1994 NBA Finals Game 5 Houston Rockets at New York Knicks, June 17, 1994, Knicks Takes Series Lead

1994 NBA Finals Game 5 Houston Rockets at New York Knicks, June 17, 1994, Knicks Takes Series Lead

HOU 84, NYK 91 – The Knicks seize a 3-2 Series Lead with Ewing and Starks’ Strong Game 5 Showing.

Player of the game: Patrick Ewing, 25 PTS, 52 FG%, 12 REB, 1 AST, 2 STL, 8 BLK

Notable performances:
Hakeem Olajuwon, 27 PTS, 57 FG%, 8 REB, 1 AST, 3 STL, 2 BLK
John Starks, 19 PTS, 50 FG%, 7 REB, 6 AST, 3 STL

O.J. Simpson’s arrest famously interrupted Game 5 of the 1994 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets. This set the stage for a potentially unforgettable summer, following MSG’s recent celebration of the New York Rangers’ Stanley Cup triumph against the Vancouver Canucks. Just hours before the Knicks faced the Rockets, the Rangers’ championship parade marked their first title in 54 years.

There is no sideline commentary around the 26:00 and 56:00 marks because the Hardwood Classics version omits the O.J. Simpson incident, which included Marv Albert’s remarks on the national story. Instead, the full game footage was used to replace the reduced broadcast window.

Amidst escalating tension over the Simpson situation in Los Angeles, Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks commenced at Madison Square Garden across the country. The game started normally, but approximately 45 minutes into the second quarter, NBC briefly interrupted coverage to provide updates on Simpson’s whereabouts, as the pursuit was underway. By the third quarter, NBC relegated the game to a small corner of the screen while showcasing the live police chase as the main event. While the NBA Finals might have been overshadowed for some, the Knicks managed to secure a 91-84 victory, propelled by Patrick Ewing’s 25 points. Hakeem Olajuwon of Houston led all scorers with 27 points.

Unfortunately for the Knicks, this victory marked their final win of the series, as they subsequently lost Games 6 and 7 in Houston. Both teams would return to the NBA Finals once more: Houston swept the Orlando Magic the following season, while New York fell to the San Antonio Spurs in 1999.