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1998–99 Houston Rockets season

(lost to Lakers 1–3) Fox Sports Southwest

The 1998–99 Houston Rockets season was the 32nd season for the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association and their 28th season in Houston, Texas. Due to a lockout, the regular season began on February 5, 1999, and was cut from 82 games to 50.

The Rockets had three first-round draft picks in the 1998 NBA draft, selecting shooting guard Michael Dickerson from the University of Arizona with the fourteenth overall pick, point guard Bryce Drew out of Valparaiso University with the 16th overall pick, and power forward, and Turkish basketball star Mirsad Türkcan with the 18th overall pick; the team also drafted shooting guard Cuttino Mobley from the University of Rhode Island with the 41st overall pick in the second round. However, Türkcan never played for the Rockets, and was later on traded to the Philadelphia 76ers.

After the retirement of All-Star guard Clyde Drexler, the Rockets acquired All-Star forward, and six-time NBA champion Scottie Pippen from the Chicago Bulls, and signed free agent Antoine Carr, who previous had two NBA Finals appearances with the Utah Jazz. Pippen, Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley had previously played together on the U.S. Men's basketball team in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.

With the addition of Pippen, the Rockets got off to a 6–2 start to the regular season, but then lost five of their next seven games. At mid-season, the team traded second-year guard Rodrick Rhodes to the Vancouver Grizzlies in exchange for three-point specialist, and former Rockets guard Sam Mack. The Rockets played solid basketball posting a nine-game winning streak in March, and finished in third place in the Midwest Division with a 31–19 record, earning the fifth seed in the Western Conference, and qualifying for the NBA playoffs for the seventh consecutive year. The Rockets also had the fifth best team offensive rating in the NBA.

Olajuwon averaged 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, while Barkley averaged 16.1 points, 12.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, and Pippen provided the team with 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.0 steals per game, and also led them with 72 three-point field goals. In addition, Dickerson provided with 10.9 points per game and 71 three-point field goals, while Mobley contributed 9.9 points per game, as both players were named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Off the bench, Othella Harrington averaged 9.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, while Mack contributed 9.2 points per game in 25 games after the trade, and Brent Price provided with 7.3 points and 2.8 assists per game. Three-point specialist Matt Maloney only played just 15 games this season due to an elbow injury. Olajuwon finished tied in 13th place in Most Valuable Player voting, while he and Pippen both finished tied in seventh place in Defensive Player of the Year voting, and Harrington finished tied in tenth place in Most Improved Player voting.

In the Western Conference First Round of the 1999 NBA playoffs, the Rockets faced off against the 4th–seeded Los Angeles Lakers, who were led by the All-Star trio of Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Glen Rice. Despite both teams finishing with the same regular-season record, the Lakers had home-court advantage in the series. The Rockets lost the first two games to the Lakers on the road at the Great Western Forum, but managed to win Game 3 at home, 102–88 at the Compaq Center. However, the Rockets lost Game 4 to the Lakers at home, 98–88, thus losing the series in four games. The Rockets would not return to the NBA playoffs again until the 2003–04 season.

The Rockets finished 18th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 407,125 at the Compaq Center during the regular season. Pippen spent only one season with the Rockets, as he and Barkley had trouble getting along as teammates. Following the season, Pippen was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, while Dickerson, Harrington, Carr and Price were all traded to the Vancouver Grizzlies, Mack and Maloney were both released to free agency, as Maloney signed as a free agent with the Chicago Bulls midway through the next season, and Eddie Johnson retired.

Draft picks

Main article: 1998 NBA draft

RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalityCollege
114Michael DickersonSGUnited StatesArizona
116Bryce DrewPGUnited StatesValparaiso
118Mirsad TürkcanPFEfes Pilsen
241Cuttino MobleySGUnited StatesRhode Island

Roster

  • Rudy Tomjanovich
  • Bill Berry
  • Jim Boylen
  • Larry Smith | access-date = March 11, 1999

Regular season

Season standings

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

Game log

DateOpponentScoreResultRecord
February 5@ LA Lakers91–99Loss0–1
February 6@ Golden State86–84Win1–1
February 8Denver99–80Win2–1
February 10Sacramento92–82Win3–1
February 11@ Dallas105–95Win4–1
February 16Phoenix109–92Win5–1
February 17@ Minnesota102–116Loss5–2
February 18@ New Jersey93-92 (OT)Win6–2
February 20@ Miami71–81Loss6–3
February 21@ Orlando83–109Loss6–4
February 23Seattle98–86Win7–4
February 25Atlanta87–93Loss7–5
February 27@ Vancouver86–74Win8–5
February 28@ LA Lakers90–106Loss8–6
March 2San Antonio82–99Loss8–7
March 4LA Clippers96–77Win9–7
March 6@ Vancouver107–92Win10–7
March 7@ Portland71–111Loss10–8
March 9Denver84–75Win11–8
March 11Vancouver102–91Win12–8
March 13Cleveland100–89Win13–8
March 14@ Phoenix90–104Loss13–9
March 16Portland101–93Win14–9
March 17@ Denver114–109Win15–9
March 20Phoenix103-93 (OT)Win16–9
March 22Sacramento110–100Win17–9
March 24@ Dallas88–78Win18–9
March 25Toronto113–104Win19–9
March 27@ Golden State87–86Win20–9
March 28@ Sacramento107–93Win21–9
March 30@ LA Clippers104–95Win22–9
April 1@ Utah87–88Loss22–10
April 4@ Seattle84–101Loss22–11
April 6Golden State111–74Win23–11
April 8San Antonio83–92Loss23–12
April 11@ Utah76–85Loss23–13
April 12@ Minnesota95–90Win24–13
April 14Vancouver102–85Win25–13
April 15Portland86–76Win26–13
April 18@ San Antonio83–86Loss26–14
April 19Seattle120–113Win27–14
April 21Dallas95–109Loss27–15
April 23@ LA Clippers101-106 (OT)Loss27–16
April 25@ Phoenix71–95Loss27–17
April 26LA Lakers102–80Win28–17
April 29Dallas81–91Loss28–18
April 30Utah78–91Loss28–19
May 2LA Clippers110–84Win29–19
May 4Minnesota100–83Win30–19
May 5@ Denver95–88Win31–19

Playoffs

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | May 9 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 100–101 | Charles Barkley (25) | Barkley, Pippen (10) | Scottie Pippen (8) | Great Western Forum 17,505 | 0–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | May 11 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 98–110 | Sam Mack (20) | Charles Barkley (13) | Scottie Pippen (5) | Great Western Forum 17,505 | 0–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | May 13 | L.A. Lakers | W 102–88 | Scottie Pippen (37) | Charles Barkley (23) | Brent Price (7) | Compaq Center 16,285 | 1–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | May 15 | L.A. Lakers | L 88–98 | Charles Barkley (20) | Scottie Pippen (17) | Charles Barkley (6) | Compaq Center 16,285

1–3

Player statistics

Season

PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3FG%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
424036.3.478.160.71912.34.61.0.316.1
41010.1.377.387.7001.0.4.3.12.9
1808.4.404.000.7141.7.5.1.62.6
505031.2.465.433.6391.71.9.5.210.9
34013.0.364.3271.000.91.5.4.13.5
411022.0.513.7216.0.4.1.69.8
306.0.462.000.7.3.0.04.0
†25020.2.471.405.8211.71.3.6.19.2
15712.4.179.067.909.71.4.3.01.4
2908.6.467.000.6362.3.2.2.22.4
493729.7.425.358.8182.32.5.9.59.9
505035.7.514.308.7179.61.81.62.518.9
505040.2.432.340.7216.55.92.0.714.5
40620.2.483.411.7542.02.8.8.07.3
†3011.0.250.8331.3.3.3.03.0
605.5.385.5001.8.0.0.22.3

Playoffs

PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3FG%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
4439.3.529.286.66713.83.81.5.523.5
204.01.0001.0001.000.0.5.0.03.5
409.3.3641.81.0.0.32.0
4420.5.273.375.5001.0.8.5.84.3
104.01.000.0003.02.0.0.02.0
4010.5.643.6673.5.3.0.35.5
4030.8.342.385.8242.31.81.0.012.5
4423.5.467.571.9091.02.8.5.07.0
4430.8.426.8757.3.51.3.813.3
4443.0.329.273.80811.85.51.8.818.3
4024.5.458.3571.0002.03.51.0.38.3
306.7.000.5001.0.0.01.3.3

Player statistics citation:

Awards and records

Awards

  • Hakeem Olajuwon, All-NBA Third Team
  • Michael Dickerson, NBA All-Rookie Team Second Team
  • Cuttino Mobley, NBA All-Rookie Team Second Team

Records

Transactions

Trades

Free agents

Additions

Subtractions

References

References

  1. [https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/1999.html 1998-99 Houston Rockets]
  2. (January 6, 1999). "NBA: Let The Games Begin!". CBS News.
  3. (June 24, 1998). "Clippers Pick Olowokandi No. 1". CBS News.
  4. (June 25, 1998). "1998 NBA Draft Selections". Deseret News.
  5. "1998 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference.
  6. Gardner, Kris. (January 21, 1999). "Knicks Acquiring Sprewell Highlights Six-Deal Day". The Houston Roundball Review.
  7. Wise, Mike. (July 21, 1999). "BASKETBALL; Knicks to Get First Look at First Pick". The New York Times.
  8. (January 18, 1999). "Pippen Headed to Houston". CBS News.
  9. Sheridan, Chris. (January 19, 1999). "Sprewell, Pippen on the Move". The Washington Post.
  10. Broussard, Chris. (January 20, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL; Ruining of Bulls Begins in Earnest". The New York Times.
  11. (January 23, 1999). "Rockets Sign Antoine Carr". Associated Press.
  12. Wise, Mike. (February 4, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL; A Scrum for the Title". The New York Times.
  13. (April 13, 1996). "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Dream Teamers Picked". The New York Times.
  14. (March 12, 1999). "Transactions". The New York Times.
  15. (March 12, 1999). "Marbury Heads Home". Deseret News.
  16. (August 27, 1999). "Rockets, Grizzlies Set to Make 10-Player Trade, Report Says". Deseret News.
  17. "1998–99 Houston Rockets Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference.
  18. "1998–99 Houston Rockets Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.
  19. (March 22, 1999). "Hakeem Sends Rockets Over Kings". CBS News.
  20. (March 23, 1999). "Olajuwon Scores 32 for Rockets". Los Angeles Times.
  21. "1998–99 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference.
  22. Kawakami, Tim. (May 16, 1999). "Lakers Can Keep Spurs On". Los Angeles Times.
  23. Graczyk, Michael. (May 15, 1999). "Lakers Silence Rockets, 98-88". The Washington Post.
  24. "1999 NBA Western Conference First Round: Rockets vs. Lakers". Basketball-Reference.
  25. "1998–99 NBA Season Summary". Basketball-Reference.
  26. (September 30, 1999). "Pippen Unloads on Barkley". Los Angeles Times.
  27. (September 30, 1999). "Pippen Trash-Talks Barkley". CBS News.
  28. Wise, Mike. (October 3, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL: NOTEBOOK; Pippen, on His Way to Portland, Takes a Parting Shot at Barkley". The New York Times.
  29. Wise, Mike. (October 2, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL; Rockets Are Sending Pippen to Trail Blazers for Six Players". The New York Times.
  30. (October 2, 1999). "Pippen to Go to Blazers for Six". The Washington Post.
  31. (October 5, 1999). "Pippen Comes to Portland Blazing". Los Angeles Times.
  32. White, Lonnie. (August 27, 1999). "Rockets Set to Get Francis in 10-Player Deal". Los Angeles Times.
  33. Wyche, Steve. (August 27, 1999). "Ex-Terp Francis Is Headed to the Rockets". The Washington Post.
  34. (August 28, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL: ROUNDUP -- HOUSTON; Rockets Get Francis in 3-Team Deal". The New York Times.
  35. (January 7, 2000). "Bulls Sign Maloney". United Press International.
  36. Mitchell, Fred. (January 16, 2000). "Rudy T. "Very Happy" for Maloney". Chicago Tribune.
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