| The Rockets, along with the Seattle
| |
| | city's attention, and in the Spring of
|
| SuperSonics, entered the NBA in 1967 as
| |
| | 1973, following the Rockets 10th straight
|
| an expansion team based in San Diego.
| |
| | loss, Winter was relieved of his duties.
|
| They selected Pat Riley with their first
| |
| | In 1975, with Coach Johnny Egan's
|
| draft pick in 1967. They went on to
| |
| | guidance and Tomjanovich, Murphy, and
|
| produce a then-NBA record 67-loss season.
| |
| | Mike Newlin leading the way, the Rockets
|
| In 1968 the Rockets won the coin toss
| |
| | made their first appearance in the
|
| versus the Baltimore Bullets, giving them
| |
| | playoffs since arriving in Houston. The
|
| the first overall pick in the 1968 NBA
| |
| | Rockets defeated the New York Knicks (led
|
| Draft. They selected Elvin "the Big E"
| |
| | by Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe) in the
|
| Hayes from the University of Houston.
| |
| | first round, but lost to the Boston
|
| Hayes led the team to the franchise's
| |
| | Celtics in the Eastern Conference
|
| first ever playoff appearance in 1969.
| |
| | Semi-finals.
|
| The Rockets lost in the Western
| |
| | At the start of the 1977 season, the
|
| divisional semi-final to the Atlanta
| |
| | Rockets negotiated a trade with the
|
| Hawks two games to four in a
| |
| | Buffalo Braves to acquire Moses Malone,
|
| best-of-seven series.
| |
| | who as a high school star made the
|
| The 1970 NBA Draft brought Calvin Murphy
| |
| | unprecedented decision of bypassing
|
| and Rudy Tomjanovich to the Rockets -
| |
| | college basketball to sign on as a
|
| both significant to the franchise after
| |
| | professional with the Utah Stars of the
|
| their playing careers were over.
| |
| | ABA in 1974. The Rockets defeated the
|
| Coached by Jack McMahon and Alex Hannum,
| |
| | Washington Bullets in the 1977 Eastern
|
| the Rockets tallied a 119-209 record over
| |
| | Conference semi-final, but lost to the
|
| their tenure in San Diego.
| |
| | Philadelphia 76ers in the Conference
|
| In 1971, real estate broker Wayne
| |
| | Finals. Malone made an impressive showing
|
| Duddleston and banker Billy Goldberg
| |
| | against Washington's Elvin Hayes and
|
| bought the franchise for $5.6 million and
| |
| | waning star Wes Unseld.
|
| relocated the team from San Diego, where
| |
| | On December 9, 1977, in a game against
|
| fans were more disposed to the Los
| |
| | the Los Angeles Lakers, Kevin Kunnert got
|
| Angeles Lakers than the Rockets. The
| |
| | into a fight with the Lakers' Kermit
|
| Rockets originally had been named for San
| |
| | Washington. As Tomjanovich approached the
|
| Diego slogan, "A City in Motion," but
| |
| | altercation, Washington turned and threw
|
| with the move to Houston their name took
| |
| | a punch, landing squarely in the face of
|
| on even greater relevance. Houston is
| |
| | an approaching Tomjanovich, causing
|
| home to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space
| |
| | extensive structural damage to his
|
| Center and Mission Control, which
| |
| | cranium. The shocking scene became the
|
| received national attention during
| |
| | defining moment of the Rockets' 1977-78
|
| Project Apollo.
| |
| | season as well as the playing careers of
|
| The Rockets began playing at various
| |
| | Tomjanovich and Washington. Tomjanovich
|
| venues in Houston, including the
| |
| | spent the next five months in
|
| Astrodome, AstroHall, and Hofheinz
| |
| | rehabilitation and returned to appear in
|
| Pavilion. They also played games at
| |
| | the 1978 All-Star Game. A book by John
|
| HemisFair Arena in San Antonio and in
| |
| | Feinstein recording the events
|
| Waco. However, fan support was weak in
| |
| | surrounding this event and the different
|
| the football and baseball-dominated city,
| |
| | paths that Tomjanovich and Washington
|
| and the Rockets averaged less than 5000
| |
| | have taken since that day is entitled
|
| fans per game during their first Houston
| |
| | "The Punch."
|
| season. It was mused that the local
| |
| | Malone received the 1979 MVP Award. Not
|
| churches in Waco drew more attendance
| |
| | exceptionally big or quick, he used
|
| than the Rockets.
| |
| | footwork and positioning to become a
|
| Before the start of the 1971 season,
| |
| | successful center in the NBA. Malone,
|
| Coach Alex Hannum left for the Denver
| |
| | Murphy, and Tomjanovich all played in the
|
| Nuggets of the American Basketball
| |
| | 1979 NBA All-Star Game. Rick Barry was
|
| Association. Tex Winter was hired as the
| |
| | signed for the 1979 season from the
|
| new coach shortly before the team was
| |
| | Golden State Warriors in exchange for
|
| sold. Coach Winter applied a triple-post
| |
| | John Lucas. Barry averaged a modest 13.5
|
| offensive system that contrasted with the
| |
| | points and set a new NBA record, posting
|
| offensive style to which Hayes was
| |
| | a .947 free-throw percentage for the
|
| accustomed. Houston soon traded Hayes to
| |
| | season. He would play one more year for
|
| the Baltimore Bullets for Jack Marin.
| |
| | the Rockets before retiring in 1980.
|
| Lack of success did little to capture the
| |
| |
|
