Overview
The Houston Rockets defeated the Orlando Magic four games to none in the best-of-seven NBA Finals series to conclude the 1994-95 NBA season. It was the second consecutive championship for the Rockets, who joined the Bulls, Pistons, Lakers and Celtics as the only franchises to win consecutive titles.
The Rockets began the postseason as a six seed, becoming the lowest-seeded team to win the championship since the playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1984. The Magic were making their first Finals appearance in just their sixth season in the NBA.
Hakeem Olajuwon took home NBA Finals MVP honors for the second consecutive season. He became just the sixth player in NBA history to win multiple Finals MVPs (he was later joined by Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan).
The Magic had home-court advantage for the Finals. Orlando swept the two regular-season meetings between the teams.
The Rockets began the postseason as a six seed, becoming the lowest-seeded team to win the championship since the playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1984. The Magic were making their first Finals appearance in just their sixth season in the NBA.
Hakeem Olajuwon took home NBA Finals MVP honors for the second consecutive season. He became just the sixth player in NBA history to win multiple Finals MVPs (he was later joined by Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan).
The Magic had home-court advantage for the Finals. Orlando swept the two regular-season meetings between the teams.
Road to the Finals
| Team | Rockets | Magic |
| Regular Season | 47-35, 3rd in Midwest Division | 57-25, 1st in Atlantic Division |
| First Round | Def. (3) Utah Jazz, 3-2 | Def. (8) Boston Celtics, 3-1 |
| Conference Semifinals | Def. (2) Phoenix Suns, 4-3 | Def. (5) Chicago Bulls, 4-2 |
| Conference Finals | Def. (1) San Antonio Spurs, 4-2 | Def. (2) Indiana Pacers, 4-2 |
Game 1 - Rockets 120, Magic 118 (OT)
The Magic looked to have the game won in regulation, but Nick Anderson missed four consecutive free throws in the final 10.5 seconds, any one of which would have clinched the win. Kenny Smith then hit a game-tying 3-pointer with 1.6 seconds left to send the game into overtime.
Robert Horry made back-to-back 3-pointers to open the overtime session. After a 3-pointer by Dennis Scott pulled Orlando back into a tie with five seconds left, Hakeem Olajuwon tipped in a Clyde Drexler miss with 0.3 seconds left to give Houston the win.
Olajuwon led all scorers with 31 points, while Anderson and Shaquille O'Neal each had 26 for Orlando. Both teams had all five starters score in double figures.
Robert Horry made back-to-back 3-pointers to open the overtime session. After a 3-pointer by Dennis Scott pulled Orlando back into a tie with five seconds left, Hakeem Olajuwon tipped in a Clyde Drexler miss with 0.3 seconds left to give Houston the win.
Olajuwon led all scorers with 31 points, while Anderson and Shaquille O'Neal each had 26 for Orlando. Both teams had all five starters score in double figures.
Game 2 - Rockets 117, Magic 106
Orlando seemed to carry over the negative momentum from the end of Game 1 and came out slumping in the first half, falling behind by 22 points at halftime. The Magic shot just 34 percent from the field in the first half and allowed the Rockets to score 63 points. Despite Shaquille O'Neal's 23 second-half points, Orlando never put together a serious rally, allowing Houston to sweep the first two games on the road.
Hakeem Olajuwon again got the better of O'Neal, scoring 34 points to O'Neal's 33. Each team had a second player top the 30 point mark -- Sam Cassell scored 31 off the bench for Houston, while Anfernee Hardaway chipped in 32 for Orlando. O'Neal and Hardaway accounted for 61 percent of Orlando's scoring in the loss. Robert Horry again came up big for Houston, stuffing the stat sheet with 11 points, 10 rebounds and seven steals.
Hakeem Olajuwon again got the better of O'Neal, scoring 34 points to O'Neal's 33. Each team had a second player top the 30 point mark -- Sam Cassell scored 31 off the bench for Houston, while Anfernee Hardaway chipped in 32 for Orlando. O'Neal and Hardaway accounted for 61 percent of Orlando's scoring in the loss. Robert Horry again came up big for Houston, stuffing the stat sheet with 11 points, 10 rebounds and seven steals.
Game 3 - Rockets 106, Magic 103
On the road in Houston, Orlando came out hot, shooting 60 percent from the field in the first quarter to take a two-point lead. However, Houston charged back, ending the first half on a 12-2 run to take a one-point lead into halftime. The game was tied heading into the fourth quarter, when Robert Horry scored 11 of his 20 points, including a game-clinching 3-pointer with 14 seconds left, to give Houston a commanding 3-0 lead in the series.
Horry was one of three Rockets to score at least 20 points, led by Hakeem Olajuwon's 31. Olajuwon also had 14 rebounds and seven assists. Clyde Drexler chipped in 25 points, his highest total of the series. He also nearly matched Olajuwon by grabbing 13 rebounds and dishing out seven assists of his own. Shaquille O'Neal led five Orlando players in double figures with 28 points. Horace Grant scored 10 of the Magic's first 13 points, but had just eight points the rest of the game. O'Neal, Grant and Nick Anderson each had 10 rebounds.
Horry was one of three Rockets to score at least 20 points, led by Hakeem Olajuwon's 31. Olajuwon also had 14 rebounds and seven assists. Clyde Drexler chipped in 25 points, his highest total of the series. He also nearly matched Olajuwon by grabbing 13 rebounds and dishing out seven assists of his own. Shaquille O'Neal led five Orlando players in double figures with 28 points. Horace Grant scored 10 of the Magic's first 13 points, but had just eight points the rest of the game. O'Neal, Grant and Nick Anderson each had 10 rebounds.
Game 4 - Rockets 113, Magic 101
The Rockets used a pair of Mario Elie 3-pointers at the start of the fourth quarter to take the lead for good and clinch a series sweep. It was just the second sweep in the Finals since the playoffs expanded to 16 teams, and the first by a Western Conference team since the Warriors beat the Bullets in 1975.
Hakeem Olajuwon scored 35 points to become just the fourth player to score at least 30 points in every game of the same Finals series, joining James Worthy (1988 Lakers), Magic Johnson (1980 Lakers) and John Havlicek (1968 Celtics). Olajuwon also won his second consecutive Finals MVP award, joining Michael Jordan as the only player to win the award in consecutive seasons. The Rockets also got 22 points from Elie, 21 from Robert Horry and 15 from Clyde Drexler, who won his first championship in his 12th season in the league.
Shaquille O'Neal and Anfernee Hardaway each scored 25 points for Orlando. It was O'Neal's lowest total of the series. O'Neal also had six turnovers, giving him 21 for the series.
Hakeem Olajuwon scored 35 points to become just the fourth player to score at least 30 points in every game of the same Finals series, joining James Worthy (1988 Lakers), Magic Johnson (1980 Lakers) and John Havlicek (1968 Celtics). Olajuwon also won his second consecutive Finals MVP award, joining Michael Jordan as the only player to win the award in consecutive seasons. The Rockets also got 22 points from Elie, 21 from Robert Horry and 15 from Clyde Drexler, who won his first championship in his 12th season in the league.
Shaquille O'Neal and Anfernee Hardaway each scored 25 points for Orlando. It was O'Neal's lowest total of the series. O'Neal also had six turnovers, giving him 21 for the series.