1995 Houston Rockets, West semifinals, Phoenix Suns: The Rockets were the defending champions but also the sixth seed and needed to win Game 5 at Utah just to get out of the first round. Things did not look good when Houston lost Game 4 at home to fall into a 3-1 hole and headed to Phoenix, which had yet to lose at home in the postseason.
When asked if his team could lose three in a row with two games at home, Suns forward A.C. Green said, “It won’t happen.” With the help of a missed free throw by Charles Barkley late in regulation, the Rockets won Game 5 in overtime, took Game 6 at home and overcame 46 points by Kevin Johnson to capture Game 7 on a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 7.1 seconds left by Mario Elie, who blew a kiss to the stunned crowd.
The Rockets went on to beat San Antonio in the conference finals and sweep Orlando in the NBA Finals for their second straight title. They remain the lowest seed to win the championship and did so with the toughest road possible, defeated the 3, 2 and 1 seeds in the West and the 1 seed in the East. In the postgame celebration, Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich uttered the immortal words, “Don’t ever underestimate the heart of a champion.”