I'd go with Sampson's shot. He just flipped it up there over his shoulder and I still don't know how he made that shot. It was amazing!
Sampson's was the best, but Smith's in Game 1 is my most memorable. Eddie Johnson's was nice. OH, Elie's kiss of death got to be up there. Horry's threes. Francis' first buzzer-beater ever. Francis beating the Jazz because the Jazz suck...
damnit! i was trying to think of who they were playing when he hit that shot! isn't that the one where he just basically turned and fired before ending up in the first row? it was amazing...
another great one was when we were in the western conference finals, down by two, end of the game, and we missed that outside jumper only to have vlade divac tip it out front to robert horry for the straight away three at the buzzer! oh wait...
Haha... Kiss of Death. How I hated the Rockets at the time. I started watching the NBA as a huge Suns fan because of Charles Barkley. That Elie shot put tears in my eyes. Anyhoo, I've been a loyal Rockets fan since Barkley came in and even after he went out. It doesn't hurt that much anymore. But whoever said that Sampson's shot was great because it can NEVER be repeated was right. That's a buzzer-beater to end all buzzer-beaters. My second choice would be Eddie Johnson's.
I know it wasn't quite a buzzer-beater, but Steve's 3 in the closing seconds right in Stockton's pasty mug really put a smile on my face.
that three that francis made was pretty tight.. i was jumpin up and down cuz i remembered that we didnt have a timeout and steve ran it full court. memories lol
Easily, without a single doubt Sampson 1986 (even though he was a huge disappointment later in his career).
Not only was Elie's shot not a buzzer-beater, but few people realize that when Phoenix inbounded the ball to Danny Ainge at three-quarter court, Ainge fired up a LOOOONG shot that actually hit off the rim as time expired. My heart fell into my shoes when he put that shot up. Thank goodness it didn't go in! I'd have to say that Ralph Sampson's shot against the Lakers was the best BUZZER BEATER ever for the Rockets, followed by Eddie's shot in '97 and Kenny's 3 in Game 1 of the 1995 Finals. P.S. Hakeem's tip-in in that same game actually came with 0.2 seconds remaining on the clock, thereby precluding it from being a BUZZER beater.
Elliott, that is easily the best buzzer beater I have ever seen. This shot by Vernon was more improbable than the one against Miami a year earlier. The Rockets won 126-124 and the game was played on December 29th 1994. I think Maxwell's shot went off the glass.
well, whichever game it was (golden state, miami, whoever.) that was the most impressive buzzer beater i've seen. i saw sampson's when it happened, and really i can't argue with anyone who puts it #1. but that maxwell shot was ridiculous.
Sampson's shot, the Kiss of Death, Steve's buzzer beater against the Jazz and against the Pistons, and all of Mooch's buzzer can all be ranked up there near the top. I'd have to say that Sampson's is the best by far though, since it sent the Rockets to the finals on a miracle play.
yea i think samsons shot was the best jsut because of the improbability and the circumstances around it. to hit that and go to the finals, that was great. but maxwells buzzer beaters were really memorable to me. i remember after he hit that i went outside tried to do the exact same thing. i got lucky a couple times too!
In Steve's first game in Vancouver, he hit a big time shot to send the game into overtime which we later won. While not on the same level as Sampson's shot or the Kiss of Death, that shot had me screaming and proved to me that Steve was going to be a superstar. With all the hype over his first trip to Canada and all the abuse he took from the Vancouver fans, it was great to see Steve stick it to them.
Totally agree with the Sampson shot being #1 and for all the reasons mentioned, but not my favorite...I realize we're talking buzzer beaters here, so I will go with the Kiss of Death. That shot also sent us to a finals... Also, while not exactly meeting the B-B definition, some of the Cassell shots against the hated Knicks, and next year the Horry shots against the Spurs and Magic...all of those shots were like "buttah"...
The RALPH SAMPSON buzzer beater is not only the best buzzer beater in Rockets history, but it's one of the best in league history!!!! side note: "The Kiss of Death" was not a buzzer beater, nor was Hakeems tip-in in the Game 1 of the 1995 finals. A buzzer beater is when there is no more time on the clock!!!
Does anybody have any clips of any of these?!?! I've been looking everywhere for a while and have only found the Eddie Johnson buzzer beater. Or, if you have it on tape I'll pay to have a copy made The only one I have on tape is the Game 1 vs. the Magic, I've watched that game at least 20 times. Pugs
