Who is the Dream?

The Rockets have been losing in the first round lately
and we come up with many excuses.

But Buffalo, no Houston sports fan can make a single excuse about it. no logic, no injury, no role player, no coaching, no refs, nothing.

 

I hate to break the news to you, but that wasn't the story:

Paper: HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Date: THU 05/12/1994
Section: Sports
Page: 1
Edition: 3 STAR

Suns 124, Rockets 117/CHOKE CITY/Rockets lose 20-point lead in fourth quarter to Suns

By EDDIE SEFKO
Staff

Spoiler

The fans came back. Unfortunately, so did the Phoenix Suns.

What was supposed to be an all-for-one show of strength turned into one incredible fourth-quarter collapse Wednesday night as the Rockets blew a 20-point lead in the final 10 minutes to lose 124-117 in overtime at The Summit.

No team has lost a bigger lead in the fourth quarter of a playoff game. It was a gag of the same proportion as the Oilers' 41-38 overtime playoff loss in Buffalo 16 months ago when they led 35-3 early in the third quarter.

"Everybody feels terrible about this," coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "It's a very hard, depressing thing to go through."

The Rockets fell behind 2-0 in the Western Conference semifinals, which continue Friday night at America West Arena in Phoenix. Only one team -- the 1969 Los Angeles Lakers -- has rallied to win a seven-game series after losing the first two games at home.

Charles Barkley had 34 points for the Suns, who relied on Barkley, Kevin Johnson and Dan Majerle to bring them back from an ominous 104-84 deficit in the final 10 minutes.

But it was the Rockets' faulty execution offensively that opened the floodgates and left a wildly enthusiastic sellout crowd frustrated.

The Rockets, who got 31 points and 17 rebounds from Hakeem Olajuwon, were outscored 26-8 in the fourth quarter, shot 3-for-18 from the field and had five turnovers.

They went cold and played with the common sense of a sixth-grade team down the stretch, which might be an insult to sixth-graders. In a span of just more than seven minutes, they scored one point as the Suns chipped away at the lead.

Even the Rockets admitted they threw their savvy out the window in the fourth quarter. They resorted to outside jump shots after trying to force the ball in to Olajuwon, who had only three points on 1-for-5 shooting in the fourth quarter.

"They collapsed very strong inside," Olajuwon said. "That's why we needed to penetrate and try different things. We cannot depend on outside shots. They wanted us to shoot outside shots, and that's what we did. We played right into their hands."

Added forward Robert Horry: "They were keying on one play, and we still kept running it. That's just my opinion, but we got too predictable.

"It's ridiculous. Here we are with some of us talking about how much we want the fans to get behind us. We talked too much about that and didn't focus on winning the game.

"I don't blame the fans. I wouldn't show up for the next game either."

There might not be another home game unless the Rockets can win at least once in Phoenix.

As for the fans, they put aside the feud that started when several players lashed out at them for failing to sell out Game 1 on Sunday.

The crowd did everything it was supposed to Wednesday. So did the Rockets, until the fourth quarter. The Rockets missed 14 of their last 15 shots in the period.

Cedric Ceballos and Barkley combined for eight Phoenix points as they climbed within 105-92 with 5:30 to play. When Majerle hit a 3-pointer with 3:25 to go, the Rockets' lead was down to eight points.

Were it not for Sam Cassell's prayer of a 3-pointer with 2:34 to go, the Rockets would have gone scoreless in the final 6:48. Cassell's attempt came just as the shot clock was expiring.

Up 108-97, the Rockets kept doing the same things that had eroded their lead -- chunking up outside shots with time left on the shot clock and turning the ball over.

When Barkley converted a three-point play, then hit two free throws with 1:28 to go, the Suns had pulled to within 108-105.

The Rockets suffered a senseless turnover when Cassell tried to make a pass in to Carl Herrera but had it stolen. When Danny Ainge hit a 3-pointer with 32.9 seconds left, the game was tied.

Both teams missed shots to end it in regulation as Olajuwon had a baseline jumper rim out and Barkley missed from 18 feet at the buzzer.

Somehow, you just knew the Suns would romp when they forced the overtime. They did.

The Rockets got a three-point play from Olajuwon to go up 111-109, but Johnson scored and, after a Cassell turnover, Majerle got loose on the break for a layup and a 113-111 Phoenix lead.

Cassell missed two shots and had a turnover. When Barkley hit a 3-pointer, the Suns went up 116-111, and the lead grew to nine before the Rockets made a couple of late 3-pointers.

It was an amazing turnaround from early in Wednesday's game, when the Rockets had won back their fans, with whom players had had a two-day feud about Game 1 not selling out. The fans were as loud as they had been all season, providing a wonderful atmosphere and a legitimate sixth-man inspiration.

The Rockets rang up 40 points in the third, but it was simply a setup for a crushing letdown.

....

Choke City

The Rockets' NBA-record 20-point fourth-quarter collapse against Phoenix on Wednesday night was just the latest in a long line of blown leads by Houston teams:

The Oilers: On Jan. 3, 1993, the Oilers blew an NFL playoff-record 32-point lead against Buffalo in a first-round game. The Bills came back from a 35-3 second-half deficit to win 41-38 in overtime.

The Astros: On Oct. 15, 1986, the Astros lost a 3-0, ninth-inning lead in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series with New York. The Mets won a series-clinching 7-6 decision in 16 innings.

The University of Houston: On April 4, 1983, the No. 1-ranked Cougars tossed away a five-point lead late in the game and with it the NCAA championship when North Carolina State's Lorenzo Charles slammed home an airball at the buzzer to give the Wolfpack a 54-52 win in Albuquerque, N.M.

The Astros: On Oct. 12, 1980, the Astros, with Nolan Ryan on the mound, coughed up a 5-2 lead in the eighth inning of Game 5 of the NL playoffs. The Phillies scored five times in the eighth and went to the World Series after an 8-7, 10-inning win.

The University of Houston: On Jan. 1, 1979, in the Cotton Bowl, UH built a 34-12 lead on a frigid, windy winter afternoon. Operating with the wind at its back in the fourth quarter, Notre Dame scored three touchdowns -- the last as time ran out -- for a 35-34 comeback win over the Cougars.

 

starts at the 2:50 mark

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which Rocket has won a gold medal in basketball?

 

technically Scola was a Spur when he won.

ok, who won a Gold Medal during his stint as a Houston Rocket?

 

Yao should try swimming, i think he could medal.

 

Which LEGENDARY ROCKET coached the last USA Gold Medal team?
Also which LEGENDARY ROCKET coached a bunch on CBA players and scrubs off the street to a Bronze Medal in the 1998 World Championships.

 

Here's a tough one,
which ROCKET LEGEND led Team USA to the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP in 1986?

Answer:

Spoiler

http://www.usabasketball.com/news.php?news_page=mwc_1986
TENTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP -- 1986


Madrid, Spain
July 5-20, l986

For the first time in 32 years, the United States men brought home the World Championship gold medal. The boycotts and political overtones of the past few Olympiads had tarnished the Olympic gold and made the World Championship title the most coveted and prestigious of all.

Relying on relative unknowns from the college ranks, head coach Lute Olson and his 12-man team were widely considered a dark horse to win the title. But the U.S. behind the play of future stars like David Robinson, Charles Smith, Kenny Smith and Tyrone Bogues captured the USA's first World Championship title since the 1954 American squad did so.

The U.S. emerged from pool play in Malaga, Spain, undefeated but not before escaping a scare from Puerto Rico. Winning its first three games against Ivory Coast, China and West Germany easily, the U.S. needed a jumper from Robinson in the final minute before claiming a 73-72 win over Puerto Rico. Behind Kenny Smith's 20 points, the U.S. disposed of Italy 86-64.

Opening the semifinal round, Argentina shocked the U.S. 74-70 despite 17 points from Charles Smith. Needing wins in its two remaining semifinal games if any medal was to be realized, the young American team regrouped and played inspired basketball for the remainder of the tournament. Defeating Canada 77-65, the U.S. never trailed as Charles Smith scored 18 points, and Steve Kerr and Derrick McKey each added 15 more. Relying on a swarming defense, the U.S. advanced on to the medal round with a 69-60 win over highly touted Yugoslavia. 5'3" Tyrone Bogues held 6'5" Yugo star Drazen Petrovic scoreless for the first eight minutes as the U.S. jumped out to a 19-2 lead. Robinson led the U.S. with 21 points and 17 rebounds.

The USA advanced to the gold medal game after upending Brazil 96-80. Leading Brazil 50-24 with five minutes left in the first half, the U.S. cruised to the win as Robinson's 17 points led six American players in double figures. However, Kerr was lost for the gold medal game after severely injuring his knee.

The USA-USSR gold medal matchup was no less dramatic than one would expect when two world powers meet. Leading 48-38 at halftime, with 7:45 remaining the U.S. was comfortably ahead 78-60. But the Soviet's, behind the play of 7'2" star Arvidas Sabonis and the deadly shooting of Vlademaras Khomichus, stormed back and closed the gap to a single basket with 50 seconds remaining. A Kenny Smith layup over the towering Sabonis with 15 seconds left pushed the USA's lead to 87-83 and the US. held on to win 87-85. Kenny Smith finished with 23 points, Robinson added 20 and Charles Smith finished with 17 points.

 

I meant Olympic Team... hint Sydney