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1987–88 Houston Rockets season

Home Sports Entertainment (lost to Mavericks 1–3)

The 1987–88 Houston Rockets season was the 21st season for the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association, and their 17th season in Houston, Texas. During the off-season, the Rockets signed free agents, former All-Star guard World B. Free and Lester Conner. The Rockets also made two separate trades with the Golden State Warriors; shortly before the start of the regular season in early November, the team traded Dave Feitl to the Warriors in exchange for Purvis Short, then in December traded All-Star center Ralph Sampson, and Steve Harris in exchange for All-Star guard Sleepy Floyd, and All-Star center Joe Barry Carroll; Sampson and head coach Bill Fitch both feuded with each other during the season, which resulted in the trade.

The Rockets got off to a 7–6 start in November, and held a 25–17 record at the All-Star break. The team won 9 of their 13 games in February, finished in fourth place in the Midwest Division with a 46–36 record, and earned the sixth seed in the Western Conference.

Akeem Olajuwon averaged 22.8 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 2.7 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, and to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. In addition, Short played a sixth man role off the bench, averaging 14.3 points per game, while Floyd provided the team with 13.1 points and 6.2 assists per game in 59 games after the trade, Barry Carroll contributed 12.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game off the bench in 63 games, and Rodney McCray provided with 12.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, and was also named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. Meanwhile, Allen Leavell averaged 10.2 points, 5.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game, Jim Petersen provided with 8.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, Free contributed 6.4 points per game, and Robert Reid contributed 6.3 points per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, Olajuwon was selected for the 1988 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Western Conference All-Star team; Olajuwon scored 21 points along with 9 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks, despite the Western Conference losing to the Eastern Conference, 138–133. He finished in third place in Defensive Player of the Year voting, and also finished in seventh place in Most Valuable Player voting.

In the Western Conference First Round of the 1988 NBA playoffs, the Rockets lost in four games to the Dallas Mavericks. Following the season, Fitch was fired as head coach, while Barry Carroll and Conner were both traded to the New Jersey Nets, McCray and Petersen were both traded to the Sacramento Kings, Reid was dealt to the Charlotte Hornets expansion team, and Free retired.

Draft picks

Main article: 1987 NBA draft

Houston Rockets}}" width="10%"RoundHouston Rockets}}" width="10%"PickHouston Rockets}}" width="20%"PlayerHouston Rockets}}" width="15%"PositionHouston Rockets}}" width="15%"NationalityHouston Rockets}}" width="20%"College/Club team
235Doug LeeSG/SFUnited StatesPurdue
482Josh NiegoUnited StatesLewis
5104Andre LaFleurUnited StatesNortheastern
6129Fred JenkinsUnited StatesTennessee
7151Clarence GrierUnited StatesCampbell

Roster

  • Bill Fitch
  • Carroll Dawson
  • Rudy Tomjanovich

Regular season

Season standings

:z – clinched division title :y – clinched division title :x – clinched playoff spot

Game log

Regular season

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | 9:30p.m. CST | @ L.A. Lakers | L 92–101 | Olajuwon (26) | Olajuwon (11) | Conner, Leavell (4) | The Forum 17,505 | 1–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 5 | 7:30p.m. CST | Utah | W 101–93 | Olajuwon (19) | Olajuwon (16) | Leavell, Maxwell (3) | The Summit 16,614 | 4–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 9 | 6:30p.m. CST | @ Atlanta | L 94–104 | Olajuwon (17) | Sampson (9) | Leavell, McCray (7) | The Omni 16,451 | 6–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 10 | 7:00p.m. CST | Detroit | L 83–97 | Olajuwon (21) | Olajuwon (15) | Short (5) | The Summit 16,611 | 6–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 12 | 8:30p.m. CST | @ Utah | L 96–118 | Sampson (19) | Sampson (11) | Conner, McCray (3) | Salt Palace 12,212 | 7–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 18 | 7:30p.m. CST | Utah | W 98–93 | Leavell (20) | Olajuwon (14) | Leavell (8) | The Summit 16,611 | 11–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 23 | 7:30p.m. CST | Atlanta | W 122–103 | Floyd (27) | McCray, Olajuwon (13) | McCray (9) | The Summit 16,611 | 12–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 24 | 7:30p.m. CST | @ Dallas | L 100–105 | Olajuwon (24) | Olajuwon (14) | Leavell (7) | Reunion Arena 17,007 | 12–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 25 | 6:30p.m. CST | @ Detroit | W 101–91 | Carroll (25) | Olajuwon (14) | Floyd (6) | Pontiac Silverdome 26,498 | 13–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 28 | 7:30p.m. CST | Dallas | W 117–107 | Olajuwon (31) | Olajuwon (11) | Floyd (11) | The Summit 16,611 | 16–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 35 | 4:00p.m. CST | @ L.A. Lakers | L 110–121 | Olajuwon (24) | Olajuwon (9) | Floyd (7) | The Forum 17,505 | 20–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 40 | 7:30p.m. CST | @ Dallas | W 108–92 | Olajuwon (29) | McCray (12) | Floyd (8) | Reunion Arena 17,007 | 23–17 |- align="center" |- style="background:#cfc;" |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 43 | 7:30p.m. CST | Boston | W 129–120 | Olajuwon (30) | Olajuwon (16) | Floyd (7) | The Summit 16,611 | 26–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 48 | 7:30p.m. CST | L.A. Lakers | L 96–111 | Olajuwon (20) | Olajuwon (20) | Floyd (6) | The Summit 16,611 | 29–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 51 | 7:30p.m. CST | Dallas | L 106–108 | Floyd (22) | McCray (13) | Floyd (11) | The Summit 16,611 | 31–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 54 | 8:30p.m. CST | @ Utah | L 112–113 | Olajuwon (27) | McCray (13) | Short (5) | Salt Palace 12,444 | 32–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 56 | 7:00p.m. CST | @ Dallas | L 110–118 | Olajuwon, Short (22) | Olajuwon (12) | Leavell, Reid (7) | Reunion Arena 17,007 | 33–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 64 | 9:30p.m. CST | @ L.A. Lakers | L 95–117 | Carroll (16) | Olajuwon (10) | Leavell (6) | The Forum 17,505 | 38–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 68 | 6:30p.m. CST | @ Boston | L 110–117 | Johnson (18) | McCray (10) | Floyd, Short (5) | Boston Garden 14,890 | 40–28 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 72 | 7:30p.m. CDT | Utah | W 113–107 | Olajuwon (22) | Olajuwon (15) | Olajuwon (6) | The Summit 16,611 | 42–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 78 | 12Noon CDT | L.A. Lakers | W 127–119 | Olajuwon (38) | Carroll (10) | Floyd (9) | The Summit 16,611 | 45–33 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 79 | 7:30p.m. CDT | Dallas | L 96–104 | Olajuwon (33) | Olajuwon (9) | Floyd (8) | The Summit 16,611 | 45–34 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 81 | 8:30p.m. CDT | @ Utah | L 107–125 | Carroll (24) | Olajuwon (12) | Floyd (7) | Salt Palace 12,444 | 45–36

Playoffs

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | 7:30p.m. CDT | @ Dallas | L 110–120 | Olajuwon (34) | Olajuwon (14) | Floyd (11) | Reunion Arena 17,007 | 0–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | 2:30p.m. CDT | @ Dallas | W 119–108 | Floyd (42) | Olajuwon (26) | Floyd (9) | Reunion Arena 17,007 | 1–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | 7:30p.m. CDT | Dallas | L 92–93 | Olajuwon (35) | Olajuwon (12) | Floyd (5) | The Summit 16,611 | 1–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | 7:00p.m. CDT | Dallas | L 97–107 | Olajuwon (40) | Olajuwon (15) | Floyd (9) | The Summit 16,611

1–3

Player statistics

Season

PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3FG%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG

Playoffs

PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3FG%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG

Awards and records

  • Akeem Olajuwon, All-NBA First Team
  • Akeem Olajuwon, NBA All-Defensive First Team
  • Rodney McCray, NBA All-Defensive First Team

References

References

  1. [https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/1988.html 1987-88 Houston Rockets]
  2. (October 8, 1987). "The Houston Rockets Thursday Negotiated a Deal for Guard...". United Press International.
  3. (November 6, 1987). "Rockets Acquire Short from Warriors; Lucas Accepts Trail Blazer Offer Sheet". Los Angeles Times.
  4. Collins, Denis. (December 19, 1987). "Golden State Braces for "Ralphomania"". The Washington Post.
  5. (December 12, 1987). "Warriors Acquire Sampson". The Washington Post.
  6. (December 13, 1987). "Sampson Traded in 4-Player Deal". The New York Times.
  7. (December 13, 1987). "Rockets Deal Sampson to Warriors in Return for Carroll and Floyd". Los Angeles Times.
  8. "NBA Games Played on February 4, 1988". Basketball-Reference.
  9. "1987–88 Houston Rockets Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference.
  10. "1987–88 Houston Rockets Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.
  11. Barnard, Bill. (February 7, 1988). "Today's NBA All-Star Game Will Be Homecoming of Sorts for 3 Players". Los Angeles Times.
  12. (September 13, 2021). "1988 NBA All-Star Recap". NBA.com.
  13. "1988 NBA All-Star Game: East 138, West 133". Basketball-Reference.
  14. (May 14, 1988). "SPORTS PEOPLE; Honor for Jordan". The New York Times.
  15. "1987–88 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference.
  16. "1988 NBA Western Conference First Round: Rockets vs. Mavericks". Basketball-Reference.
  17. (June 6, 1988). "Houston Rockets Fire Bill Fitch". Los Angeles Times.
  18. (June 7, 1988). "Sports People; Rockets Dismiss Fitch". The New York Times.
  19. (June 7, 1988). "Rockets Ditch Fitch for Lack of Progress Good Trades, No Results Cause Firing". Deseret News.
  20. Goldaper, Sam. (November 3, 1988). "Nets Acquire Rockets' Carroll". The New York Times.
  21. (November 3, 1988). "Rockets Send Joe Barry Carroll to the Nets in a Six-Player Trade". Los Angeles Times.
  22. (November 3, 1988). "Nets Obtain Carroll from Rockets in 6-Player Deal". Los Angeles Times.
  23. (October 12, 1988). "SPORTS PEOPLE; Signed, Then Traded". The New York Times.
  24. (October 12, 1988). "Rockets Trade 2 for Sacramento's Otis Thorpe". Los Angeles Times.
  25. Aldridge, David. (October 12, 1988). "Bullets Lose Out on Thorpe". The Washington Post.
  26. (July 18, 1988). "Sports Digest". [[United Press International]].
  27. (July 19, 1988). "Sports People; Rockets Trade Reid". [[The New York Times]].
Info: Wikipedia Source

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