Houston Rockets

Houston Rockets
2024–25 Houston Rockets season
Houston Rockets logo
Conference	Western
Division	Southwest
Founded	1967
History	San Diego Rockets 1967–1971 Houston Rockets 1971–present
Arena	Toyota Center
Location	Houston, Texas
Team colors	Red, black, gray, anthracite, white
Main sponsor	Credit Karma
President	Gretchen Sheirr
General manager	Rafael Stone
Head coach	Ime Udoka
Ownership	Tilman Fertitta
Affiliation(s)	Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Championships	2 (1994, 1995)
Conference titles	4 (1981, 1986, 1994, 1995)
Division titles	8 (1977, 1986, 1993, 1994, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020)
Retired numbers	7 (11, 22, 23, 24, 34, 44, 45)
Website	www.nba.com/rockets
Association Icon Statement

The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets 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 the Toyota Center, located in Downtown Houston. Throughout its history, Houston has won two NBA championships and four Western Conference titles. It was 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 as a franchise in 1967. In the 1968 NBA draft, the Rockets were awarded the first overall pick and selected power forward Elvin Hayes, who would lead the team to its first playoff appearance in his rookie season. The Rockets did not finish a season with a winning record for almost a decade until the 1976–77 season, when they traded for All-Star center Moses Malone from the American Basketball Association (ABA). Malone went on to win the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award twice while playing with the Rockets and led Houston to the Eastern Conference Finals in his first year with the team. During the 1980–81 season, the Rockets finished the regular season with a 40–42 record but still made the playoffs. Led by Malone, the Rockets reached their first NBA Finals in 1981, becoming only the second team in NBA history to do so with a losing record. They would lose in six games to the 62–20 Boston Celtics, led by Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and future Rockets head coach Kevin McHale. As of 2023, the 1980–81 Rockets are the last team since the 1958–59 Minneapolis Lakers to make it all the way to the NBA Finals with a losing record. In the 1984 NBA draft, once again with the first overall pick, the Rockets drafted center Hakeem Olajuwon, who would become the cornerstone of the most successful period in franchise history. Paired with 7-foot-4-inch (2.24 m) Ralph Sampson, they formed one of the tallest front courts in the NBA. Nicknamed the "Twin Towers", they led the team to the 1986 NBA Finals—the second NBA Finals appearance in franchise history—where Houston was again defeated by Larry Bird and the 67-win Boston Celtics. The Rockets continued to reach the playoffs throughout the 1980s, but failed to advance past the first round for several years following a second-round defeat to the Seattle SuperSonics in 1987. Rudy Tomjanovich took over as head coach midway through the 1991–92 season, ushering in the most successful period in franchise history. Led by Olajuwon, the Rockets dominated the 1993–94 season, setting a then-franchise record 58 wins and went to the 1994 NBA Finals—the third NBA Finals appearance in franchise history—and won the franchise's first championship against Patrick Ewing and the New York Knicks. During the following season, reinforced by another All-Star, Clyde Drexler, the Rockets—in their fourth NBA Finals appearance in franchise history—repeated as champions with a four-game sweep of the Orlando Magic, which was led by a young Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway. Houston, which finished the season with a 47–35 record and was seeded sixth in the Western Conference during the 1995 playoffs, became the lowest-seeded team in NBA history to win the title.

The Rockets acquired all-star power forward Charles Barkley in 1996, but the presence of three of the NBA's 50 greatest players of all-time (Olajuwon, Drexler, and Barkley) was not enough to propel Houston past the Western Conference Finals. Each one of the aging trio had left the team by 2001. The Rockets of the early 2000s, led by superstars Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, followed the trend of consistent regular season respectability followed by playoff underachievement as both players struggled with injuries. After Yao's early retirement in 2011, the Rockets entered a period of rebuilding, completely dismantling and retooling their roster.

The acquisition of franchise player James Harden in 2012 launched the Rockets back into perennial championship contention throughout the rest of the 2010s, with no losing seasons in Harden's nine-season tenure with the team. Harden broke countless franchise and NBA records while on the team, winning three consecutive scoring titles between 2018 and 2020, and leading the team to two Western Conference Finals appearances (both times losing to the Golden State Warriors). Prior to the 2020–21 season, head coach Mike D'Antoni and general manager Daryl Morey left the organization, prompting Harden to seek a trade. He was traded to the Brooklyn Nets which started a rebuilding period.

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 Morey, were renowned for popularizing the use of advanced statistical analytics (similar to sabermetrics in baseball) in player acquisitions and style of play.

Franchise history

The Rockets, along with the Seattle SuperSonics, entered the NBA in 1967 as an expansion team based in San Diego. They selected Pat Riley with their first draft pick in 1967. They went on to produce a then-NBA record 67-loss season.

1967–1971: San Diego Rockets

In 1968, the Rockets won the coin toss versus the Baltimore Bullets, giving them the first overall pick in the NBA Draft. They selected Elvin "the Big E" Hayes from the University of Houston. Hayes led the team to the franchise's first ever playoff appearance in 1969. The Rockets lost in the Western divisional semifinal to the Atlanta Hawks two games to four in a best-of-seven series.

The 1970 NBA Draft brought Calvin Murphy and Rudy Tomjanovich to the Rockets - both significant to the franchise after their playing careers were over.

Coached by Jack McMahon and Alex Hannum, the Rockets tallied a 119-209 record over their tenure in San Diego.

1971–1976: Move to Houston and improvement with Murphy and Rudy-T

In 1971, real estate broker Wayne Duddleston and banker Billy Goldberg bought the franchise for $5.6 million and relocated the team from San Diego, where fans were more disposed to the Los Angeles Lakers than the Rockets. The Rockets originally had been named for San Diego slogan, "A City in Motion," but with the move to Houston their name took on even greater relevance. Houston is home to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center and Mission Control, which received national attention during Project Apollo. Houston previously was awarded an NBA expansion franchise along with Buffalo, Cleveland and Portland on February 6, 1970, but the new entry folded six weeks later on March 20 when its investment group led by Alan Rothenberg failed to make the $750,000 down payment on the $3.7 million entrance fee required before the league's college player draft.

The Rockets began playing at various venues in Houston, including the Astrodome, AstroHall, and Hofheinz Pavilion. They also played games at HemisFair Arena in San Antonio, Texas and in Waco, Texas. However, fan support was weak in the football and baseball-dominated city, and the Rockets averaged less than 5,000 fans per game during their first Houston season. It was mused that the local churches in Waco drew more attendance than the Rockets.

Before the start of the 1971 season, Coach Alex Hannum left for the Denver Nuggets of the American Basketball Association. Tex Winter was hired as the new coach shortly before the team was sold. Coach Winter applied a triple-post offensive system that contrasted with the offensive style to which Hayes was accustomed. Houston soon traded Hayes to the Baltimore Bullets for Jack Marin. Lack of success did little to capture the city's attention, and in the Spring of 1973, following the Rockets 10th straight loss, Winter was relieved of his duties. After failing to make the playoffs during the 1973-74 campaign, the Rockets performed an entire management overhaul, naming young teenager Cody Taylor as Vice President of their team operations; Taylor then suddenly named himself general manager just before the start of the 1974–75 season, a move that surprised many NBA observers. He had never played, coached or managed in the NBA, and was virtually unknown outside the American college basketball community.

In 1975, under the rebuilding of Cody Taylor, with Coach Johnny Egan's guidance and Tomjanovich, Murphy, and Mike Newlin leading the way, the Rockets made their first appearance in the playoffs since arriving in Houston. The Rockets defeated the New York Knicks (led by Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe) in the first round, but lost to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. This playoff run was the first where the Rockets' signature tune "Rocket Pop" was introduced via his rock band Houston.

1976–1982: The Moses Malone era

At the start of the 1977 season, the Rockets negotiated a trade with the Buffalo Braves to acquire Moses Malone, who as a high school star made the unprecedented decision of bypassing college basketball to sign on as a professional with the Utah Stars of the ABA in 1974. The Rockets defeated the Washington Bullets in the 1977 Eastern Conference semifinal, but lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in the Conference Finals. Malone made an impressive showing against Washington's Elvin Hayes and waning star Wes Unseld.

On December 9, 1977, in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Kevin Kunnert got into a fight with the Lakers' Kermit Washington. As Tomjanovich approached the altercation, Washington turned and threw a punch, landing squarely in the face of a running Tomjanovich, causing extensive structural cranial, as well as spinal, trauma to Tomjanovich. That shocking scene became the defining moment of the Rockets' 1977–78 season as well as the playing careers of Tomjanovich and Washington. Tomjanovich spent the next five months in rehab and returned to appear in the 1978 All-Star Game.

Malone received the 1979 MVP Award. Not exceptionally big or quick, he used footwork and positioning to become a successful center in the NBA. Malone, Murphy, and Tomjanovich all played in the 1979 NBA All-Star Game. Rick Barry was signed for the 1979 season from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for John Lucas. The future Hall of Famer, now in the twilight of his career, averaged a modest 13.5 points. He did set a new NBA record, however, by posting a .947 free-throw percentage for the season. He would play one more year for the Rockets before retiring in 1980.

The Rockets went 47-35 in 1978-79, Nissalke's last season as coach, finishing second in the Central Division losing two straight to Atlanta in a best-of-three first-round series. Del Harris replaced Nissalke as coach for the 1979-80 campaign. The Rockets finished the year at 41-41, tying the San Antonio Spurs for second place in the Central Division. After beating the Spurs, two games to one, in the first-round playoff series, they were swept by the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. In 1981, the arrival of a third NBA team in Texas, the Dallas Mavericks, caused the NBA to restructure the conferences and sent Houston to the Midwest Division of the Western Conference, which also included San Antonio, Kansas City, Denver, Utah, and Dallas. Houston tied with Kansas City for second place in the Midwest Division behind San Antonio with a 40-42 record, barely qualifying for the playoffs.

Houston's playoff run began with a draw with the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. The Rockets upset Los Angeles two games to one, then defeated George Gervin's San Antonio Spurs four games to three in the Western Conference semifinals. This resulted in an unlikely conference finals matchup with the Kansas City Kings. The Kings, led by Otis Birdsong, Scott Wedman, and Phil Ford fell to the Rockets in five games. The championship series with Boston lasted six games with Boston claiming the championship.

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 80-81 team were Rudy Tomjanovich, Moses Malone, Robert Reid, Mike Dunleavy, Sr., Allen Leavell, Billy Paultz, Bill Willoughby, Calvin Garrett, Tom Henderson and Major Jones.

In the 1982-83 NBA season, the Rockets fell to a league worst 14-68. 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. The following season was a marked improvement on the previous year.

While new owner Charlie Thomas expressed interest in renewing with Moses Malone, who had been again chosen as MVP in 1981–82, the Rockets traded him to the Philadelphia 76ers for Caldwell Jones, as a declining regional economy made the Rockets unable to pay Malone's salary. When the Rockets finished a league worst 14–68, Celtics coach Bill Fitch was hired to replace outgoing Del Harris, and the team won the first pick of the 1983 NBA Draft, used to select Ralph Sampson from the University of Virginia. Sampson had good numbers and was awarded the NBA Rookie of the Year award, but the Rockets still finished last overall, again getting the top pick at the upcoming 1984 NBA Draft.

1984–2001: The Hakeem Olajuwon era

1984–1987: The "Twin Towers"

With the first pick of the 1984 NBA draft, the Rockets selected Hakeem Olajuwon from the University of Houston. In his first season, Olajuwon finished second to Michael Jordan in NBA Rookie of the Year balloting, and the Rockets record improved by 19 games, good enough for a return to the playoffs as the third best team in the West, where they were upset by the sixth-seeded Utah Jazz. The duo of Olajuwon and Sampson earned much praise, and was nicknamed "Twin Towers". In the following season, Houston won the Midwest Division title with a 51–31 record. The subsequent playoffs had the Rockets sweeping the Sacramento Kings, having a hard-fought six-game series with Alex English's Denver Nuggets. The Rockets then won the Western Conference Finals in five games in a stunning upset over the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers and competed in the NBA Finals for only the second time in team history, facing the Boston Celtics in a rematch of the 1981 NBA Finals. However, just like in 1981, the Celtics defeated the Rockets in six games to win their 16th NBA championship.

After the Finals, Boston coach K.C. Jones called the Rockets "the new monsters on the block" feeling they had a bright future. But the team had a poor start to the following season, followed by nearly a decade of underachievement and failure, amidst players getting injured or suspended for cocaine usage, and during the playoffs were defeated in the second round by the Seattle SuperSonics in six games, with the final game being a double-overtime classic that saw Olajuwon notching 49 points, 25 rebounds, and 6 blocks in defeat. Early in the 1987–88 season, Sampson, who had signed a new contract, was traded to the Golden State Warriors, bringing the Twin Towers era to an end just 18 months after their Finals appearance. Sampson's once-promising career was shortened due to chronic knee injuries, which forced his retirement in 1991. Jones' prophecy of a Rockets dynasty never materialized until the early 1990s.

1987–1992: Lean years

In the next five seasons, the Rockets either failed to qualify for the playoffs or were eliminated in the first round. The first elimination in 1988 led to Fitch's dismissal, with Don Chaney replacing him as head coach. Chaney, like Olajuwon, also played for the Houston Cougars under Guy Lewis, having played along Elvin Hayes in the late 1960s. Chaney had his best season during 1990–91, where he was named the Coach of the Year after leading the Rockets to a 52-30 record despite Olajuwon's absence due to injury for 25 games. Despite Olajuwon's usual strong numbers, the underwhelming roster could not be lifted out of mediocrity. However, the attempts to rebuild the team nucleus incorporated players that would later make an impact in the years to come, such as Kenny Smith, Vernon Maxwell, Robert Horry, Mario Elie, Sam Cassell and Otis Thorpe.

Midway through the 1991–92 season, with the Rockets' record only 26–26, Chaney was fired and replaced by his assistant Rudy Tomjanovich, a former Houston player himself. While the Rockets did not make the playoffs, Tomjanovich's arrival was considered a step forward. In the next year, the Rockets improved their record by 13 games, getting the Midwest Division title, and winning their first playoff series in 6 years by defeating the Los Angeles Clippers, before an elimination by the Seattle SuperSonics in a closely contested Game 7 overtime loss.

1994–1995: "Clutch City" and Back-to-Back NBA Championships

With head coach Rudy Tomjanovich in his second full year, the Rockets began the 1993–94 season with an NBA record start of 15-0. With Hakeem Olajuwon as their center, the Rockets won 58 games, a franchise record at the time. After quickly dispatching the Portland Trail Blazers (who had made the NBA Finals just two years prior) in 4 games, they then faced the defending Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns, led by the previous year's MVP Charles Barkley. The series opened up in Houston, which saw the Rockets open up a big lead going into the fourth quarter. In both games, however, the Rockets inexplicably collapsed to allow the Suns a 2–0 lead going back to Phoenix. Following recent heart-breaking playoff losses by the Houston Oilers, it appeared as though the Rockets were doomed. Local newspapers labeled Houston as "Choke City", which the Rockets took to heart and ultimately came back to win the series in seven games. As "Choke City" became "Clutch City", the name permanently became a part of Houston folklore. The Rockets then defeated the John Stockton and Karl Malone-led Utah Jazz in five in the Conference Finals to advance to their third NBA Finals, where they faced the New York Knicks. After being down three games to two in the NBA Finals, the Rockets won the last two games on their home court, thanks to the misfortunes of New York's go-to shooting guard, John Starks. Starks missed what would have been a series-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer in Game 6 after the shot was blocked by Olajuwon. Starks shot a dismal 2-for-18 from the field in Game 7, missing all six of his 3-point shot attempts, as the Rockets defeated the Knicks in seven games to win their first NBA championship in franchise history.

The Rockets struggled in the first half of the 1994–95 season. In a midseason trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, the Rockets obtained star guard Clyde Drexler, who had played alongside Olajuwon at the University of Houston, in exchange for Otis Thorpe. 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. In the fifth 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. Houston won all three series to reach the NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic, whose headline players were Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway. Houston swept the series in four straight games to win their second consecutive NBA championship. The Rockets became the first team in NBA history to win the championship as a sixth seed. 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.

1995–2001: Post-championship and rebuilding

During the off-season, the Rockets went for a change of visual identity, making navy blue and silver the new primary colors while adopting a new cartoon-inspired logo and pinstriped jerseys.

After an injury riddled 1995–96 campaign, after winning 48 games in the regular season, the defending two-time NBA champion Rockets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in four games in the first round of the playoffs, but were swept by the eventual Western Conference champion Seattle SuperSonics in the second round, ending their bid for a three-peat. Houston's long history of playoff futility against Seattle 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 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 the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round and, in a heated 7 game battle, finally defeated the SuperSonics. However, the Rockets then fell in the Western Conference Finals to the Utah Jazz, a team they had beaten twice in the playoffs on their way to championships in 1994 and 1995, as Jazz point guard John Stockton hit the series-clinching 3-pointer in Game 6 to advance to their first NBA Finals, where they would go on to lose to the Chicago Bulls in six games. By giving up key contributors from the championship teams to obtain Barkley and beat the Sonics, the Rockets had lost their edge against the Jazz.

The 1997–98 season was also marked by injuries, and the team finished 41–41 with the 8th seed in the Western Conference. Houston once again faced the Utah Jazz and lost the series in five games.

In the off-season, 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. While Scottie 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. In the lockout shortened 1998–99 season, the Rockets finished the season 31–19, clinching the fifth seed. The Rockets would go on to lose to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round in four games, and during the summer, Barkley and Pippen publicly displayed their dislike for each other.

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. 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. 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 trade replenished the depth given up to obtain Francis from the Vancouver Grizzlies, who refused to play for the franchise that drafted him.

Early in the 2000 season, Barkley ruptured the quadriceps tendon in his left knee in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers. 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.

In 2001, the Rockets worked their way to a 45–37 record and swept every Central Division team, but still didn't 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 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 ended in with a disappointing record of 28–54.

2001–2009: The Yao Ming era

The abysmal 2002 season had its silver lining, as the Rockets were awarded the first overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft. The Rockets selected Yao Ming, a 7 foot and 6 inch Chinese center, who played for the Shanghai Sharks. The 2002-03 NBA season saw marked improvement for the Rockets, with the trio of Yao, Francis, and Mobley leading the team to a 43–39 record.

With a 2003–04 regular season record of 45-37, the Rockets earned their first playoff berth since their first round exit to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1999. However, the Lakers again handed the Rockets another 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.

McGrady and Yao led the Rockets to their best record in 10 years, finishing at 51-31 and seeded 5th in the Western Conference Playoffs. 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. During the 2005 offseason the Rockets obtained Stromile Swift, and Derek Anderson. They also traded Mike James to the Toronto for Rafer Alston. Injuries plagued the 2006 season. 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. With rare appearances of both Yao and McGrady on the court at the same time, the Rockets floundered. When the roster was relatively complete the team was much more successful, but 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. By the end of the season, the Rockets lead the league in most games missed by each player on the roster. The team finished with a 38–44 record.

The Rockets drafted Rudy Gay from the University of Connecticut with the 8th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. Gay was dealt to the Memphis Grizzlies along with Stromile Swift in exchange for Shane Battier. Many fans were upset at losing the young prospect in Gay, but many were also excited to acquire the acclaimed work ethic and team orientation of Battier. The Rockets also acquired Kirk Snyder from the New Orleans Hornets for cash consideration, and an exchange of 2nd round draft picks. They also signed Vassilis Spanoulis, a 2004 Draft pick from Greece, Steve Novak a 2006 second round draft pick from Marquette University, and summer league stand-out John Lucas III.

The scoring champion McGrady and the strong rebounder Yao formed a well-regarded pair that helped the Rockets win 22 consecutive games in the 2007–08 season, which was at the time the 3rd longest winning streak in NBA history. Still, the duo was plagued with injuries – of the 463 regular season games for which they were teammates, Yao missed 146 and McGrady 160 – and did not win any playoff series, despite gathering leads over the Dallas Mavericks in 2005 and the Jazz in 2007. After the 2007 elimination, Van Gundy was fired, and the Rockets hired Rick Adelman to replace him.

For the 2008–09 season, the Rockets signed forward Ron Artest. While McGrady wound up playing only half the games before enduring a season-ending microfracture surgery, the Rockets ended the season 53–29, enough for the Western Conference's fifth seed. During the playoffs, the Rockets beat the Portland Trail Blazers four games to two, winning their first playoff round since 1997. During the series, Dikembe Mutombo injured his knee, which forced him to retire after 18 seasons in the NBA. However, in the semifinals against the top-seeded defending Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers, the Rockets lost in seven games, and Yao Ming suffered yet another season-ending injury, this time a hairline fracture in his left foot.

2009–2012: Competitive rebuilding

During the 2009–10 season, the Rockets saw the departures of Artest in the off-season and McGrady, Joey Dorsey and Carl Landry during mid-season trades. Despite great play by Kevin Martin, who arrived from the Kings, and Aaron Brooks, who would eventually be chosen as the Most Improved Player of the season, the Rockets could not make it to the playoffs, finishing 42–40, 3rd in the Southwest Division. At that time, the Rockets set an NBA record for best record by a team with no All-Stars. The Rockets would also finish ninth in the Western Conference for the following two seasons, with Yao Ming getting a season-ending injury seven games into the 2010–11 season and deciding to retire during the 2011 off-season. Said off-season, which saw the NBA going through a lockout, had Adelman dismissed, and general manager Daryl Morey deciding to start a revamp of the Rockets based on advanced statistical analytics (similar to sabermetrics in baseball) in player acquisitions and style of play. Kevin McHale was named head coach, and the roster saw significant changes.

2012–2021: The James Harden era

After the roster moves made by Morey during the 2012 NBA off-season, only four players were left from the 2011–12 Rockets roster: Chandler Parsons, Greg Smith, Marcus Morris, and Patrick Patterson, with the latter two leaving through trades during the 2012–13 season. The most important acquisition was reigning sixth man of the year James Harden, who Morey called a "foundational" player expected to be Houston's featured player after a supporting role in the Oklahoma City Thunder. Harden caused an immediate impact as part of the starting lineup for the Rockets, with 37 points, 12 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals, and a block in the season opener against the Detroit Pistons, and an average of 25.9 points a game through the season. Combining Harden's performance and McHale's up-tempo offense, the Rockets became one of the highest scoring offenses in the NBA, leading the league in scoring for the majority of the season. In the postseason, the Rockets fell to Harden's former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in the first round, losing the series 4–2.

Eager to add another franchise player to their team, the Rockets heavily pursued and then acquired Jeremy Lin during the off-season, the first American of Taiwanese and Chinese descent to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Lin led the Knicks to seven straight victories while establishing an NBA scoring record in February 2012. Also, they pursued free agent center Dwight Howard in the 2013 off-season. He officially signed with the Rockets on July 13, 2013. Led by the new inside-out combination of Howard and James Harden, and with a strong supporting cast including Chandler Parsons, Jeremy Lin, and Ömer Aşık, the Rockets were expected to jump into title contention in the upcoming season. However, that postseason, the Rockets were defeated in the first round by the Portland Trail Blazers, losing the series 4–2 after Damian Lillard hit the series clinching three-pointer at the buzzer in Game 6.

in the 2014–15 season, without Lin and Parsons, but reinforced by Trevor Ariza, the Rockets started the season well, winning the first four games of the season for the first time since 1996–97, and winning each of their first six games by 10 points or more, the first team to accomplish this feat since the 1985–86 Denver Nuggets. Though the Rockets had many key players miss time throughout the entire season, James Harden took it upon himself to keep the Rockets near the top of the conference, turning him into an MVP front-runner. He became the first Rocket to score 50 points in a game since Hakeem Olajuwon, as well as the only player in franchise history to record multiple 50 point games in a season. On April 15, 2015, the Rockets beat the Utah Jazz to claim their first ever Southwest Division title and first Division crown since 1994, and by completing 56 wins finished with the third-best regular season record in franchise history. During the playoffs, the Rockets beat the Dallas Mavericks 4–1 in the first round, and overcame a 3–1 deficit against the Los Angeles Clippers to win the Western Semifinals and return to the Conference Finals for the first time in 18 years. In the Conference Finals, the Rockets were defeated by the eventual NBA champion Golden State Warriors 4–1.

The 2015–16 season saw Kevin McHale fired after a bad start where the team only won 4 of its first 11 games, and assistant J. B. Bickerstaff took over coaching duties. Inconsistent play led to the Rockets struggling to remain in the playoff qualifying zone, and surrounded by trade rumors. Houston only clinched its 2016 Playoffs spot by winning its last game, finishing the season 41–41 to earn the eighth seed and a match-up against the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors. Like in the previous year, the Rockets were once again defeated by the Warriors in five games.

During the 2016 off-season, Mike D'Antoni was named as the Rockets' new head coach, and Dwight Howard opted out of his contract's final year, becoming a free agent. In the following free-agency period, the Rockets looked to embrace the play styles of both coach D'Antoni and Harden through the signings of Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon, two predominately perimeter players and good fits in Houston's up-tempo offense style.

When the 2016–17 season started, Harden was off to a great start and was widely considered a top MVP runner along with Kawhi Leonard, alongside former teammate Russell Westbrook. When the season ended, the Rockets were third in both the Western Conference and overall rankings, a major improvement from the season before. D'Antoni was named the NBA Coach of the Year, Eric Gordon the Sixth Man of the Year, and Harden finished second in MVP voting to Russell Westbrook. In the playoffs, the Rockets faced the sixth seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in a battle of the MVP frontrunners, as the winner was not announced until after the finals. The Rockets won the series 4–1 including Nene Hilario's perfect 12–12 in field goals in game four.^[143] In the following round, Houston opened with a dominating 27 points win over the San Antonio Spurs, lost the following two games and then tied the series again. The fifth game went into overtime and had both Manu Ginobili blocking James Harden's game tying three point attempt at the final second, and Nene injuring himself out of the postseason. Without Nene, the Rockets could not guard LaMarcus Aldridge, who scored 34 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the series-closing match.

During the 2017 off-season, the Rockets were purchased by Houston restaurant billionaire Tilman Fertitta for $2.2 billion, breaking the record for the price to purchase an American professional sports team. The team also acquired 8-time All-NBA player and 9-time All-Star Chris Paul in a trade from the Los Angeles Clippers, in exchange for seven players, cash considerations, and a top three protected 2018 first round draft pick. Even if Paul missed many games due to a knee injury, he was a key addition to the Rockets. In the 2017–18 season, the team finished the season with 65 wins, a record both league-leading and the best in franchise history. During the playoffs, Houston beat the Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz in five games in the first round and semifinals respectively before another confrontation with the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. In Game 5 of the Conference Finals, the Rockets took a 3–2 lead in the series, which put them one more victory from reaching the Finals for the first time since 1995, but they saw Paul leave with an injured hamstring. His absence was felt in the two remaining games, as Golden State won Game 6 in a 115–86 blowout, and in Game 7, despite Houston leading by 11 points at halftime, their offense became stymied in the second half of the game, as the Rockets set an NBA Playoff record by missing 27 straight 3-point shots. The Rockets would lose to the Warriors that game by a score of 101–92, missing out on their chance to return to the Finals for the first time in 23 years.

The Rockets had one draft pick entering the off-season, and they used it to select De'Anthony Melton, packaging him in a trade with the Phoenix Suns alongside Ryan Anderson to receive Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss. In free agency, they signed James Ennis III, Michael Carter-Williams, and Carmelo Anthony. They started the 2018–19 season with a 1–4 record, and after 13 games where they went 6–7, Houston and Anthony mutually agreed to part ways, who was eventually traded to the Chicago Bulls and subsequently waived. After falling to the 14th seed in the Western Conference, James Harden went on a 32-game streak scoring at least 30 points per game—the second-longest in NBA history—with Harden averaging 41.1 points per game in that run. He drove the Rockets through a 21–11 push in that streak; and after beginning the season 11–14, the Rockets finished the season 42–15, winning 20 of their last 25 games and finishing fourth in the Western Conference after losing the final two games of the season, which would have potentially given them the second or third seed. After what was determined to be poor fits of the acquisitions made in free agency, on top of injuries, Daryl Morey traded the players acquired in the off-season at the trade deadline and replaced them with Austin Rivers, Kenneth Faried, Danuel House, and Iman Shumpert during the season. On April 7, 2019, against the Phoenix Suns, Houston became the first team in NBA history to make 25+ two-pointers and 25+ three-pointers in the same game, outscoring their last four opponents by 117 points, second best in a four-game span in franchise history (127+ in February 1993); additionally, the Rockets' 149 points tied the fourth-most in franchise history and are the most since February 1993. They beat their own record for most three-pointers made by one team in a single game in NBA history two times with 26 and 27, and they are just the fourth team in NBA history to win four consecutive games by 24 or more points (the others are the 1990–91 Chicago Bulls, the 1992–93 Rockets, and the 1995–96 Bulls). The Rockets clinched a division title and a playoff berth for a seventh straight appearance. After defeating the Utah Jazz in five games, Houston faced the defending 2x NBA champion Golden State Warriors for the fourth time in five years. The series began with highly controversial officiating in game one, receiving pointed criticism by many fans, players, general managers, and owners in the league. With both teams winning their home games, putting the series at 2–2, Golden State won the next two games to eliminate the Houston Rockets for the second year in a row. This marked the Rockets' fourth playoff defeat to the Warriors in five seasons.

During the 2019 off-season, Morey sought out to once again retool the roster. As part of a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Rockets traded Chris Paul, two future first round picks and two future first round pick swaps in exchange for James Harden's former Thunder teammate Russell Westbrook.

Nearing the trade deadline of the 2019–20 season, the Rockets were involved in a blockbuster, four-team trade which was centered around bringing Robert Covington back to the Rockets and sending centers Clint Capela and Nenê to the Atlanta Hawks. The trade was in an effort to fully invest on a small ball, 5-out offense. In their first twelve games since going 6'7" or shorter in their lineups, the Rockets went 10–2, being in the top percentile in win percentage, offensive rating, and point differential. In February, the month they made the trade, the MVP backcourt of Westbrook and Harden became the first teammates in NBA history to average 30+ points and 5+ assists per game.

Following the suspension of the 2019–20 NBA season, the Rockets were one of the 22 teams invited to the NBA Bubble to participate in the final 8 games of the regular season. The Rockets finished the regular season with a 44–28 record.

In the playoffs, the Rockets defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round in seven games, advancing to the semifinals, where they faced the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers. The two teams previously met in the semifinals in the 2009 NBA playoffs, with the Lakers winning in seven games. After winning the first game of the series, the Rockets would go on to lose the next four games to the Lakers, ultimately losing to the eventual NBA champions in five games. After the Rockets were eliminated in the playoffs, head coach D'Antoni informed the Rockets that he would not return to the team for the 2020–21 season.

During the off-season, Westbrook was traded to the Washington Wizards in December 2020.

In January 2021, Harden was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in a four-team trade; this reunited him with former OKC teammate Kevin Durant for the first time since the 2011–12 season.

On March 2, 2021, the Rockets announced that they will retire Harden's No. 13 when he retires.

2021–2023: Post-Harden era and rebuilding

Following James Harden's trade to the Brooklyn Nets, the Rockets, coupled with numerous injuries to their players as well as dealing with COVID-19 issues, significantly declined and began a free-fall to the bottom of the Western Conference.

Starting from February 6, 2021 to March 22, 2021, the Rockets suffered a 20-game losing streak, tied for 9th all-time. Their losing streak started on February 6, 2021, with a 106–111 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. On March 21, 2021, following a 112–114 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Rockets became just the eighth team in NBA history to lose 20 consecutive regular season games. The Rockets' losing streak finally came to an end on March 22, 2021, with a 117–99 win over the Toronto Raptors.

On April 22, 2021, the Rockets were officially eliminated from the playoffs, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2012, snapping an eight year playoff streak and ending the NBA's longest active playoff streak, now held by the Portland Trail Blazers, who have made the playoffs every year since 2014. The Rockets finished the season with a losing record for the first time since the 2005–06 season, ending a 15 year streak of above .500 seasons. The Rockets finished the 2020–21 regular season with a 17–55 record, finishing at the bottom of the Western Conference.

In the 2021 NBA Draft the Rockets has Number 2, 23, and 24 pick, which became Jalen Green, Usman Garuba, and Josh Christopher. The Rockets sent 2 first round picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder for number 16 pick, which became Alperen Sengun. In September, the Rockets decided to go apart with John Wall, ensuring that Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green back court duo become future all-star.

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