The Houston Rockets ' 1993-94 championship season will always be remembered for Hakeem Olajuwon's dominance that year.
'The Dream' averaged 27.3 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 3.7 blocks per game and won both league MVP and Defensive Player of the Year honors. That year, Hakeem added the 1994 Finals MVP award to his collection, becoming the first player in NBA history to win all three awards in the same season.
However, Olajuwon's Finals MVP trophy and the Rockets' 1994 championship might not have been possible if not for Vernon Maxwell . Averaging just 13.6 points per game on 38.9% shooting that season, Rockets forward Mario Elie says that without 'Mad Max,' there would have been no Larry O'Brien trophy that year.
"We knew we outplayed the Suns," said Elie. "But we choked both games at home. Vernon Maxwell's Game 3 performance saved our season. And then once we tied it, we felt like we were going to win the series."
"Choke City"
The Rockets began their postseason campaign with an easy 3-1 win over the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the playoffs. However, they were in for a big surprise against the tough Phoenix Suns team in round two.
Houston blew an 18-point lead and lost Game 1. In Game 2, the Rockets squandered a 20-point fourth-quarter lead and lost 124-117 to fall behind 0-2 in the series. The day after Game 2, the headline for the Houston Chronicle read "Choke City." The Suns took a 14-point lead at the end of the first quarter and were up by eight at the half of Game 3. With their backs against the Wall, 'Max Max' happened.
"Nothing was really said, "added Elie. "We knew our season was on the line. Max being Max, he got HOT that third quarter. Once Max gets cooking, nobody, I said nobody could stop him. The 31-point second half was an amazing performance. Vernon Maxwell is an underrated player. Our emotional leader came through."
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Rockets come back to beat the Suns 4-3
Maxwell was the third-leading scorer on the '94 Rockets behind Dream and Otis Thorpe. But after scoring just three points in the first half, Vernon took it upon himself to take the game right through the heart of the Phoenix defense.
Maxwell attacked Kevin Johnson at every opportunity and soon found himself taking over the game. 'Mad Max' ended up scoring 31 points in the second half and finished the game with 34 points on 14-24 shooting, including 4-7 from three-point distance. The Rockets won Game 3 118-102 but more than that, the momentum of the series had changed.
The Rockets went on to win the series 4-3 and advance to the 1994 WCF, where they defeated the Utah Jazz 4-1. Houston then outlasted the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals 4-3, with Olajuwon completing history by winning the Finals MVP award to add to his MVP and DPOY trophies.
However, as Elie said, the 1994 championship wouldn't have happened had it not been for 'Mad Max's' Game 3 outburst against the Suns.
Related: "He could just stay up all night, drink, smoke all night, and go for 40” - Robert Horry reveals just how crazy Vernon Maxwell was
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