't be either.
