Rockets Break Through Houston’s Super Trio Makes Clutch Plays

Despite back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995, the playoff history of the Houston Rockets had a dark side that stretched back a decade.

In each of those two seasons, the Rockets managed to get out of the West without playing Seattle. Good thing, too, because they hadn’t beaten the SuperSonics on their home court in the playoffs since May 7, 1987 - a string of 10 consecutive postseason losses.

That changed Friday night thanks to an trio of big plays in the final 20 seconds by Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler and Charles Barkley.

Drexler broke a late tie on a tough baseline jumper with 18.5 seconds left, Olajuwon blocked Shawn Kemp’s ensuing shot and Barkley iced the victory by making two free throws with 6.5 seconds left as Houston defeated Seattle 97-93.

The victory gave the Rockets a 2-1 lead in the series and gave them back the homecourt advantage. Game 4 will be Sunday in Seattle with Game 5 Tuesday night at Houston.

Houston held Seattle without a field goal in the final 4 minutes and no points in the last 2 minutes.

“We played defense on them like they usually play defense on us,” Charles Barkley said. “We decided Sam Perkins and Hersey Hawkins weren’t going to beat us.”

While Gary Payton and Kemp scored 28 points each and Detlef Schrempf had 20, Hawkins was limited to three points and a single field goal in 40 minutes. Perkins, Seattle’s starting center, didn’t score and was 0 for 6 in 31 minutes.

“You’re not going to stop Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp,” Barkley said. “But you can sure make life tough for Perkins and Hawkins.”

Olajuwon led the Rockets with 24 points, 11 rebounds, four steals and three blocked shots. Drexler, who played the last 6 minutes with five fouls, had 19.

Drexler hit his 15-footer over Detlef Schrempf, giving Houston a 95-93 lead.

“The coaches called the play for me and I had one of my favorite shots so I took it,” Drexler said.

Olajuwon then blocked Kemp’s shot from 3 feet and Barkley was fouled by Payton on the rebound.

Barkley went to the line and calmly made the first free throw, then gestured and cursed at a heckling fan before making the second to clinch the win.

“It was a great crowd,” Barkley said with a smile. “They talked about my relatives and my family.”

Seattle came back from a 14-point deficit in the third quarter and used a 25-5 run the final 6 minutes of the period to take a 79-72 lead into the fourth.

Seattle led 89-82 after two free throws by Kemp with 6:22 to go before Houston began its comeback.Are the Sonics finished? Far from it, Hawkins said. “Tonight’s game was big, but Sunday’s is huge. We have to win Sunday.”

“I think it’s like we’ve been saying all along, It’s going to be a seven-game series,” Terry Cummings said.

Rockets 97, SuperSonics 93

FG FT Reb HOUSTON Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Barkley 38 2-11 7-8 4-17 3 3 11 Elie 30 0-3 4-4 0-0 4 4 4 Olajuwon 37 8-12 8-8 2-11 2 3 24 Drexler 36 8-16 1-2 1-5 2 5 19 Maloney 43 7-16 0-2 0-2 4 0 19 Johnson 17 3-9 1-1 3-4 1 1 7 Willis 21 2-5 1-2 2-3 0 2 5 Threatt 18 3-5 2-2 0-0 5 3 8 Totals 240 33-77 24-29 12-42 21 21 97

Percentages: FG .429, FT .828.

3-Point Goals: 7-21, .333 (Maloney 5-8, Drexler 2-4, Barkley 0-2, Johnson 0-2, Threatt 0-2, Elie 0-3).

Team Rebounds: 11.

Blocked shots: 4 (Olajuwon 3, Barkley).

Turnovers: 11 (Drexler 4, Olajuwon 2, Maloney 2, Elie, Threatt, team).

Steals: 7 (Olajuwon 4, Barkley, Maloney, Willis).

Technical fouls: illegal defense, 2:57 third.

Illegal defense: 1.

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Kemp 40 7-20 14-16 4-10 5 3 28 Schrempf 38 7-14 4-6 2-5 1 4 20 Perkins 31 0-6 0-0 1-7 1 2 0 Hawkins 40 1-4 1-1 1-6 2 3 3 Payton 48 11-25 5-5 4-5 5 4 28 Wingate 15 3-4 0-0 1-3 3 2 8 Cummings 25 3-8 0-2 4-7 1 4 6 Snow 3 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 0 Totals 240 32-81 24-30 17-43 18 23 93

Percentages: FG .395, FT .800.

3-Point Goals: 5-13, .385 (Schrempf 2-2, Wingate 2-3, Payton 1-4, Hawkins 0-1, Perkins 0-3).

Team Rebounds: 8.

Blocked shots: 5 (Kemp 2, Wingate 2, Perkins).

Turnovers: 8 (Kemp 2, Schrempf 2, Hawkins 2, Perkins, Payton).

Steals: 7 (Kemp 2, Schrempf 2, Perkins, Hawkins, Cummings).

Technical fouls: None.

Illegal defense: 1.

Houston 29 26 17 25 - 97

Seattle 21 23 35 14 - 93

A-17,072 (17,072). T-2:21.