Those are the famous words of former Rockets head coach Rudy Tomjanovich, who coached the team to consecutive NBA titles in 1994 and 1995.
The second championship run was quite the ride, with the Rockets trading away Otis Thorpe for Clyde Drexler and ultimately losing Vernon Maxwell because of it.
The sixth-seed Rockets recorded nine road wins in the ‘95 playoffs and won two series facing elimination.
They won a Game 5 on the road against the Utah Jazz in the first round, then beat the Phoenix Suns on the road to seal Game 7 of the semifinals.
That’s remarkable to consider.
The Rockets had an opportunity to close the Jazz out at The Summit in Game 4, but failed to do so, forcing a fifth and deciding game.
This is when Clyde Drexler emerged as a key piece to the championship run. With five minutes left to go in Game 5, the Rockets were down 82-75. Drexler blocked a shot, stole a possession, rebounded, drove to the bucket and helped lead the Rockets on a 20-9 run to close out the game.
“At some point in time, you’ve got to say either we’re going to go down softly or we’re going to give it everything we have,” Drexler told Sean Pendergast’s oral history celebrating the 20th anniversary of the championship. “On the road, against a really good 60-win team, it was not an easy task. It takes an extra level of focus, an extra level of hustle. You just give it everything you’ve got.”
The Rockets were down 3-1 against the Suns in the semifinals, with an ailing Drexler seemingly questionable for Game 5. He played but could only muster up two points, going 0-for-6 from the field.
Phoenix had an impressive team, led by Charles Barkley. Drexler felt like he had to give it a shot.
"I kept thinking, ain't no way I'm gonna not try," Drexler told Pendergast. "Even if I get run over trying to walk to the arena, I'm going to try to get there."
Chucky Brown scored 15 points off the bench for the Rockets. Wesley Person missed an open look from 3 for the Suns, and he barely missed. The shot rimmed out, Rockets won in overtime and the rest is history.