Houston Rockets
Conference	Western Conference
Division	Southwest Division
Founded	1967
History	San Diego Rockets 1967-1971 Houston Rockets 1971-present
Arena	Toyota Center
City	Houston, Texas
Team colors	Red, White, and Silver
Owner	Leslie Alexander
General manager	Daryl Morey
Head coach	Rick Adelman
D-League affiliate	Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Championships	2 (1994, 1995)
Conference titles	4 (1981, 1986, 1994, 1995)
Division titles	4 (1977, 1986, 1993, 1994)
Official website	rockets.com

The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The Western Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams and organized in three divisions of five teams each The Southwest Division is a division in the Western Conference of the NBA. Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. The Toyota Center is an indoor arena located at 1510 Polk Street in Downtown Houston, Texas. Leslie "Les" Alexander is a former Stock trader from New Jersey who owns the National Basketball Association team Houston Rockets. Daryl Morey (born 1972 is the General Manager of the Houston Rockets. Richard Leonard Adelman (born June 16 1946 in Lynwood California, United States) is a retired American Basketball player The NBA Development League, or D-League, is the National Basketball Association 's officially sponsored and operated developmental Basketball organization The Rio Grande Valley Vipers are a team of the NBA Development League which began play in 2007. The 1994 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1993-94 National Basketball Association season, featuring the Eastern Conference The 1995 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1994-95 NBA season. Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) The following is a list of teams that play in one of the seven major sports leagues in North America: Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Their recent 22 game winning streak record broke their franchise record of 15 games in a row and is the second longest winning streak in NBA history. This is a list of the longest regular season winning streaks in National Basketball Association history It ended at 22 games on March 18, 2008 against the Boston Celtics. Events 37 - The Roman Senate annuls Tiberius ' will and proclaims Caligula emperor 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The Boston Celtics are an American professional Basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, playing in the Atlantic Division of the

Franchise history

See also: Houston Rockets seasons

San Diego Rockets

The Rockets were founded in 1967 in San Diego, and after being bought by Robert Breitbard for 1. This is the complete history of the actions of the Houston Rockets in their seasons (on the left and postseasons (on the right Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. 75 million dollars,^[1] they joined the NBA as an expansion team for the 1967-68 NBA season. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been The 1967–68 NBA Season was the 22nd season of the National Basketball Association. ^[2] The San Diego franchise was named the Rockets, due to the city calling itself "a city of motion",^[1] and during their time in San Diego, the Rockets played in the San Diego Sports Arena. The San Diego Sports Arena (formerly iPayOne Center) is an indoor arena located on Sports Arena Blvd in Point Loma, San Diego California off Jack McMahon was named the Rockets' coach,^[3] and the team's first draft pick, in 1967, was the future Hall-of Fame coach Pat Riley. John Joseph (Jack McMahon ( December 3 1928 &ndash June 11 1989) was a professional Basketball player and coach 1967 NBA Draft saw some of the best names in basketball amongst the top 19 picks including current NBA coaches Pat Riley of the Miami Heat ( Patrick James Riley (born March 20 1945 is a former American National Basketball Association head coach and current team president of the Miami Heat. ^[4][5] However, the Rockets went on to lose 67 games in their inaugural season,^[6] which a then-NBA record for losses in a season. ^[7]

During the Rockets' years in San Diego, they played in the San Diego Sports Arena.

In 1968, the Rockets won a coin toss against the Baltimore Bullets to determine the who would have to first overall pick in the 1968 NBA Draft. The 1968 NBA Draft produced future Hall of Famers with the first two picks Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld. ^[8] The Rocket selected Elvin Hayes from the University of Houston, who led the team to the franchise's first ever playoff appearance in 1969. Elvin Ernest Hayes (born November 17 1945 in Rayville Louisiana) is a retired American Basketball player The University of Houston (often referred to as " U of H," " UH," or " Houston " is a public doctoral/research The 1969 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1968-1969 season. ^[9] However, the Rockets lost in the semi-finals of the Western Division to the Atlanta Hawks, four games to two. The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional Basketball team based in Atlanta Georgia. ^[9] In 1970 NBA Draft, the Rockets drafted Calvin Murphy and Rudy Tomjanovich, who would together play all their careers, a total of 25 seasons, with the Rockets. The 1970 NBA Draft is known for having one of the most talented pools in draft history Calvin Murphy (born May 9 1948, in Norwalk Connecticut) is a retired American professional Basketball player who played as a guard for the Rudolph Tomjanovich Jr (born November 24 1948 in Hamtramck Michigan) nicknamed Rudy T ^[10][11]

Despite being coached by Hall-of-Fame coach Alex Hannum, the Rockets only tallied a 57-97 record in the following two seasons, and did not make the playoffs in either season. Alexander Murray Hannum ( July 19, 1923 — January 18, 2002) was a professional Basketball player and Hall-of-Fame coach ^[12][13] Because of the low performance and attendance, Breitbard looked to sell the team,^[1] and in 1971, Texas Sports Investments, which was led by real estate broker Wayne Duddleston and banker Billy Goldberg, bought the franchise for $5. Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. Billy Goldberg (born 1966 is a New York City emergency medicine physician at the NYU School of Medicine ( Bellevue Hospital and New York University 6 million, and moved the team to Houston. ^[1] The franchise became the first basketball team in Texas,^[14] and the team's nickname of "Rockets" took on even greater relevance after the move. ^[15]

1970s

Because the Rockets did not have their own arena in Houston, they played during their first two years at various venues in Houston, including the Astrodome, AstroHall, and Hofheinz Pavilion. For the aeronautical use see Astrodome (aviation Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome Reliant Park (formerly the Astrodomain) is a complex in Houston Texas named after the energy company Reliant Energy. Hofheinz Pavilion is an 8500-seat multi-purpose Arena on the University of Houston campus in Houston Texas. They also had to play "home" game in other cities such as San Antonio, Waco, Albuquerque, and even San Diego. Waco (ˈweɪkoʊ is a city in and the County seat of McLennan County, Texas. ^[1] During their first season, the Rockets averaged less than 5,000 fans per game, and in one game in Waco, there were only 759 fans in attendance. ^[1]

Before the start of the 1971-72 NBA season, Hannum left for the Denver Nuggets of the American Basketball Association,^[16] and Tex Winter was hired in his place. The 1971–72 NBA season was the 26th season of the National Basketball Association. The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. The American Basketball Association ( ABA) was a professional Basketball league founded in 1967, and eventually merged in part with the National Morice Fredrick "Tex" Winter (born February 25 1922) is a successful American Basketball coach and innovator of the Triangle offense ^[17] However, Winter, who said that Hayes had "the worst fundamentals of any player" he had ever coached,^[18] applied a system that contrasted with the offensive style to which Hayes was accustomed. Because of the differences between Winter and Hayes, Houston traded Hayes, who had led the Rockets in scoring for four straight years,^[19] to the Baltimore Bullets for Jack Marin at the end of the 1971-72 season. John Warren "Jack" Marin (born October 12 1944, in Sharon Pennsylvania) is a retired American professional ^[20] Winter left soon after, in the spring of 1973, following the Rockets 10th straight loss,^[17] and he was replaced by Johnny Egan. John Francis "Johnny" Egan (born January 31 1939 in Hartford Connecticut) is a former professional Basketball player and coach ^[21]

At the beginning of the 1975-76 NBA season, the Rockets moved into their new arena, The Summit, where they won their first game 104-89 over the Milwaukee Bucks. The 1975–76 NBA season was the 30th season of the National Basketball Association. The Lakewood Church Central Campus is a house of worship in Houston Texas. The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional Basketball team based in Milwaukee Wisconsin. ^[22] Under Egan's guidance, and as Tomjanovich, Murphy, and Mike Newlin led the way, the Rockets continued on to finish over . Michael F Newlin (born January 2, 1949 in Portland Oregon) is a retired American Basketball player in the NBA. 500 for the first time in franchise history, and they made their first appearance in the playoffs since arriving in Houston. The 1975 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1974-1975 season. ^[19] The Rockets defeated the New York Knicks, who were led by Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe in a three-game mini-series in the first round, but lost to the Boston Celtics 4-2 in the Eastern Conferencesemi-finals. Walter "Clyde" Frazier (born March 29 1945 in Atlanta Georgia) is a retired American Basketball player in the National Basketball Association Vernon Earl Monroe (born on November 21 1944 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania) is an American former professional Basketball player known for his flamboyant Dribbling The Boston Celtics are an American professional Basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, playing in the Atlantic Division of the The Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams and organized in three divisions of five teams each ^[23]

At the start of the 1976-77 season, the Rockets negotiated a trade with the Buffalo Braves to acquire Moses Malone,^[24] who had previously become the first player to go straight from the high school to the professional level. The 1976–77 NBA season was the 31st season of the National Basketball Association. Moses Eugene Malone (born March 23 1955 in Petersburg Virginia) is an American former National Basketball Association (NBA Basketball player who ^[25] After Malone led the Rockets in rebounding for the first of six straight times,^[19] and established a then-NBA record for offensive rebounds in a season,^[24] the Rockets posted a franchise-best 49 wins and finished on top of the Central Division. In the playoffs, Houston defeated the Washington Bullets in six games in the Eastern Conference semi-finals, and advanced to the conference finals for the first time in their history, but they lost to the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers 4-2. The 1977 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1976-1977 season. The Philadelphia 76ers (also known as the Sixers for short are a professional Basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ^[26]

Early into 1977-78 season, at a game on December 9, 1977, Kevin Kunnert got into a fight with Kermit Washington of the Los Angeles Lakers. The 1977–78 NBA season was the 32nd season of the National Basketball Association. Events 536 - Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays Kevin Robert Kunnert (born November 11 1951 in Dubuque Iowa) is a former NBA Basketball player Kermit Alan Washington (born September 17 1951 in Washington D The Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association (NBA team based in Los Angeles, California. As Tomjanovich approached the altercation, Washington turned and threw a punch that landed squarely in the face of an approaching Tomjanovich, causing numerous fractures in his face. ^[27] Tomjanovich spent the next five months in rehabilitation and returned to appear in the 1978 All-Star Game, but his averages significantly declined after the injury,^[28] and Houston finished with just 28 wins in the season. ^[29]

In the following season, Malone, Murphy, and Tomjanovich all played in the 1979 NBA All-Star Game, and Malone received the 1979 MVP Award. The 1978–79 NBA season was the 33rd season of the National Basketball Association. ^[24] The Rockets also sent Lucas to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Rick Barry, who went on to set the NBA record at the time for for free throw percentage in a season by shooting 94. The Golden State Warriors are an American professional Basketball team based in Oakland, California. Richard (Rick Francis Dennis Barry III (born March 28 1944 in Elizabeth New Jersey) is a retired American professional Basketball player Main article Basketball moves In Basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted 7%. ^[30] The Rockets went 47-35 in Nissalke's last season as coach, and finished second in the Central Division, but they lost to Atlanta in a best-of-three first-round series. ^[31] In Houston's 1979-80 campaign, Del Harris replaced Nissalke as head coach, and he led the Rockets to a 41-41 record, tying the San Antonio Spurs for second place in the Central Division. The 1979–80 NBA season was the 34th season of the National Basketball Association. Delmer (Del William Harris (born June 18 1937 in Plainfield Indiana) is an American Basketball coach currently an assistant The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional Basketball team based in San Antonio Texas. ^[32] The Rockets defeated the Spurs two games to one in their first-round playoff series, they were swept by the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals. The 1980 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1979-1980 season. ^[32]

1980s

In the 1980-81 season, after the newly-established Dallas Mavericks became the third NBA team in Texas,^[33] the NBA restructered the conferences and sent the Rockets, who had previously played in the Eastern Conference, to the Midwest Division of the Western Conference. The 1980–81 NBA season was the 35th season of the National Basketball Association. The Dallas Mavericks (also known as the Mavs) are the professional Basketball team of the National Basketball Association based in Dallas Texas The Midwest Division was a division in the Western Conference of the NBA. The Western Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams and organized in three divisions of five teams each In Harris's second season, Houston tied with Kansas City for second place in the Midwest Division behind San Antonio with a 40-42 record, and qualified for the playoffs with just one game left. The Sacramento Kings are a professional Basketball team based in Sacramento California. The 1981 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament follow National Basketball Association 's 1980-1981 season. ^[34]

However, Houston began a playoff run began when they upset Los Angeles two games to one, and then defeated George Gervin's Spurs four games to three in the Western Conference semifinals. George "The Iceman" Gervin (born April 27 1952 in Detroit Michigan) is a retired American professional Basketball player a Shooting guard This resulted in an unlikely conference finals matchup with Kansas City. The Kings, led by Otis Birdsong, Scott Wedman, and Phil Ford fell to the Rockets in five games. Otis Lee Birdsong (born December 9, 1955 in Winter Haven Florida) is an American former professional Basketball player Scott Dean Wedman (born July 29 1952 in Harper Kansas) is a former NBA Basketball player Phil Jackson Ford Jr (born February 9 1956 in Rocky Mount North Carolina) is a retired American professional Basketball player The Rockets advanced to the finals, becoming the only team in NBA history to do so after having a losing record in the regular season. The 1981 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1980-81 NBA season, pitting the Boston Celtics ^[35] However, after splitting the first four games of the series with Boston, Houston eventually lost in six games. The Boston Celtics are an American professional Basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, playing in the Atlantic Division of the ^[36].

During the season, Murphy, the shortest player in the league, set two NBA records, sinking 78 consecutive free throws to break Rick Barry's mark of 60 set in 1976 and achieving a free-throw percentage of . 958, breaking Barry's record set with the Rockets in 1979. Other members of the 1980-81 team were Rudy Tomjanovich, Moses Malone, Robert Reid, Mike Dunleavy, Sr., Allen Leavell, Billy Paultz, Bill Willoughby, Calvin Garrett, Tom Henderson and Major Jones. Rudolph Tomjanovich Jr (born November 24 1948 in Hamtramck Michigan) nicknamed Rudy T Moses Eugene Malone (born March 23 1955 in Petersburg Virginia) is an American former National Basketball Association (NBA Basketball player who Robert Keith Reid (born August 30, 1955 in Atlanta Georgia) is an American former professional Basketball player Michael Joseph Dunleavy Sr (born March 21, 1954) is an American former professional Basketball player and the current head coach and general Allen Frazier Leavell (born May 27, 1957 in Muncie Indiana) is a retired American professional Basketball player William Edward "Bill" Paultz (born July 30, 1948 in River Edge New Jersey) is a retired American professional Basketball player William (Bill Wesley Willoughby (born May 20 1957 in Englewood New Jersey) is an American former professional Basketball player Calvin Eugene Garrett (born 11 July 1956 in Parsons Tennessee) is an American retired National Basketball Association (NBA Thomas Edward "Tom" Henderson (born January 26, 1952 in Newberry South Carolina) is an American former professional Basketball Major James Brooks Jones (born July 9 1953, in McGehee Arkansas) is an American former professional Basketball player in the

The following season, the Rockets improved their regular season mark to 46-36 but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. The 1981–82 NBA Season was the 36th season of the National Basketball Association. The bright spot during the 1981-82 season was that Moses Malone won the league's Most Valuable Player award. Moses Eugene Malone (born March 23 1955 in Petersburg Virginia) is an American former National Basketball Association (NBA Basketball player who

In the 1982-83 NBA season, after trading restricted free-agent Malone to the 76ers, the Rockets fell to a league worst 14-68. The 1982–83 NBA season was the 37th season of the National Basketball Association. In an attempt to improve the franchise's performance, Bill Fitch was hired as coach to replace Del Harris, and with the first pick of the 1983 NBA Draft, the Rockets selected Ralph Sampson from the University of Virginia. William Fitch (born May 19 1934 in Davenport Iowa) is an American former NBA coach who has been successful in making teams playoff Delmer (Del William Harris (born June 18 1937 in Plainfield Indiana) is an American Basketball coach currently an assistant The 1983 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 1983 in New York City. Ralph Lee Sampson (born July 7 1960 in Harrisonburg Virginia) is a retired American college and Professional Basketball The University of Virginia (also called UVa, UVA, Mr Jefferson's University, or The University) is a highly selective public research The following season was a marked improvement on the previous year. A minor footnote to this season is that Houston allegedly lost its last few games of the season intentionally in order to have a better chance to secure the #1 overall pick ^[37]. This was the last season of the coin-flip process as the NBA installed the Draft Lottery for the next draft to prevent teams from deliberately losing. The NBA Draft Lottery is an annual event held by the National Basketball Association (NBA to determine the order of the NBA Draft for that year Ralph Sampson came away with the NBA Rookie of the Year award. Ralph Lee Sampson (born July 7 1960 in Harrisonburg Virginia) is a retired American college and Professional Basketball The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the

With the first pick of the 1984 NBA Draft the Rockets selected Hakeem Olajuwon from the University of Houston. The 1984 NBA Draft saw the selection of four players who would be named among the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History at the league's 50th anniversary in Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (born on January 21 1963 is a retired Nigerian American professional Basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA The University of Houston (often referred to as " U of H," " UH," or " Houston " is a public doctoral/research The same season, Olajuwon finished second to Michael Jordan in NBA Rookie of the Year balloting. Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17 1963 is a retired American professional Basketball player and active businessman With two dynamic All-Star big men, the Rockets enjoyed great success in the 1986 season, winning the Western Conference Championship in five games over the Los Angeles Lakers and competing in the 1986 NBA Finals for only the second time in team history. The Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association (NBA team based in Los Angeles, California. The 1986 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1985-86 NBA season. However, the Celtics defeated the Rockets four games to two.

In the 1987-88 NBA season, the Rockets lost in the first round of the playoffs. The 1987–88 NBA season was the 42nd season of the National Basketball Association. Don Chaney replaced Fitch as head coach. Donald Ray Chaney (born March 22, 1946 in Baton Rouge Louisiana) is an American former professional Basketball player and coach most notable The 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons saw the addition of Otis Thorpe and Vernon Maxwell, but two more first-round exits from the playoffs. The 1988–89 NBA season was the 43rd season of the National Basketball Association. The 1989–90 NBA season was the 44th season of the National Basketball Association. Otis Henry Thorpe (born August 5 1962 in Boynton Beach Florida) is an American former professional Basketball player in the NBA. Vernon Maxwell (born September 12, 1965, in Gainesville Florida) is a retired American professional Basketball player who played in the

The 1990s

Between 1987 and 1992, the Rockets had winning records, but they never got past the 2nd round of the playoffs. With new coach Rudy Tomjanovich leading the way, the Rockets won 55 games in 1992-93, but the Seattle SuperSonics knocked them off in the Conference Semifinals. Rudolph Tomjanovich Jr (born November 24 1948 in Hamtramck Michigan) nicknamed Rudy T It has often been noted that the end of the hard-fought Western Conference semi-final match, which ended in a stirring Game 7, marked the beginning of the championship years to follow. Local sports news channels commented after the loss that while team members were naturally upset at the end of their season, they appeared inspired by the quality of play they had exhibited in the two playoff rounds and were ready to take their place as an elite NBA team. In particular, a conversation on the plane ride home from Seattle between Hakeem Olajuwon and the Rockets team owner is said to have led to greater resolve and a commitment to team leadership on the part of Olajuwon; this leadership is widely credited for the championship runs that followed.

The championship years

On July 30, 1993, Leslie Alexander purchased the Rockets. Leslie "Les" Alexander is a former Stock trader from New Jersey who owns the National Basketball Association team Houston Rockets. In Tomjanovich's second full year as head coach, the Rockets began the 1993-94 season with an NBA record start of 15-0. The 1993–94 NBA season was the 48th season of the National Basketball Association. With Hakeem Olajuwon as their center, the Rockets defeated the New York Knicks in seven games to win the championship. Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (born on January 21 1963 is a retired Nigerian American professional Basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA After being down three games to two in the 1994 NBA Finals, the Rockets won the last two games on their home court, thanks to a clutch play by Olajuwon. The 1994 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1993-94 National Basketball Association season, featuring the Eastern Conference In the waning seconds of the fourth quarter of game 6 the Rockets clung to a 2 point lead when hot shooting guard John Starks, who had scored 27 points in the game until then, pulled up for a potentially game-winning shot. John Levell Starks (born August 10 1965) is an American retired professional Basketball player who gained fame while playing at Shooting Olajuwon had been blocked by a screen but recovered to block the shot and preserve the lead as time expired. This is often considered one of the greatest clutch defensive plays in NBA History.

The Rockets struggled in the first half of the 1994-95 season. The 1994–95 NBA season was the 49th season of the National Basketball Association. In a midseason trade with Portland, the Rockets obtained star guard Clyde Drexler, who had played alongside Olajuwon at the University of Houston, in exchange for Otis Thorpe. The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, is an American professional Basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. Clyde Austin Drexler (born June 22 1962 in New Orleans Louisiana) is a former 6 foot 7 inch National Basketball Association Shooting guard. The University of Houston (often referred to as " U of H," " UH," or " Houston " is a public doctoral/research Otis Henry Thorpe (born August 5 1962 in Boynton Beach Florida) is an American former professional Basketball player in the NBA. Houston entered the playoffs as the sixth seed in the Western Conference and were underdogs against the 60-22 Utah Jazz in the first round, the 59-23 Phoenix Suns in the second round (who led the Rockets 3-1 before losing three straight), and the 62-20 San Antonio Spurs in the conference finals. The 1995 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1994-1995 season. The Utah Jazz is a professional Basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Phoenix Suns are a professional Basketball team based in Phoenix Arizona. The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional Basketball team based in San Antonio Texas. In the second game of the San Antonio series, Olajuwon gave a career performance. After a pregame MVP award ceremony honoring David Robinson, Olajuwon dominated the game, outscoring Robinson 42-22 in a Rockets win. David Maurice Robinson (born) is a retired American NBA Basketball player who is often considered one of the greatest centers to ever Houston won all three series to reach the Finals against the Orlando Magic, whose headline players were Shaquille O'Neal and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway. The 1995 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1994-95 NBA season. The Orlando Magic is a professional Basketball team based in Orlando Florida. Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal (born March 6 1972 frequently referred to simply as " Shaq " is an African American Professional basketball Anfernee Deon "Penny" Hardaway (born July 18 1971, in Memphis Tennessee) is an American professional Basketball player Houston swept the series in four straight games. The Rockets became the first team in NBA history to win the championship as a sixth seed. They also became only the second team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 series deficit without homecourt advantage. In addition, the team became the first in NBA history to beat four 50-win teams in a single postseason en route to the championship.

Post-championship

After an injury riddled 1995-96 campaign, the Rockets beat the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs but were swept by the Seattle Supersonics in the second round. The Seattle SuperSonics (also called the Seattle Sonics) were an American professional Basketball team based in Seattle Washington that played Houston's aging roster and the reemergence of the Chicago Bulls after Michael Jordan's return the previous season drove the Rockets to make a dramatic trade with the Phoenix Suns that swapped Sam Cassell, Chucky Brown, Mark Bryant and Robert Horry for Charles Barkley. The Chicago Bulls are an American professional Basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17 1963 is a retired American professional Basketball player and active businessman The Phoenix Suns are a professional Basketball team based in Phoenix Arizona. Samuel James Cassell (born November 18, 1969 in Baltimore, Maryland) commonly referred to as Sam Cassell, is an American Clarence "Chucky" Brown (born February 29, 1968 in New York City) is a retired American professional Basketball player Robert Keith Horry (born August 25 1970 in Harford County Maryland) is an American professional Basketball player Charles Wade Barkley (born February 20 1963 is an American retired professional Basketball player The resulting "Big Three" of Olajuwon, Drexler, and Barkley led the Rockets to a 57-25 record, with a franchise-best 27 road wins. Houston swept Minnesota in the first round and, in a heated 7 game battle, defeated Seattle. The 1996 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1995-1996 season. The Rockets then fell in the Western Conference Finals to the Utah Jazz, a team they had beaten on their way to championships in '94 and '95. The Utah Jazz is a professional Basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The 1997-98 season was also marked by injuries, and the team finished 41-41 with the 8th seed in the Western Conference. The 1997–98 NBA season was the 52nd season of the National Basketball Association. Houston once again faced the Jazz and lost the series 3-2. Drexler retired after the season and the Rockets made another bold trade to bring in Scottie Pippen to take his place in the Big Three. Scottie Maurice Pippen (born September 25 1965 is an American retired Professional Basketball player who played in the National Basketball While Pippen continued to play good defense, he struggled to fit into Houston's offensive system, which was dominated by Barkley and Olajuwon. As a result, the Rockets often struggled. The Rockets lost to the Lakers in the first round 3-1 of the 1999 NBA Playoffs, and during the summer Barkley and Pippen publicly displayed their dislike for each other. The 1999 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1998-99 season.

Throughout the post-championship years one of the Rockets main weaknesses was the point guard position. The Rockets had signed Brent Price as the answer at the 1, but he had been severely limited by injuries. Hartley Brent Price, better known as Brent Price (born December 9 1968 in Shawnee Oklahoma) is a retired American professional That summer the Rockets attempted to address their point guard situation by trading Price, Antoine Carr, Michael Dickerson, Othella Harrington, and a future first round pick to the Vancouver Grizzlies for Steve Francis and Tony Massenburg. Antoine Labotte Carr (born July 23, 1961) is a retired 16-year National Basketball Association journeyman player well known for the sunglass Michael DeAngelo Dickerson (born June 25 1975 in Greenville South Carolina) is an American professional Basketball player who was a member of Othella Harrington (born January 31, 1974 in Jackson Mississippi) is an American professional Basketball player The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional Basketball team based in Memphis Tennessee. Steve D'Shawn Francis (born February 21 1977, in Takoma Park Maryland, U Tony Arnel Massenburg (born July 31 1967, in Sussex County Virginia) is an American professional Basketball player Two months later the Rockets dealt the disgruntled Pippen to the Portland Trailblazers in exchange for Walt Williams, Stacey Augmon, Ed Gray, Carlos Rogers, Brian Shaw, and Kelvin Cato. The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, is an American professional Basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. Walter (Walt Ander Williams (born April 16 1970 in Washington D Stacey Orlando Augmon (born August 1 1968 in Pasadena California) is an American professional Basketball player formerly in Edward (Ed Gray (born September 27, 1975 in Riverside California) is a professional Basketball player who was selected by the Atlanta Carlos Rogers may refer to Carlos Rogers (basketball Carlos Rogers (American football Brian K Shaw (born March 22, 1966 in Oakland California) is a retired American professional Basketball player and current assistant Kelvin T Cato (born August 26, 1974 in Atlanta Georgia) is a professional Basketball player The trade replenished the depth given up to obtain Francis from Vancouver.

Early in the 2000 season Barkley ruptured the quadriceps tendon in his left knee in a game against Philadelphia. When considering his career-ending injury, Barkley displayed his trademark wit by observing, "I'm just what America needs - another unemployed black man. " Barkley would go on to rehab and make a token appearance towards the end of the season. With injuries to Barkley and Olajuwon, the rebuilt Rockets went 34-48 and missed the playoffs.

21st century

In 2001, the Rockets worked their way to a 45-37 record and swept every Central Division team, but still did not make the playoffs. An older, waning Olajuwon was traded to the Toronto Raptors in 2001 which left Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley to fill leadership roles. The Toronto Raptors are a professional Basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Steve D'Shawn Francis (born February 21 1977, in Takoma Park Maryland, U Cuttino Rashawn Mobley (born September 1, 1974 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American professional Basketball player The following season was unremarkable, as the team was mostly made up of rookies and journeymen. Injuries to star player Steve Francis forced him to miss many games. The first season without Hakeem in almost 20 years was a disappointing 28-54.

The abysmal 2002 season had its silver lining, as the Rockets were awarded the first overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft. The 2002 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2002 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York The Rockets selected Yao Ming, a 7 foot and 6 inch Chinese center, who played for the Shanghai Sharks. Yao Ming ( born September 12 1980 is a Professional basketball player who plays for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Shanghai Sharks ( are a Chinese Basketball Association team based in Shanghai, China. The 2002-03 basketball season saw marked improvement for the Rockets, with the trio of Yao, Francis, and Mobley leading the team to a 43-39 record. The 2002–03 NBA season was the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. Tomjanovich retired as Rockets coach after being diagnosed with cancer and was replaced by Jeff Van Gundy. Jeff Van Gundy (born January 19 1962 in Hemet California) is an American Basketball Head coach, most recently with the

The Rockets moved into the Toyota Center in 2004. Toyota Center is the name of several arenas in the United States Toyota Center (Houston in Houston Texas is home to the Houston Rockets Toyota

With a 2003-04 regular season record of 45-37, the Rockets earned their first playoff berth since their first round exit to the Lakers in 1999. The 2003–04 NBA season was the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. The 2004 NBA Playoffs were the postseason of the National Basketball Association 's 2003-04 season. However, the Lakers again handed the Rockets a loss in the first round. The offseason saw major changes in the roster and dynamic of the team as Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato were traded to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Tracy McGrady, Juwan Howard, Tyronn Lue and Reece Gaines. The Orlando Magic is a professional Basketball team based in Orlando Florida. Tracy Lamar McGrady Jr (born May 24 1979 in Bartow Florida) is an American professional Basketball player currently positioned at starting Juwan Antonio Howard (born February 7 1973 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American professional Basketball player in Tyronn Jamar Lue (born on May 3 1977 in Mexico, Missouri) is an American professional Basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks Clifton Reece Gaines (born January 7 1981 in Madison Wisconsin, U

The 2004-05 season saw McGrady and Yao lead the Rockets to their best record in 10 years, finishing at 51-31 and seeded 5th in the Western Conference Playoffs. The 2004–05 NBA season was the 59th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA Their season ended in the first round of the playoffs as they lost to their in-state rival, the Dallas Mavericks four games to three. The 2005 NBA Playoffs were the postseason of the National Basketball Association 's 2004-05 season. The Dallas Mavericks (also known as the Mavs) are the professional Basketball team of the National Basketball Association based in Dallas Texas During the 2005 offseason the Rockets obtained Stromile Swift and Derek Anderson. Stromile Swift (born November 21 1979 in Shreveport Louisiana) is an American professional Basketball player currently with the For the American football player see Derek Anderson (football player. They also traded Mike James to the Toronto Raptors for Rafer Alston. Michael Lamont James (born June 23 1975 in Amityville New York) is an American professional Basketball player currently with the The Toronto Raptors are a professional Basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario. Rafer Jamel Alston, also known as Skip To My Lou or Skip 2 My Lou (born July 24 1976 in Queens, New York City) is an

Injuries plagued the 2005-06 season. The 2005–06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. Bob Sura had surgery on his knee the summer prior, Tracy McGrady fought an injured back throughout the season, Yao Ming required surgery to treat an infection in his toe, and David Wesley even fractured a rib falling into a courtside cameraman near the end of the season. David Barakau Wesley (born November 14, 1970, in San Antonio Texas) is an American professional Basketball player in the National Basketball With Yao and McGrady rarely on the court at the same time, the Rockets floundered. The team was much more successful during the few portions of the season when its players were relatively healthy. However Jeff Van Gundy and his team frequently expressed the need to play beyond injuries and to not use bad luck as an excuse for losing. Jeff Van Gundy (born January 19 1962 in Hemet California) is an American Basketball Head coach, most recently with the By the end of the season, the Rockets led the league in most games missed by players on the roster. The team finished with a 34-48 record.

2006-2007

The Rockets drafted Rudy Gay from the University of Connecticut with the 8th pick of the first round in the 2006 NBA Draft but then traded him and Stromile Swift for Shane Battier who played for the Memphis Grizzlies. Rudy Carlton Gay Jr (born August 17, 1986 in Baltimore Maryland) is an American professional Basketball player currently with the The University of Connecticut ( Connecticut or UConn) is the State of Connecticut 's Land-grant university. The 2006 NBA Draft was held on June 28 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The team had a good season led by Tracy McGrady and veteran support from Dikembe Mutombo and Juwan Howard. The Rockets finished that season with a 52-30 record despite injuries; finishing 5th in the Western Conference and claiming the seed from the Utah Jazz. However, once again, Tracy McGrady and the Houston Rockets were unable to pull out of the first round, losing in Game 7 to Utah 103-99. Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy was fired on May 18, 2007. Jeff Van Gundy (born January 19 1962 in Hemet California) is an American Basketball Head coach, most recently with the ^[38]

2007-2008

Main articles: 2007-08 Houston Rockets season

Houston began the 2007-08 season with recently hired Rick Adelman as the team's 11th head coach. Richard Leonard Adelman (born June 16 1946 in Lynwood California, United States) is a retired American Basketball player ^[39]

On June 14, the Rockets traded Juwan Howard to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Mike James and Justin Reed. Events 1276 - While taking exile in Fuzhou in southern China, away from the advancing Mongol invaders, the remnants of the Juwan Antonio Howard (born February 7 1973 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American professional Basketball player in The Minnesota Timberwolves are a professional Basketball team based in Minneapolis Minnesota, United States. Michael Lamont James (born June 23 1975 in Amityville New York) is an American professional Basketball player currently with the Justin Michael Reed (born January 16 1982, in Jackson Mississippi) is an American professional Basketball player ^[40]

In the 2007 NBA Draft, with the 26th pick, the Houston Rockets selected PG Aaron Brooks, from Oregon, traded with the SuperSonics to receive Pick #31 PF Carl Landry from Purdue, and with the 54th overall pick selected SG Brad Newley from Australia. The 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City and Aaron Jamal Brooks (born January 14 1985, in Seattle Washington) is an American Basketball player who was selected 26th overall Carl Christopher Landry (born September 19 1983 in Milwaukee Wisconsin) is an American professional Basketball player for the Bradley Newley (born February 18, 1985, in Lower Mitcham South Australia) is an Australian professional Basketball player

On July 12, guard Vassilis Spanoulis was traded to the San Antonio Spurs along with the rights for the 2009 second-round draft pick. Events 1191 - Saladin 's garrison surrenders ending the two-year Siege of Acre. Vasileios Spanoulis (in Βασίλειος "Βασίλης" Σπανούλης) (born August 7 1982) is a Greek The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional Basketball team based in San Antonio Texas. In return, the Rockets received center Jackie Butler and the rights to Luis Scola, a 2002 second-round draft pick yet to play in the NBA. Jackie Butler (born March 10 1985 in McComb Mississippi) is an American professional Basketball player formerly in the NBA Luis Alberto Scola Balvoa (born April 30 1980 in Buenos Aires) is an Argentine professional Basketball player 24 hours after this deal was made, Scola came to a "Basic Agreement" which could see him playing for the Rockets next season. ^[41] Less than a week later, Scola signed with the Rockets. Scola has performed well during the season, sharing minutes at the power forward position with current starting power forward Chuck Hayes. Scola has brought some much needed rebounding and inside presence that the Rockets desperately showed a lack of in their 2006 NBA Playoffs loss to the Utah Jazz,and he came at a very small price as the Rockets traded away seldolm-used Vassilis Spanoulis for him. Hopefully, Scola will be another piece of the puzzle that the Rockets are attempting to build so they can regain their elite championship stats from the 1990s. ^[42]

On July 20 guard Steve Francis signed a 2 year deal with the Rockets, ten days after he accepted a buyout of the last two seasons of his $30 million contract with the Portland Trail Blazers. Events 1304 - Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle - King Edward I of England takes the last rebel stronghold Steve D'Shawn Francis (born February 21 1977, in Takoma Park Maryland, U The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, is an American professional Basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. He is expected to compete for a starting job with Mike James and Rafer Alston. Michael Lamont James (born June 23 1975 in Amityville New York) is an American professional Basketball player currently with the Rafer Jamel Alston, also known as Skip To My Lou or Skip 2 My Lou (born July 24 1976 in Queens, New York City) is an However, so far throughout the season, the point guard issues have been inconsistent and difficult to work with, because the Rockets have five point guards fighting for playing time. Francis actually did not play for the first several games of the season and many fans began to wonder if head coach Rick Adelman would ever play him and if bringing Francis back to Houston was the right move. However, Francis's playing time has steadily increased as the season has progressed, but knee injuries sidelined him again. ^[43]

The Rockets have faced the Utah Jazz for two consecutive in the playoffs.

On September 7, it was also announced that the Rockets will debut a new court design for the 2007-08 season. Events 1251 BC - A Solar eclipse on this date might mark the birth of legendary Heracles at Thebes Greece. The court design includes a lighter varnished wood inside the three point area, similar to the Seattle Supersonics, while the rest are dark varnished wood. The Seattle SuperSonics (also called the Seattle Sonics) were an American professional Basketball team based in Seattle Washington that played The color red will remain on the Rockets logo, and the script. Red is any of a number of similar Colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of Light discernible by the human eye in the wavelength This court design is similar to the Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and New Orleans Hornets, in which most of the hardwood is exposed. The Phoenix Suns are a professional Basketball team based in Phoenix Arizona. The Cleveland Cavaliers (also known as the Cavs) are a professional Basketball team based in Cleveland Ohio. The New Orleans Hornets are a professional Basketball team based in New Orleans Louisiana, United States. ^[44]

On March 16, the Rockets achieved a 22-game winning streak, setting a franchise record and notching the 2nd longest winning streak in NBA history. Events 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king The last 10 games were won despite the absence of star center Yao Ming who suffered a season-ending foot injury. Yao Ming ( born September 12 1980 is a Professional basketball player who plays for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA ^[45] On March 18, the streak came to an end at the hands of the Boston Celtics with 94-74 loss. Events 37 - The Roman Senate annuls Tiberius ' will and proclaims Caligula emperor The Boston Celtics are an American professional Basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, playing in the Atlantic Division of the

The Rockets finished their season 55-27.

The Rockets were eliminated by the Utah Jazz in the first round of the playoffs, 4 games to 2, to end the Rockets 2007-2008 season. ^[46]

Home arenas

San Diego Rockets

• San Diego Sports Arena (1967-1971)

Houston Rockets

• Hofheinz Pavilion (1971-1975)
• HemisFair Arena (San Antonio) (1972-1973)
• The Summit (later "Compaq Center") (1975-2003)
• Toyota Center (2003-present)

Logos and uniforms

Logos

Logo from 1967-1971	Logo from 1971-1972	Logo from 1972-1995	Logo from 1995-2003
2003-Current logo

Uniforms

Upon the opening of the Toyota Center arena in 2003, the Rockets decided to re-brand themselves with a new uniform. The San Diego Sports Arena (formerly iPayOne Center) is an indoor arena located on Sports Arena Blvd in Point Loma, San Diego California off Hofheinz Pavilion is an 8500-seat multi-purpose Arena on the University of Houston campus in Houston Texas. The HemisFair Arena was an Indoor arena located in San Antonio Texas, United States. The Lakewood Church Central Campus is a house of worship in Houston Texas. The Toyota Center is an indoor arena located at 1510 Polk Street in Downtown Houston, Texas. The Rockets changed from the authentic blue shooting star striped uniform to a modern red and white that accommodated their new logo.

Players of Significance

Current roster

For the complete list of Houston Rockets players see: Houston Rockets all-time roster. The following is a list of players both past and current who appeared at least in one game for the Houston Rockets NBA franchise

For the players drafted by Houston Rockets, see: List of Houston Rockets first and second-round draft picks.

Houston Rockets roster v • d • e
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Ht. Wt. From 1. 0 PG 12 USA Alston, Rafer 74 6 ft 2 in (1. Point guard ( PG) also called the one or " the ball-handler " is one of the standard positions in a regulation Basketball game Rafer Jamel Alston, also known as Skip To My Lou or Skip 2 My Lou (born July 24 1976 in Queens, New York City) is an 88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Fresno State 3. California State University Fresno, commonly referred to as Fresno State and even plainly State, is one of the campuses of California State University 0 SF 31 USA Battier, Shane 80 6 ft 8 in (2. The small forward, or colloquially the three, is one of the five positions in a regulation Basketball game Shane Courtney Battier (born September 9 1978 in Birmingham, Michigan) is an American professional Basketball player 03 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Duke 1. Duke University is a private Research University located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. 0 PG 0 USA Brooks, Aaron 72 6 ft 0 in (1. Point guard ( PG) also called the one or " the ball-handler " is one of the standard positions in a regulation Basketball game Aaron Jamal Brooks (born January 14 1985, in Seattle Washington) is an American Basketball player who was selected 26th overall 83 m) 161 lb (73 kg) Oregon 1. The University of Oregon (UO is a public, Coeducational Research university in Eugene Oregon, United States. 0 PG 3 USA Francis, Steve  75 6 ft 3 in (1. Point guard ( PG) also called the one or " the ball-handler " is one of the standard positions in a regulation Basketball game Steve D'Shawn Francis (born February 21 1977, in Takoma Park Maryland, U 91 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Maryland 3. The University of Maryland College Park (often referred to as The University of Maryland UMD, UMCP or simply Maryland) is a public research 0 SF 19 USA Harris, Mike 78 6 ft 6 in (1. The small forward, or colloquially the three, is one of the five positions in a regulation Basketball game Michael (Mike Harris (born June 15 1983 in Hillsboro Texas) is an American professional Basketball player currently with the 98 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Rice 4. William Marsh Rice University (commonly called Rice University and opened in 1912 as The William Marsh Rice Institute for the Advancement of Letters Science and Art 0 PF 44 USA Hayes, Chuck 78 6 ft 6 in (1. Power forward is a position in the sport of Basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF" Charles Edward Hayes Jr (born June 11 1983 in San Leandro California) is an American professional Basketball player currently with the 98 m) 242 lb (110 kg) Kentucky 2. The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public, Co-educational, University, and is also the state's land-grant university located 0 SG 2 USA Head, Luther 75 6 ft 3 in (1. The Shooting guard ( SG) also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a Basketball team Luther Dale Head (born November 26 1982, in Chicago, Illinois) is an American Professional Basketball player 91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Illinois 1. This article is about the flagship campus For other uses and locations of University of Illinois, see University of Illinois (disambiguation The University of 0 PG 8 USA Jackson, Bobby 73 6 ft 1 in (1. Point guard ( PG) also called the one or " the ball-handler " is one of the standard positions in a regulation Basketball game Bobby "Showtime" Jackson (born March 13 1973 in East Spencer North Carolina) is an American Basketball player with the NBA 's 85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Minnesota 4. The University of Minnesota Twin Cities ( U of M or The U) is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system. 0 PF 14 USA Landry, Carl 81 6 ft 9 in (2. Power forward is a position in the sport of Basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF" Carl Christopher Landry (born September 19 1983 in Milwaukee Wisconsin) is an American professional Basketball player for the 06 m) 253 lb (115 kg) Purdue 2. 0 SG 1 USA McGrady, Tracy (C) 80 6 ft 8 in (2. The Shooting guard ( SG) also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a Basketball team Tracy Lamar McGrady Jr (born May 24 1979 in Bartow Florida) is an American professional Basketball player currently positioned at starting 03 m) 223 lb (101 kg) Mt. Zion Christian Academy (NC)* 5. Mount Zion Christian Academy is a High school located in Durham North Carolina. 0 C 55 COD Mutombo, Dikembe 86 7 ft 2 in (2. The center, colloquially the five, is one of the standard positions in a regulation Basketball game Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo (born June 25 1966) commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a Congolese - American 18 m) 260 lb (118 kg) Georgetown 3. Georgetown University is a Jesuit Private university located in Georgetown Washington D 0 SF 20 USA Novak, Steve 82 6 ft 10 in (2. The small forward, or colloquially the three, is one of the five positions in a regulation Basketball game Steve Novak (born June 13, 1983 in Brown Deer Wisconsin) is an American professional Basketball player currently with the 08 m) 234 lb (106 kg) Marquette 4. Marquette University is a private coeducational Jesuit, Roman Catholic University located in Milwaukee Wisconsin. 5 F/C 4 ARG Scola, Luis 81 6 ft 9 in (2. Forward-center is a Basketball position for players who play or have played both forward and center on a consistent basis Luis Alberto Scola Balvoa (born April 30 1980 in Buenos Aires) is an Argentine professional Basketball player 06 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Argentina 5. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. 0 C 33 USA Woods, Loren 86 7 ft 2 in (2. The center, colloquially the five, is one of the standard positions in a regulation Basketball game Loren Gerard Woods (born 21 June 1978, in St Louis Missouri) is an American professional Basketball player 18 m) 260 lb (118 kg) Arizona 5. The University of Arizona (also referred to as UA, U of A, or Arizona) is a Land-grant and space-grant public institution 0 C 11 CHN Yao Ming  90 7 ft 6 in (2. The center, colloquially the five, is one of the standard positions in a regulation Basketball game Yao Ming ( born September 12 1980 is a Professional basketball player who plays for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA 29 m) 310 lb (141 kg) People's Republic of China	Head coach Rick Adelman (Loyola Marymount) Assistant coach(es) Elston Turner (Mississippi) Jack Sikma (Illinois Wesleyan) T. R. Dunn (Alabama) R. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Richard Leonard Adelman (born June 16 1946 in Lynwood California, United States) is a retired American Basketball player Loyola Marymount University (LMU is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic Jesuit university in Los Angeles California, United States Elston Howard Turner (born June 10 1959 in Knoxville Tennessee) is a retired American professional Basketball player who was selected The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational Research University located in Oxford Jack Wayne Sikma (born November 14 1955 in Kankakee Illinois) is an American former NBA Basketball center. Illinois Wesleyan University is an independent undergraduate University located in Bloomington, Illinois. Theodore Roosevelt "T R" Dunn (born February 1, 1955 in Birmingham Alabama) is an American former professional Basketball J. Adelman (Willamette) Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Draft pick (FA) Free agent Injured Roster • Transactions Last change: 2008-04-28

Unsigned Overseas Draft Picks

Hall of Famers

• Charles Barkley (2006)
• Rick Barry (1987)
• Clyde Drexler (2004)
• Elvin Hayes (1990)
• Moses Malone (2001)
• Calvin Murphy (1993)
• Hakeem Olajuwon (2008)

Retired numbers

• 22 Clyde Drexler, G, 1995-98; also Houston native and University of Houston star and former head coach, currently Houston Rockets broadcaster
• 23 Calvin Murphy, G, 1970-83 (including last season in San Diego); also Broadcaster
• 24 Moses Malone, C, 1976-82
• 34 Hakeem Olajuwon, C, 1984-2001
• 45 Rudy Tomjanovich, F, 1970-81; Head Coach, 1991-2003
• CD Carroll Dawson Assistant coach, General Manager 1979-2007. Events 529 - First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis (a fundamental work in Jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) Charles Wade Barkley (born February 20 1963 is an American retired professional Basketball player Richard (Rick Francis Dennis Barry III (born March 28 1944 in Elizabeth New Jersey) is a retired American professional Basketball player Clyde Austin Drexler (born June 22 1962 in New Orleans Louisiana) is a former 6 foot 7 inch National Basketball Association Shooting guard. Elvin Ernest Hayes (born November 17 1945 in Rayville Louisiana) is a retired American Basketball player Moses Eugene Malone (born March 23 1955 in Petersburg Virginia) is an American former National Basketball Association (NBA Basketball player who Calvin Murphy (born May 9 1948, in Norwalk Connecticut) is a retired American professional Basketball player who played as a guard for the Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (born on January 21 1963 is a retired Nigerian American professional Basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA Clyde Austin Drexler (born June 22 1962 in New Orleans Louisiana) is a former 6 foot 7 inch National Basketball Association Shooting guard. The University of Houston (often referred to as " U of H," " UH," or " Houston " is a public doctoral/research Calvin Murphy (born May 9 1948, in Norwalk Connecticut) is a retired American professional Basketball player who played as a guard for the Moses Eugene Malone (born March 23 1955 in Petersburg Virginia) is an American former National Basketball Association (NBA Basketball player who Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (born on January 21 1963 is a retired Nigerian American professional Basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA Rudolph Tomjanovich Jr (born November 24 1948 in Hamtramck Michigan) nicknamed Rudy T Carroll Dawson is a former Assistant coach and General manager in the National Basketball Association. As Dawson did not play for the Rockets, the team used his initials in memoriam.

High Points

Individual Awards

References

External links

• Houston Rockets official web site
• Houston Rockets page at basketball-reference.com

	This box: view • talk • edit Sports teams based in greater Houston
Baseball	MLB: Houston Astros, CBL: Bay Area Toros
Basketball	NBA: Houston Rockets, WNBA: Houston Comets, ABA: Houston Takers
Football	NFL: Houston Texans, IFL: Katy Ruff Riders, af2: Texas Copperheads, APFL: Conroe Storm, NAFL: Houston Sharks, Montgomery County Bulls, Bay Area Gamblers, IIFA: Harris County Militia, Galveston Tidalwave, WPFL: Houston Energy
Australian Rules Football	USAFL: Houston Lonestars
Soccer	MLS: Houston Dynamo, PDL: Houston Leones
Hockey	AHL: Houston Aeros
Tennis	WTT: Houston Wranglers
College athletics (NCAA Division I)	Houston Cougars • Houston Baptist Huskies • Prairie View A&M Panthers • Rice Owls • Texas Southern Tigers