Houston Rockets
Two-time NBA champions, four-time Western Conference champions.
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference. The team plays its home games at Toyota Center, located in Downtown Houston. Throughout its history, Houston has won two NBA championships and four Western Conference titles.
Lore & Background
The Rockets were established in 1967 as the San Diego Rockets, an expansion team originally based in San Diego. In 1971, the Rockets relocated to Houston. The Rockets won only 15 games in their debut season. In the 1968 NBA draft, they selected Elvin Hayes, who led the team to its first playoff appearance. Moses Malone led Houston to the Eastern Conference finals in his first year and to the 1981 NBA Finals. Hakeem Olajuwon, drafted first overall in 1984, led the team to its first championship in 1994 and a repeat in 1995. James Harden, acquired in 2012, led the team to two Western Conference finals appearances, both times losing to the Golden State Warriors.
Reader's Guide
The Rockets' most successful period was under Rudy Tomjanovich, who took over as head coach midway through the 1991–92 season. Led by Olajuwon, the Rockets won the 1994 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks and repeated in 1995 with a sweep of the Orlando Magic. The team also reached the NBA Finals in 1981 and 1986, losing both times to the Boston Celtics.
Did You Know?
- Moses Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon, and James Harden have been named the NBA's MVPs while playing for the Rockets, for a total of four MVP awards.
- The Rockets, when piloted by Daryl Morey, were renowned for popularizing the use of advanced statistical analytics in player acquisitions and style of play.
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