Storyline: One morning my father was reading the sports section of the Houston Chronicle. On the cover, in big bold letters, it read: CHOKE CITY. I was upset.
The Houston Rockets started the 1993 NBA season with a record 15 consecutive wins. The team was led by Hakeem Olajuwon, who was later named NBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year. The Rockets would go on to set a franchise record of 58 wins.
After advancing to the ’94 Playoffs–and eliminating the Portland Trail Blazers in the First Round–the Rockets faced the tough Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Semifinal round with the first two games played at home.
But things didn’t turn out well. The Rockets blew a 4th Quarter lead in Game 1 and lost. In Game 2, Houston it happened again–a 20-point lead in the 4th turned into an OT loss, 124-117.
Courtesy: Houston Chronicle
The city of Houston was in pain. The Rockets were labeled “chokers.” And I remember that reference vividly.
One morning my father was reading the sports section of the Houston Chronicle. On the cover, in big bold letters, it read: CHOKE CITY.
I remember being upset. My friends and I had lengthy conversations at the school lunch table about what went wrong in those first two games.
Of course, Head Coach Rudy Tomjanovich was trying to figure out the very same thing. Tomjanovich told a Houston press reporter: “I’m going to be a part of Houston sports history as the dummy who got us into Choke City.” And he wasn’t exaggerating. Up to that time no NBA team had lost a larger 4th Quarter lead in playoff history.
Players were understandably upset, too. Kenny Smith, now an NBA analyst, wrote “two wins” on his shoe. Mario Ellie, known as “The Junkyard Dog,” wrote “Choke City” on his shoe.
The Rockets came through, doing just what Smith had predicted. They went on to win the series and would move on to the Western Conference Finals against Utah.
They beat the Jazz in 5 games to advance to the Finals against Patrick Ewing and the New York Knicks.
So, now, the city that had been in pain was celebrating. The Rockets had made it to the 1986 NBA Finals, but they lost to Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics. Once again Houston had championship fever.
Courtesy: IGN.com
I remember how much fun it was during that time. You couldn’t walk ten steps in the city without seeing a Rockets logo or banner. Every kid was wearing a Olajuwon jersey and my friends and I would talk about the team all the time at school. It was amazing.
The Finals went to seven games that year and the Rockets won that final game at home. With goal achieved, the City of Houston was celebrating. Choke City was now Clutch City.
Local fans couldn’t wait for the next season to begin.
Even though the Rockets struggled at the start of the ’94 season, the team ended up winning 47 games and advancing to the Playoffs as a sixth-seed. Midway during the season, Rockets owner, Leslie Alexander, had acquired NBA superstar, Clyde Drexler. Fans were talking about the reincarnation of the University of Houston’s magical ‘Phi Slamma Jamma.’
Courtesy: NBA.com
After defeating the Jazz in Round One, the stage was set for a rematch with the Suns and Charles Barkley. Down 3-1, the Rockets rallied with four wins to win the series, 4-3.
Houston then beat cross-state rival, San Antonio, to set up a Finals match against the Orlando Magic and Shaquille O’Neal. The Rockets swept the Magic and won back-to-back titles.
Anybody who lived in Houston during those years knows that “Clutch City” is memorialized in the city’s history.
Houston will never forget the Rockets of 1993-94 and 1994-95.
