Houston's push to return to the NBA's promised land has resulted in three future Hall-of-Fame players occupying the roster.
This abundance of talent sparked the inevitable questions. Can three such dominant individuals foster a team spirit or squash it? To what extent will they be willing to share the ball and watch their individual statistics - and stature - dip for the sake of the team?What these playoffs have shown so far is not only are Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley and Clyde Drexler willing to share the ball with one another, but they are willing to spread the offensive wealth among their less talented teammates.
This unselfish formula has lifted the Rockets to a 2-1 lead over Seattle. Houston will be looking to extend its democratic edge - and the series lead - when they face the SuperSonics in Game 4 this afternoon at KeyArena.
Houston's statistics in the playoffs are impressive. All five starters are averaging double figures in scoring, and the shooting percentages are high. The Rockets are averaging 109.2 points in these playoffs, second only to a Seattle team (110.3) that had its totals inflated by a run-and-gun series with overmatched Phoenix in the first round.
"We have been very balanced," said Drexler, who hit the game-winner in Friday's 97-93 victory. "That's been a big part of it. If they (defenses) take away the inside, kick it out. If they don't, go to the basket.
"We've been able to do a few different things, keep teams thinking. It's been a team effort the whole way."
The system is the same one the Rockets employed during their back-to-back championships. Dump the ball inside to Olajuwon. Once he is double-teamed - which he invariably is - kick the ball back outside and swing the ball to the open man.
The addition of Barkley makes this philosophy even more effective. He also commands a double-team, spreading the defense even thinner. The presence of Olajuwon and the fact Barkley and Drexler can either score or make plays from the perimeter taxes opponents to the limit.
"You've got to pick your poison, as they say," Barkley said.
Houston Coach Rudy Tomjanovich stresses to his players that the ball always moves faster than the bodies. He calls getting the ball to the open man the club's Golden Rule. If a player passes up an open shot, he believes it diminishes the success you derive from the system.
That is why Tomjanovich is more likely to be upset with Mario Elie or Matt Maloney for taking too few shots than too many.
"Those guys in the white jerseys, I have confidence in all of them," Tomjanovich said. "As long as a guy is open and he has a white jersey, let's move the ball to the open man.
"That's our system. That's how we live. The whole deal is based on getting a primary scorer - by that, I mean a guy who commands a double-team - get the ball in his hands and make the defense react either by deciding to go one-on-one and then get a high percentage shot or foul out of that. If you get the double-team, have good spacing and move the ball, get bodies moving.
"It's just up to the defense. What choices are they going to make? Are they going to hold on certain guys and not come off of them on double-teams? Then the guy who is open will get the ball."
Choices? Few teams can afford to cover Olajuwon with one defender for an extended period. The same holds true with Barkley.
The choice made by most teams will be to let Mario Elie, Matt Maloney and others try to beat them rather than a member of the Big Three. When Elie, Maloney and Co. are hitting their shots, the Rockets are tough to beat.
"The guys on our team have got the greatest life in the world," Barkley said. "All they've got to do is stand around and shoot wide-open jumpers. They should never complain. They should come to practice every day and work hard and just shoot."