Rockets Stay Alive With Overtime Win

The Houston Rockets proved again why they are hard to finish off.

The defending champions ran their record to 6-0 the last two years in playoff games in which a loss meant elimination with a 103-97 overtime victory over Phoenix in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals Tuesday night.

The Suns still lead the best-of-7 series 3-2, with Game 6 in Houston on Thursday night.

Hakeem Olajuwon scored 31 points for the Rockets, including the final basket of regulation, a turnaround jumper from the lane, to tie it 92-92.

“I can’t believe we pulled this one out,” Olajuwon said.

Olajuwon, who also had 16 rebounds, scored 23 seconds into overtime, but Charles Barkley tied it 94-94 for Phoenix with 3:43 to play. Robert Horry’s 3-pointer gave the Rockets the lead for good with 3:12 to go, and he got a rebound basket with 2:01 left, putting Houston ahead 99-96.

Kevin Johnson scored 28 points and Barkley had 17 points and 20 rebounds, but missed 11 straight shots in one stretch. Kenny Smith scored 21 points for the Rockets.

A.C. Green had a playoff career-high 20 rebounds to go with 11 points, and the Suns had a huge rebounding edge (68-49) but couldn’t offset their 17 turnovers, which resulted in 17 points for the Rockets.

“When our backs are against the wall, we come out fighting,” Olajuwon said. “We had nothing to lose.”

Both teams shot 38 percent, but the Rockets, with Smith hitting 5-of-11, had the edge with 10 3-pointers, double the Suns’ total.

It was the Rockets’ first playoff win in three games at the America West Arena, where they won both games during the season.

The Suns missed 13 of their first 17 shots in the fourth quarter and finished with just 13 points in the period. But Dan Majerle hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 2:42 left, giving the Suns a 91-90 lead.

Houston was in the throes of a seven-minute scoreless spell, but the Suns weren’t able to capitalize because of Barkley’s second terrible game in the last three.

Barkley missed all seven shots and his first five free throws in the second half before making a free throw that gave the Suns a 92-90 lead with 17 seconds left. Olajuwon tied it with eight seconds left.

The Suns led 79-76 going into the fourth quarter, and had won 47-of-49 games in that situation.

But they scored just two points in 7:47 after Green’s dunk gave them an 86-82 lead with 10:29 left

Green had 11 rebounds in the first quarter, all but two in the first 7:54. After he got his ninth under the Rockets’ basket, Green fired a long pass to Barkley, who dunked to give the Suns a 16-11 lead with 4:06 to play. But referee Eddie F. Rush hit Barkley with a technical for hanging on the rim.

With 3:55 left, Olajuwon dunked and, after Barkley answered with a layup, Olajuwon made a hook and a layup in the next 58 seconds.

Olajuwon got his fourth straight basket with 2:27 to go, giving Houston a 21-20 lead. The Rockets stayed ahead through most of the second quarter, but Phoenix used a 9-2 run for a 51-49 halftime lead.