Name one Rockets playoff game loss that still bothers you

Stockton's 3 was pretty bad but I vote for the year we had the 8th seed, we pretty much had the Jazz but they somehow got the series to game 5. Drexler shoots like 3 for 30 and Barkley has the injury, really really bad end to the big 3 era.

------------------
Ziggy

 

The one that still bothers me is game 4 of the 98 1st round series against the Jazz. We struggled that year to a 41-41 record, went into the playoffs as the 8th seed, and played the Jazz, who were a 60 win team with the best record in the NBA. We took one of two in Utah, won a thrilling game 3 at the Summit, and we had a chance to close them out.

I don't care that we were the 8 seed, the whole team was coming together and we had a chance to go really far, had we gotten by that series. I remember game 4 because I had looked forward to it for so long, and the Rockets came out with so much passion, energy, and excitement early in that game that it looked like they were going to blow the Jazz out of the building and shock the world. Chuck was dominating Malone.

But I'll never forget seeing Barkley hold his arm after he tore that triceps muscle. Everything was going so perfect, nothing could be better, and then to have that happen was absolutely devastating. You could tell after he left the floor that it was like the bubble had burst for the Rockets and the fans, and they were blown out that game. They did put up a good fight in Game 5, but it wasn't an exceptionally exciting game for me anyway, because I knew that even if we won that game we didn't stand much of a chance without Chuck. That year we could've been something special... we had the Jazz. Right up until the injury. Unbelievable.

------------------
EDDIE, EDDIE, EDDIE!!!

Draftsource.net-- the premier source for draft info. Profiles, rankings, mock drafts, and more!

The Mo Taylor Fan Site

 

1998

#1 Jazz vs. #8 Rockets

Game 4

With a double digit lead and looking to knock off the top seeded Jazz, Charles Barkley is HACKED by Greg Ostertag shredding his triceps. Even though Chuck makes a valiant effort to try and play hurt the injury is too serious, thus forcing his season and the Rocks to a swift end.

------------------
Ceo of the Walt Williams and Lisa Malosky fan club.


atheistalliance.org

 

Jinx.

------------------
Ceo of the Walt Williams and Lisa Malosky fan club.


atheistalliance.org

[This message has been edited by DEANBCURTIS (edited June 30, 2001).]

 

The last loss against the Celtics in the 86 finals Watching McHale and Russell celebrating at the end of the game in the locker room almost killed me.

------------------

 

Just got done watching that 93 Sonics game... I might nominate it as the one game that I am still upset got away. Just so many shots to win that game, both in regulation and in overtime, and we flat-out missed them. And this was back in the choke city era, in between consecutive Oilers playoff defeats to Denver and Buffalo - it really seemed like the city was cursed back then, and this was just another time when we got close but not close enough. Sure, championships the next 2 seasons softened the blow but we HAD the game and we OWNED Phoenix so we would have gotten our shot at the big bad Chicago Bulls and their @#$! asterisk.

------------------
I'm so amazingly cool you could keep a side of meat in me for a month. I am so hip that I have difficulty seeing over my pelvis.

 

It's GOTTA be that Game 7 against Seattle in 1993. No doubt. I honestly believe that if either Vernon Maxwell or Kenny Smith had hit those open shots they each had down the stretch, we'd have three championships. REALLY.

The Rockets would have beaten Phoenix in the WCFs, just like they did the next two seasons. Although Barkley was the MVP that year, I honestly felt that Hakeem was the REAL MVP in 1993. He was dominant, and his numbers all-around were better. But Barkley led the league in scoring, and the media loved him. Also, Barkley took the Suns from the #5 seed in the West in '92 to the #1 seed in '93. Hakeem took Houston from not even making the playoffs the previous year to the #2 seed. Anyway, the Suns could not have matched up with Hakeem; OT would have done a decent job containing Barkley.

While I believe Jordan was the greatest ever, I honestly believe the Rockets would have beaten the Bulls in the Finals that year. The Ultimate Matchup of the '90s: Chicago ACTUALLY faces a center. Keep in mind, the starting centers on the teams Chicago beat in their Finals were: Vlade Divac (a young and inexperienced version), Kevin Duckworth, Mark West, Ervin Johnson, and Utah's "I-wish-we-still-had-Mark-Eaton" center by committee twice. While Chicago was killing everyone else in the league from '91-93 (winning record against every team but...), the Rockets were 5-1 against them. Vernon did an admirable job containing Jordan (second best defender on him, next to Dumars), but no one on Chicago could guard Hakeem without breaking his eye socket (re: Bill Cartwright). I think we could have beaten them in 6 or 7 games, thereby avoiding the ridiculous "Jordan wasn't playing" (though he did in '95) remarks.

I'm telling you guys, that one loss to Seattle cost us a championship. The home team won every game in that series, so home court advantage could have helped.

And don't even get me started on that horrendous call in our last regular season game that year against the Spurs, where Robinson sent it into overtime (and the Spurs eventually won, costing us home court advantage against Seattle) by dunking it a FULL 2 SECONDS after the buzzer . . .

I can save THAT story for worst call against the Rockets in franchise history.

------------------

 

OK, I've been up for a couple of days straight writing and studying for exams, so my numbers are a littlr foggy, maybe you guys can help...(as if there's any doubt)...As far as pain at the time, Stockton's dagger really really hurt...I mean, we had to sit through Snapper talking all series about how much of a better TEAM Utah was, how the Rockets were just a bunch of guys wearing the same uniforms, ect....and..then to lose it like that...AAARRGGHH!!

But the one that STILL bothers me was against Seattle...We were screwed. I remember about 4 or 5 terrible calls against us in the 4th quarter...Specifically I remember a call saying Horry had touched a deflected pass out of bounds that was totally wrong, and it killed us at a deciding moment. Can't think well enough to formulate the year, what was it again? And can anyone else remember any of the crap calls against us that game?

------------------

 

The Stockton dagger. It was such a total flashback to the Paxson beating Barkley and the Suns in '93 (the '93 Suns would have beaten the '93 Rockets, Chuck was actually in shape coming off of the Dream Team experience). Twice Charles is robbed of a championship by a little white point guard hitting a game winning three.

------------------
What's a Nubian?

 

I don't remember the year, but it was against the Sonics, and our final shot (could have tied the game I think) was a three point attempt by Hakeem that missed pretty badly. Nobody else was open off the inbound. I think Maxwell had a baseline jumper a little bit before that that he missed, too, which would have turned things around. I hated the Sonics.. grr...

------------------
"I don't want to join a club that accepts people like me as members."

 

Definitely that Stockton shot. The Rockets blew a 13 point fourth quarter lead (in typical Rockets fashion), but still had a chance to win it. Then Malone sets a totally illegal screen, and Stockton hits that shot. I'm not ashamed to say I cried after that. I turned off every TV in the house to avoid hearing the post game interviews, but that shot still haunts me.

I loved rooting for the Bulls in 97 and 98.

------------------
Protrolls.com!

"I want to be like Olajon." -Sagana Diop has the right idea...

 

1997 Western Conference Finals

Game #6

It looks like the Rockets are taking the series to a decisive Game 7, and then Stockton pulls that 3-pointer to win the game at the buzzer.

I still get depressed thinking about that shot. I firmly believe that barring Stockton's shot, we would have been celebrating a third championship.

------------------

 

Ziggy that game sucked ass! I shed a tear because that was Clyde's last game and he played SO bad. It was so bad the way we lost that series.

Got to agree with the Stockton buzzer beater though. What a piece of ****. I think if I ever meet Stockton I will spit on him for that. That Focker! F'Ing

ZRB you werent the only one crying. I was shell shocked after that. In suspended animation. I hate Utah.

Before Utah, Seattle was on my **** list. Dang we should have had them. That was the year we went to 5 games versus the LAC in the first round. 1992-1993 right? Horry's rookie season. That was my first really heartbreaking Rocket's moment. Really burns in your mind. I think we still owe Seattle a good PLayoff beating. San ANtonio style. At least we stuck it to Utah when we got our rings. We still owe Seattle. I still hate George Karl. How can Sam actually play for him?

But the rings always put a smile back on my face. To erase the crappy feelings from above --- just think back to Valentine's Day 1995. A certain someone came to the game at Half Time and we went on a miracle playoff run. How freaking sweet it is!!!



------------------
"How close were you to her? Real close until the roofies wore off. Then she woke up talking about pressing charges, so I took my tongue out of her ass and left son." - Marlon Wayans "Scary Movie"

Go Rockets!!!
SS

 

Game 1 in 99. Cuttino is blocked by Shaq If we won that game we would have won the series.

------------------
President of the Steve Francis, Jamal Crawford,Larry Hughes, Charles Woodson, and Eddie Griffin fan club.

 

Yes, that one bothers me especially because !%!%ing Pippen said stuff after the game about it all being Barkley's fault or so after he played like crap almost the whole series - and we still had a chance to win it, despite Pippen.

------------------
Rockets' offseason tasks in order of priority:

• Get rid of Cato under any circumstances.
• Sign Chris Webber.
• Re-Sign Hakeem.
• Re-Sign Moochie and AirBullard.
• Pick up the Langhi option for another year.
• Trade for Bo Outlaw and Raef LaFrentz.

.....-'-.
../`.....|__
/`....--`-,-`
'-|`...o.'<-....[]
..\....._\__).\=`
...C_..`....,_/
.....|.;----'

come back with your original name...now that everyone is changing their screen names anyway

 

Well, the Rockets would've won that game anyway, if not for a ridiculous call against Mack for guarding Kobe with 8 seconds left. Of course those types of calls happen against every team the Lakers play now, so I'm not as frustrated anymore.

Anyway, regarding Quitten, what was funny was that he was the one who gave the Lakers that shot and got Kobe to the line. We had the ball, up 1, with 30 seconds, and he tried to make his move with about 12 seconds. Dribbled it right off his foot, and lost it. Some clutch play there. And then blames the loss on Chuck afterwards.



------------------
EDDIE, EDDIE, EDDIE!!!

Draftsource.net-- the premier source for draft info. Profiles, rankings, mock drafts, and more!

The Mo Taylor Fan Site

 

I still think the Rockets made a big mistake in giving the ball to Cuttino at the end of that game. I could understand them doing that now, but to give the ball to a rookie in his first playoff game ever, when you have 3 (maybe 2) of the best players ever on the team, was a ridiculous decision. They should have given the ball to Barkley. He wanted a ring so badly, maybe he would have made the shot, and things would have turned out differently.

------------------
Protrolls.com!

"I want to be like Olajon." -Sagana Diop has the right idea...

[This message has been edited by ZRB (edited July 01, 2001).]

 

Alfalfa's buzzer beating 3 pointer was definitely numero uno in my book.

I was at that game, and I have never heard a more deafening silence, then the one I heard at the Summit that day.



------------------
I stole your money and I did your daughter at Texas A&M University

 

Wasn't it the 'Big Dog' that hacked Barkley against Utah? Gotta agree with Cat and Ziggy, we had that series. If I remember correctly, Bark was coming off the bench at that time and we were pounding the Jazz without mercy.

It just seems like I remember Carr guarding Chuck at the time.

Rok

------------------
Proud Member of whatever Clutch City club is currently the most popular and/or controversial.