The 1995 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1994âÂÂ95 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets sweeping the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic in the NBA Finals. Hakeem Olajuwon was named NBA Finals MVP for the second straight time.
As of 2025, the 1995 Rockets are the lowest-seeded team to win the NBA Championship.
Houston became the eighth team to win back-to-back titles (after the Minneapolis Lakers of 1949 and 1950, and again 1952âÂÂ54, and the Celtics dynasty of 1959âÂÂ66 and again in 1968âÂÂ69, as the LA Lakers of 1987 and 1988, Pistons of 1989 and 1990 and Bulls of 1991, 1992 and 1993). It would go on to happen five more times, with the Bulls winning 3 more from 1996 to 1998, the Lakers from 2000 to 2002 and 2009âÂÂ2010, the Miami Heat from 2012 to 2013, and the Golden State Warriors from 2017 to 2018. The Rockets championships were also part of a run that saw 4 teams win consecutive titles (The Lakers 1987âÂÂ88, Pistons 1989âÂÂ90, Bulls 1991âÂÂ93 and 1996âÂÂ98, Rockets 1994âÂÂ95). That streak was stopped by a Spurs franchise, who like the Celtics of the 1980s, didn't win back-to-back titles, but did win numerous championships and are considered a dynasty.
The sixth-seeded Rockets (47âÂÂ35) took out four impressive opponents on their way to the title, defeating the 3rd-seeded Utah Jazz (60âÂÂ22), 2nd-seeded Phoenix Suns (59âÂÂ23), top-seeded San Antonio Spurs (62âÂÂ20) and Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic (57âÂÂ25) in the NBA Finals. In the first round against the Utah Jazz, the Houston Rockets came back from a 2-1 series deficit, winning Game 5 in Utah. In the second round against the Suns, the Rockets came back from a 2âÂÂ0 and 3âÂÂ1 series deficit without home-court advantage, winning Games 5 and 7 in Phoenix. Additionally, the Rockets were the first road team to win a Game 7 of any round in the NBA playoffs in 13 years by beating the Suns at America West Arena (the next day, the Pacers became the second team to accomplish this feat since 1982, beating the Knicks at Madison Square Garden). Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon dominated league MVP David Robinson and Shaquille O'Neal in consecutive series to win the title. The Rockets 47 wins were the fewest by an NBA champion since the Washington Bullets tallied 44 in 1978.
The 1995 Playoffs featured the first three playoff series victories in Magic history, as they beat the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, and Indiana Pacers to win their first Eastern Conference title.
It also featured the return of Michael Jordan to the playoffs after a year and a half absence, returning in March, and the only time the Bulls didn't win a title with him on the roster since they started their string of consecutive titles in 1991.
Game 4 of the Celtics-Magic series was the last game played at Boston Garden. Boston returned to the playoffs in 2002, this time in the new FleetCenter (now TD Garden).
Game 3 of the Blazers-Suns series was the last game played at the then-Memorial Coliseum (renamed the Veterans Memorial Coliseum as of 2012). The Blazers continued their playoff streak at Rose Garden (now Moda Center) for the next 7 years.
Game 3 of the Spurs-Nuggets series was the final playoff game at McNichols Sports Arena; the Nuggets missed the playoffs in each of the arena's final four years. Denver returned to the playoffs in 2004, this time in the new Pepsi Center (now Ball Arena).
The Pacers made the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight year (and finally defeated the New York Knicks on their way to doing so), but found the Magic too powerful to overcome. Coincidentally, they met all three playoff opponents (Orlando, Atlanta, and New York) they had in 1994, just in a different order.
Since the NBA playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1984, the Jazz became the second team (along with the 1994 SuperSonics) to win at least 60 regular season games and lose in the first round, when they lost to the eventual NBA champion Rockets.
This marked the first time that every first and second round game of the playoffs was televised nationally. In previous years, a few early round games were not picked up by the NBA's national TV partners.
This was the first playoff meeting between the Celtics and the Magic.
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series apiece.
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning the first meeting.
Michael Jordan made the series winning free throws with 1:07 left
This was the first playoff meeting between the Hornets and the Bulls.
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Spurs winning two of the first three meetings.
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning two series apiece.
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series apiece.
This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning three of the first five meetings.
This was the first playoff meeting between the Bulls and the Magic.
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning the first two meetings.
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first four meetings.
With 8.2 seconds left, Hakeem Olajuwon's fadeaway jumper tied the game at 92 to force overtime.
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Rockets winning the first meeting.
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Pacers winning the first meeting.
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Rockets winning the first two meetings.
This was the first playoff meeting between the Rockets and the Magic.