Houston Rockets Playoff History

Founded in 1967 as the San Diego Rockets, the Houston Rockets compete in the Southwest division of the Western Conference in the NBA. The franchise relocated to Houston in 1971, and play their home games at the Toyota Center, a seating capacity of 19,000. The Rockets are owned by Tillman Fertitta, an American businessman.

The credit of scouting and making deals for players in the team goes to the General Manager, Rafael Stone. However, one of the most well known General Managers in Rockets history is Daryl Morey. Some of the big coaches to be associated with the franchise include the likes of Mike D’Antoni, Jeff Van Gundy and JB Bickerstaff. As of March 2024, the team is coached by Ime Udoka.

The franchise has been led by multiple star players such as Hakeem Olajuwon, Elvin Hayes, Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming, Moses Malone and James Harden. Currently, the team is filled with a pool of young talent, with a view for development and future success in the league.

How many times have the Houston Rockets made the playoffs?

The Houston Rockets have made the NBA playoffs 34 times in franchise history. Their playoff journey began in 1967 with the acquisition of Elvin Hayes, a rookie who was drafted by the Rockets. The first two years of the team’s history were not successful, with the team winning just 15 games in its debut season.

The Rockets have witnessed several turning points throughout their history. These include the acquisition of Moses Malone and drafting the legendary Hakeem Olajuwon. The duo had an undeniable positive impact, taking the team to multiple playoffs and putting them on the basketball map with their dominant performances. However, the appointment of Rudy Tomjanovich led to the transformation of the Houston Rockets. His coaching style ultimately led the Rockets to win their first championship in the 1993-94 season.

The team then went on to create a dynamic duo between Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. The duo functioned well together, making Houston basketball more entertaining and optimistic. The addition of Ming also led to the franchise gaining a lot of international recognition. Lastly, the franchise underwent a significant turning point with the arrival of James Harden and head coach Mike D’Antoni.

D’Antoni adopted a small ball lineup, building the team around James Harden, who came to be recognized as one of the NBA’s most prolific scorers. With an analytics driven approach, the Rockets switched to an offensive strategy rather than the traditional defensive strategies being used at the time.

The Rockets are currently in rebuilding mode and are developing a young team around the likes of Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green.

Houston Rockets Playoff Record

The Houston Rockets have a losing record in the playoffs. The team has played a total of 322 games in the postseason, of which they have won 158 (49% win percentage).

The team’s most memorable playoff run is considered to be the 1993-94 NBA season. Under Head Coach Rudy Tomjanovich, the team was labeled “Clutch City.” The Rockets completed the regular season placed sixth on the Western Conference standings.

The team then showcased a great deal of resilience in reaching the 1994 Finals, where they faced a formidable New York Knicks team. Despite trailing 3-2 in the series, the Rockets won the next two in an intense battle.

Number of conference championships won

The Houston Rockets have won the Western Conference Championship four times in franchise history. These victories were achieved in a span of 15 years between 1980 and 1995. While they have won the Conference Championship four times, they have appeared in the Western Conference Finals eight times.

Number of NBA championships won by Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets have won two NBA Championships as of March 2024. They clinched their first title in the 1993-94 NBA season. They faced off against the New York Knicks led by Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley in the Finals.

The Rockets won their second NBA championship the following season (1994-95). This time however, their opponents in the Finals were the Orlando Magic. The Rockets swept Magic in order to win their second trophy.

What is interesting is that the Rockets played against the Phoenix Suns in both their championship campaigns in the conference semifinals. Both series went to seven games and are considered to be one of the most thrilling matchups in Rockets history.

Houston Rocket Last Playoff Appearance

The Houston Rockets most recent playoff appearance was in the year 2020. A year marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, the NBA season concluded in a bubble. The Rockets, who at that time were nearing the end of the James Harden era, reached the second round of the playoffs.

They finished the regular season as the sixth seed and faced the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round. However, LeBron James and Anthony Davis proved to be too strong for the Rockets, who exited the season after suffering a 4-1 loss. The Lakers went on to win the NBA Finals, with LeBron James winning the Finals MVP. This season marked Harden’s last season with the Houston Rockets as well.

What is the biggest playoff series comeback in Houston Rockets history?

The Houston Rockets’s most memorable playoff series comeback is believed to be the conference semifinals against the Phoenix Suns in the 1993-94 NBA season. Starting the series off with two losses, the Rockets won the next three games. While the Suns took the series to Game 7, Hakeem Olajuwon is largely credited with the Rockets victory, as he averaged 30.0 points, 10.0 rounds and almost 4.0 blocks per game.