Houston Rockets

Houston Rockets

Basketball Team
Houston Rockets

1971 Houston


Houston Rockets is an NBA basketball team based in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1967 as the San Diego Rockets, the team moved to Houston in 1971. Since then, they have won four NBA championships, including back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995 under the leadership of Hakeem Olajuwon.

Origin and early years in San Diego

The Rockets were founded in 1967 by Robert Breitbard, owner of the San Diego Sports Arena. They began playing in the NBA in the 1967-68 season as the San Diego Rockets, and played in the Western Division of the Western Conference.

In their inaugural season, the team had a 15-67 record, which earned them last place in the division and the 1969 draft. In that draft, the team selected Elvin Hayes, who became one of the franchise's top players and led the team to its first playoff appearance in 1969-70.

Move to Houston

In 1971, Breitbard sold the team to Texas Sports Investments, led by Houston businessman Kenneth Schnitzer. The franchise moved to Houston and changed its name to the Houston Rockets.

The team got off to a rocky start in its first season in Houston, with a 22-60 record. However, in 1972-73, the team began to improve thanks to the leadership of Rudy Tomjanovich and the three-point shooting of Rick Barry. The Rockets reached the West Division Finals, but were eliminated by the Milwaukee Bucks.

The "Dream Team" and the first championship

In 1984, the Rockets acquired Ralph Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon in the draft, forming the so-called Houston Dream Team. With the addition of these two players, the team began to have consistent success in the 1980s, reaching the West Division Finals in 1986 and 1987.

In 1993-94, under Olajuwon's leadership, the Rockets finally captured their first NBA championship by defeating the New York Knicks in seven games in the NBA Finals. The following season, the Rockets repeated as champions by defeating the Orlando Magic in four games in the NBA Finals.

Decline and renewal

After back-to-back titles, the Rockets began to decline in the 2000s. Olajuwon retired in 2002 and the team had a 28-54 record in 2002-03. However, in 2004, the Rockets acquired Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming in the draft, ushering in a new era.

2004-2008: Trades and playoffs

During these years, the Rockets made several major trades to improve their team. They acquired Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming in 2004, and in 2006 they obtained Shane Battier through the draft. With these players leading the team, the Rockets made the playoffs in 2004 and 2005, although they were eliminated in the first round both times.

2009-2012: Led by Dwight Howard

In 2009, the Rockets acquired All-Star Dwight Howard via trade. Along with players like James Harden and Jeremy Lin, Howard led the team to the postseason in 2012, where they reached the conference semifinals but lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

2013-2014: The arrival of Harden and the building of a new team.

After a disappointing 2012-2013 season, the Rockets began building a new team around James Harden, who was acquired via trade in 2012. In 2013-2014, the Rockets achieved their best season since 2009 with a 54-28 record, reaching the conference semifinals again but losing to the San Antonio Spurs.

2015-2017: The Harden era and the arrival of Chris Paul.

With Harden leading the team, the Rockets made it to the postseason in each of these seasons. In 2015-2016, they reached the conference semifinals but were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors. In 2016-2017, they acquired Chris Paul via trade and made it to the conference semifinals again, but lost to the San Antonio Spurs.

2018-2020: Rockets go for the title.

In 2018-2019, the Rockets posted a 53-29 record and made it to the conference semifinals where they ultimately lost to the Warriors in a very close series. In the 2019-2020 season, the Rockets made it to the conference finals but lost to the Lakers in a five-game series.

2021-2022: The Stephen Silas era and the quest for another championship.

After Mike D'Antoni's departure in 2020, the Rockets hired Stephen Silas as their new head coach. With a revamped team led by players like James Harden and John Wall, the Rockets are in the hunt for another championship in the 2021-2022 season.