[CBS Sports] The Forgotten Finals

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>VIDEO: Preview Tuesday's <a href="https://twitter.com/KBergCBS">@KBergCBS</a> long-form story on the 1994 NBA Finals - <a href="http://t.co/ccDQn1AK67">http://t.co/ccDQn1AK67</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ForgottenFinals&amp;src=hash">#ForgottenFinals</a> <a href="http://t.co/qSOmO6svzk">pic.twitter.com/qSOmO6svzk</a></p>&mdash; CBSSports.com (@CBSSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSports/statuses/472473454877634561">May 30, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Rudy T

We had Patrick on the show earlier. ... How much have you thought about that, that at the time, we thought these guys would be battling for championships year after year?

You're absolutely right. Those guys were projected to be there all the time but reality kicks in and it's so hard to get there unless you're part of a rare dynasty which doesn't seem to be happening over the last 20 years. Maybe Miami, we'll see how they do here against the winner in the West but they got one going now. Back in those days, you're lucky to get there.

Numbers from that series, I had completely forgotten about it, when your squad put up 93 in the game three, it was the high water mark of the series. How tough of a defensive series was it?

It was very tough. Pat Riley, tremendous coach, especially on the defensive end. He had a team that could carry out his plan. We were very concerned because of the physical play that they had. Back then, we could still hand check. Their guards were tough. Derek Harper was tough on the point guard. They always had a fresh guy on Hakeem. That was a concern of ours. We really, really feel good about getting through that series victoriously because they were good.

How about the notion your back to back titles overshadowed in history by the fact that it was sandwiched in between Jordan's threepeats on either side. Does that bother you that people don't give those Rockets teams their due?

There's nothing we can do about other people's opinions and takes on certain things. We had to go through Ewing, who is a championship type player. We had to go through Charles and KJ twice. We had to go through Malone and Stockton twice and then we had to beat San Antonio, who had a great year. I feel very proud of what we did. The 2nd year, we had to do it never having home court advantage. What other people say really doesn't matter because we were there and it was really a great accomplishment.

2nd championship--you won the year before but felt you needed to shake it up a bit. Why the move to get Drexler and difference between those teams?

I did not want to do that starting out. I figured, if a group of guys can hang in there and win a championship, they deserve to be stuck with. The way things were going, we were not responding like a championship team. Our defense fell apart. We lost real hurtful games. We just didn't have any life. The possibility of getting Clyde to come to Houston after playing there at the University of Houston, that was very enticing. We didn't know how it would work but because of...and that's the only star we could have done it with in the middle of the season because Hakeem and Clyde respected each other. They knew each other; their habits, their game. Clyde was hungry for a championship. That was the number one focus on his mind. He came in and Clyde could not have been better, not only as a player but as a teammate. It was truly amazing because not many thought we could do it.

The '95 team, everyone brings up how Michael wasn't there. He was there in '95 wearing 45 and you swept the team that beat the Bulls.

...

Why is it...Hakeem doesn't want to coach. Patrick Ewing has been an assistant coach and can't get a head coaching job. Why is that?

That bothers me some. I've gotten to know him, not well, but he was in Houston later, I was gone on to LA but I would come back there and scout and I got to talk to him. He's a heck of a good guy. It could be that there's an unconscious prejudice against big guys. I don't know. You would think, as you see guards being coaches, and usually not all-star guards but role players. Guys who sat and watched a lot. You look at Doc Rivers, Lionel Hollins, those guys seem to fit a mold. I was different in that I was a scorer. A lot of big scorers weren't coaches. I'd love to see him get a chance. He's been in some good systems and he's an intelligent guy and I'd love to see him get a shot.

You had Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley under you. Did you know that someday they'll be stars on TV?

I had no idea at all. I love them both. Kenny was one of the greatest shooters in Rockets history. He really turned that Orlando series around. Even though we swept them, they had us down in the first game and the lead in just about every other game in the 4th Q. Then Charles, really entertaining. Another good guy. The rare thing about Charles, he's the only guy I know who in the NBA who sat in the front of the bus. He sat behind the bus driver and razzed that guy in a loving way. He was definitely a unique guy and an enjoyable guy to be around.

Take on this West finals so far?

I had guys I know on both teams. Scottie Brooks played for me. Jim Boylen is now an assistant coach with San Antonio. He's loving the experience of being with Coach Popovich. It's wonderful. It's like seeing family members do well. Scottie's gotta find a way to win tonight and break the cycle with the home team winning so big.