Backs to the Wall, Rockets Come Back : NBA playoffs: Houston plays like a champion to beat Utah, 95-91, in decisive fifth game.

Utah Coach Jerry Sloan wasn’t about to discount the mystique of an NBA champion. “We knew their toughness,” Sloan said of the Houston Rockets. “You don’t win the world championship without being tough.”

And the Rockets were too tough for the Jazz in Sunday’s decisive fifth game of their Western Conference playoff series, winning, 95-91, behind Hakeem Olajuwon’s 33 points and Clyde Drexler’s 31. The victory sent Houston into Tuesday’s conference semifinals against the Suns at Phoenix.

“When we play to our strength, it’s very difficult for people to beat us,” Olajuwon said. “When our backs are to the wall, we play more aggressive. We play on the edge.”

It was a bitter defeat for Utah, which lost last year’s Western Conference final to Houston and this year had a club-record 60-22 record, second-best in the NBA, then took a 2-1 lead in this series.

“They have a great post-up player in Olajuwon, and they have a great post-up player in Drexler,” Sloan said. “If you try to stop them, they have good three-point shooters. They deserve to win. They are the world champs.”

The Rockets used a staunch defense and free throws to turn the game around in the closing minutes. After going ahead, 82-75, Utah went 4:19 without a point, failing to convert on seven consecutive possessions. Houston made 16 of 20 free throws in the final 3:50 and had one field goal by Olajuwon. Drexler and Olajuwon each made six foul shots during this span.

“There in the fourth quarter, we just couldn’t make a basket,” Sloan said. Utah was five for 18 in the period.

Overall, the Rockets made 34 of 48 from the line, Utah 29 of 38.

“We know we have some shortcomings,” Drexler said, “but we have people to make up for that.”

After Karl Malone made a three-point shot to bring Utah within two at 92-90 with 6.5 seconds remaining, Drexler and Utah’s John Stockton traded single foul shots, then Drexler put in two more from the line with two seconds left.