The Houston Rockets won their first NBA title in franchise history. They defeated the New York Knicks in the 1994 NBA Finals

1994 NBA Finals

The 1994 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1993–94 National Basketball Association season, featuring the Western Conference's Houston Rockets defeating the Eastern Conference's New York Knicks....

 to win the championship.

NBA Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
1	24	Sam Cassell Sam Cassell Samuel James "Sam" Cassell , is a retired American professional basketball player who is an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards. The , point guard was selected out of Florida State University by the Houston Rockets with the 24th overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft...	Guard		Florida State Florida State University The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
2	46	Richard Petruska Richard Petruška Richard Petruška is a retired Slovak basketball player. A 6'10" and 260 lbs forward-center, he played college basketball at Loyola Marymount and University of California, Los Angeles in the U.S.Petruška was selected by the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association with the 46th...	Center		UCLA University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
2	50	Marcelo Nicola Marcelo Nicola Marcelo Patricio Nicola Virginio is a retired Argentine-Italian professional basketball player. A very versatile power forward, he was a regular member of the Argentine national basketball team, and competed many years in the Euroleague.-Pro career:Nicola was selected 50th overall in the 1993 NBA...	Forward		Taugres Saski Baskonia Saski Baskonia, S.A.D., known as Caja Laboral for sponsorship reasons, is a Spanish professional basketball club from the Basque city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain...  (Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... )

Depth chart

Pos.	Starter	Bench	Reserve	Inactive
C Center (basketball) The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...	Hakeem Olajuwon Hakeem Olajuwon Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008,...			Richard Petruška Richard Petruška Richard Petruška is a retired Slovak basketball player. A 6'10" and 260 lbs forward-center, he played college basketball at Loyola Marymount and University of California, Los Angeles in the U.S.Petruška was selected by the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association with the 46th... Eric Riley Eric Riley Eric Riley is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2nd round of the 1993 NBA Draft. Riley played for the Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics in five NBA seasons, averaging 3.1...
PF Power forward (basketball) Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...	Otis Thorpe Otis Thorpe Otis Henry Thorpe is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.-Early years:...	Matt Bullard Matt Bullard Matthew Gordon Bullard is a retired American basketball player in the NBA, who went undrafted after graduating from the University of Iowa in 1990...	Earl Cureton Earl Cureton Earl Cureton is a retired American professional basketball player. His nickname was "The Twirl".-NBA player:...
SF Small forward The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...	Robert Horry Robert Horry Robert Keith Horry Jr. is a retired American basketball player and current sports commentator. He played 16 seasons in the National Basketball Association , winning seven championships, the most of any player not to have played on the 1960s Boston Celtics...	Carl Herrera Carl Herrera Carl Víctor Herrera Alleyne is a retired Venezuelan basketball player. A power forward, he was part of the Houston Rockets National Basketball Association championship teams of the mid-1990s....	Chris Jent Chris Jent Chris Jent is a retired American professional basketball player and former coach in the NBA. He is currently an assistant coach at his alma mater, Ohio State.Jent was born in Orange, California and grew up in Sparta, New Jersey...
SG Shooting guard The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...	Vernon Maxwell Vernon Maxwell Vernon Maxwell is a former American college and professional basketball player who was a shooting guard in the National Basketball Association for thirteen seasons from the late 1980s to the early 2000s. Maxwell played college basketball for the University of Florida, and led the Florida Gators...	Mario Elie Mario Elie Mario Antoine Elie is an American former professional basketball player and coach. Currently, he works as an assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings.-Early life and career:...		Larry Robinson Larry Robinson (basketball) Larry Robinson is an American professional basketball player, 6'5" tall, at the shooting guard position, formerly in the NBA. He played collegiately 2 seasons at Eastern Oklahoma State College and then 2 seasons at the Centenary College of Louisiana...
PG Point guard Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...	Kenny Smith Kenny Smith Kenneth "The Jet" Smith is a retired National Basketball Association player and current TV basketball analyst, primarily for Inside the NBA on TNT.-Early life:...	Sam Cassell Sam Cassell Samuel James "Sam" Cassell , is a retired American professional basketball player who is an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards. The , point guard was selected out of Florida State University by the Houston Rockets with the 24th overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft...	Scott Brooks Scott Brooks Scott William Brooks is a retired American professional basketball player from Lathrop, California and is the current head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA...

Regular season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
	73	0	16.8	.491	.377	.871	1.4	2.0	.70	.03	5.2
	65	0	11.2	.345	.325	.769	1.3	1.0	.22	.09	3.5
	66	6	17.0	.418	.295	.841	2.0	2.9	.89	.11	6.7
	2	0	15.0	.250	.000	.000	6.0	.0	.00	.00	2.0
	67	8	24.0	.446	.335	.860	2.7	3.1	.75	.12	9.3
	75	0	17.2	.458	.000	.711	3.8	.5	.43	.35	4.7
	81	81	29.3	.459	.324	.732	5.4	2.9	1.47	.93	9.9
	3	0	26.0	.500	.364	.500	5.0	2.3	.00	.00	10.3
	75	73	34.3	.389	.298	.749	3.1	5.1	1.67	.27	13.6
	80	80	41.0	.528	.421	.716	11.9	3.6	1.60	3.71	27.3
	22	0	4.2	.435	.467	.750	1.4	.0	.09	.14	2.4
	47	2	4.7	.486	.000	.541	1.3	.2	.11	.19	1.9
	6	0	9.2	.500	.250	.375	1.7	1.0	1.17	.00	4.2
	78	78	28.3	.480	.405	.871	1.8	4.2	.76	.05	11.6
	82	82	35.5	.561	.000	.657	10.6	2.3	.80	.34	14.0

Playoffs

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
	5		4.6	.833	1.000	.000	.4	.6	.00	.00	2.2
	10		5.5	.211	.200	.750	1.0	.0	.10	.20	1.6
	22		21.7	.394	.378	.865	2.7	4.2	.95	.23	9.4
	10		10.0	.800	.000	1.000	2.9	.2	.10	.20	1.8
	23		16.6	.396	.313	.851	1.7	1.7	.35	.13	5.8
	16		15.5	.534	.000	.813	2.8	.2	.31	.19	4.7
	23		33.8	.434	.382	.765	6.1	3.6	1.52	.87	11.7
	11		5.6	.250	.231	.000	.8	.6	.18	.00	1.2
	23		38.3	.376	.326	.685	3.5	4.2	.87	.09	13.8
	23		43.0	.519	.500	.795	11.0	4.3	1.74	4.00	28.9
	23		30.3	.455	.447	.808	2.3	4.1	.96	.17	10.8
	23		37.1	.572	.500	.567	9.9	2.3	.57	.43	11.3

1994 NBA Finals Roster

Head Coach: Rudy Tomjanovich

Rudy Tomjanovich

Rudolph Tomjanovich, Jr. , nicknamed Rudy T., is an American retired basketball player and coach who coached the Houston Rockets to two consecutive NBA championships. He is currently a scout for the Los Angeles Lakers.-Early life:...

 

Hakeem Olajuwon

Hakeem Olajuwon

Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008,...

  |
Otis Thorpe

Otis Thorpe

Otis Henry Thorpe is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.-Early years:...

  |
Vernon Maxwell

Vernon Maxwell

Vernon Maxwell is a former American college and professional basketball player who was a shooting guard in the National Basketball Association for thirteen seasons from the late 1980s to the early 2000s. Maxwell played college basketball for the University of Florida, and led the Florida Gators...

  |
Robert Horry

Robert Horry

Robert Keith Horry Jr. is a retired American basketball player and current sports commentator. He played 16 seasons in the National Basketball Association , winning seven championships, the most of any player not to have played on the 1960s Boston Celtics...

  |
Mario Elie

Mario Elie

Mario Antoine Elie is an American former professional basketball player and coach. Currently, he works as an assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings.-Early life and career:...

  |
Sam Cassell

Sam Cassell

Samuel James "Sam" Cassell , is a retired American professional basketball player who is an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards. The , point guard was selected out of Florida State University by the Houston Rockets with the 24th overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft...

  |
Chris Jent

Chris Jent

Chris Jent is a retired American professional basketball player and former coach in the NBA. He is currently an assistant coach at his alma mater, Ohio State.Jent was born in Orange, California and grew up in Sparta, New Jersey...

  |
Carl Herrera

Carl Herrera

Carl Víctor Herrera Alleyne is a retired Venezuelan basketball player. A power forward, he was part of the Houston Rockets National Basketball Association championship teams of the mid-1990s....

  |
Scott Brooks

Scott Brooks

Scott William Brooks is a retired American professional basketball player from Lathrop, California and is the current head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA...

  |
Larry Robinson

Larry Robinson

Larry Clark Robinson is a former ice hockey player and coach in the National Hockey League. Robinson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995 and is currently the defensive coach for the New Jersey Devils...

  |
Matt Bullard

Matt Bullard

Matthew Gordon Bullard is a retired American basketball player in the NBA, who went undrafted after graduating from the University of Iowa in 1990...

  |
Richard Petruska

Richard Petruška

Richard Petruška is a retired Slovak basketball player. A 6'10" and 260 lbs forward-center, he played college basketball at Loyola Marymount and University of California, Los Angeles in the U.S.Petruška was selected by the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association with the 46th...

  |
Earl Cureton

Earl Cureton

Earl Cureton is a retired American professional basketball player. His nickname was "The Twirl".-NBA player:...

  |
Eric Riley

Eric Riley

Eric Riley is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2nd round of the 1993 NBA Draft. Riley played for the Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics in five NBA seasons, averaging 3.1...

  |
Kenny Smith

Kenny Smith

Kenneth "The Jet" Smith is a retired National Basketball Association player and current TV basketball analyst, primarily for Inside the NBA on TNT.-Early life:...

  |

Series Summary

Game	Date	Home Team	Result	Road Team
Game 1	June 8	Houston	85-78	New York
Game 2	June 10	Houston	83-91	New York
Game 3	June 12	New York	89-93	Houston
Game 4	June 15	New York	91-82	Houston
Game 5	June 17	New York	91-84	Houston
Game 6	June 19	Houston	86-84	New York
Game 7	June 22	Houston	90-84	New York

Rockets win series 4-3

New York Rangers Win Stanley Cup

Game 4 (June 15, 1994) took place at Madison Square Garden

Madison Square Garden

Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...

 with its corridors smelling of beer and champagne. Twenty-four hours before, the Garden hosted the New York Rangers

New York Rangers

The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...

 first Stanley Cup celebration in 54 years

Curse of 1940

The Curse of 1940, also called Dutton's Curse, was a superstitious explanation for why the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League did not win the league's championship trophy, the Stanley Cup, from 1940 to 1994.-Popular theories:...

, following their 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...

 in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals

1994 Stanley Cup Finals

The 1994 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven playoff series contested between the Eastern Conference champion New York Rangers and Western Conference champion Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League...

. By winning the NBA championship, the Rockets denied New York from having the distinction of having both NBA and NHL championship

Stanley Cup

The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...

s in the same year. Game 5 (June 17, 1994) took place on the same day as the parade down the Canyon of Heroes celebrating the Rangers' win. However, the players that were from the Pacific Northwest

Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...

 didn't watch the parade, as they would have rooted for the Canucks and would have wanted to see a rally in the atrium in Grouse Mountain

Grouse Mountain

Grouse Mountain is one of the North Shore Mountains of the Pacific Ranges in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Exceeding 1,200 m in altitude at its peak, is the site of an alpine ski area in the winter season overlooking Greater Vancouver with four chairlifts facilitating 26 runs...

, overlooking downtown Vancouver.

The motivational assist for the Rockets was the way things to the Rangers' win ended: "The New York Rangers have done it here on a hot June night in New York! The Rangers are Stanley Cup Champions!"

Game 5 Telecast interrupted by O.J. Simpson car chase

During Game 5 (June 17, 1994) most NBC

NBC

The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...

 affiliates (with the noted exception being WNBC-TV out of New York) split the coverage of the game between NFL Hall of Famer

Pro Football Hall of Fame

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...

 O.J. Simpson's slow speed freeway chase

O. J. Simpson murder case

The O. J. Simpson murder case was a criminal trial held in Los Angeles County, California Superior Court from January 29 to October 3, 1995. Former American football star and actor O. J...

 with the LAPD

Los Angeles Police Department

The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...

. At the time, Simpson had been an NFL analyst on NBC. A visibly confused and distraught Bob Costas

Bob Costas

Robert Quinlan "Bob" Costas is an American sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s.-Early life:...

 (NBC's anchor for their NBA Finals coverage) said during the telecast from Madison Square Garden that the Simpson situation was "not just tragic but now surreal."

Award winners

• Hakeem Olajuwon – NBA Most Valuable Player
• Hakeem Olajuwon – NBA Finals Most Valuable Player
• Hakeem Olajuwon – NBA Defensive Player of the Year
• Hakeem Olajuwon – All-NBA First Team
• Hakeem Olajuwon – All-NBA Defensive First Team