1977 Houston Rockets: Becoming A Contender
The Rockets had been through an anemic existence since their founding in San Diego in 1968 and subsequent move to Houston four years later. They had just two postseason trips over that decade and had yet to win a best-of-seven playoff series. The 1977 Houston Rockets were the franchise’s first big success, capturing a division title and reaching the conference finals.
FINDING THE MISSING PIECE
Rudy Tomjanovich, later to be the head coach during this franchise’s glory days of the mid-1990s was its best player in 1977, averaging 22 points/8 rebounds per game. A duo of skilled passing guards, Calvin Murphy and John Lucas were in the backcourt. They combined to average eleven assists per game and Murphy was an 18ppg scorer.
Lucas, along with Mike Newlin chipped in double-figure scoring and Kevin Kennard added rebounding help, getting eight boards a night. Houston was well-balanced, but in an era of basketball built around the low post, they still needed a big man.
Two games into the regular season, they addressed that need in dramatic fashion. Houston sent two first-round picks to the Buffalo Braves (today’s Los Angeles Clippers) and got a 21-year-old center named Moses Malone back in return. Moses would average 14 points/13 rebounds/2 blocks per game. The acquisition of Malone, and the hiring of new head coach Tom Nissalke, made the Rockets complete.
A DIFFERENT NBA ERA
Houston was in the Eastern Conference, part of an early history that saw them switched back and forth between he conferences until their final relocation to the West in 1981. The traditional power in the East was the defending champion Boston Celtics, and the Philadelphia 76ers were on the rise.
The Central Division that the Rockets occupied had been led by the Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Bullets a year ago. They would be joined the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs were one of four franchises joining the league thanks to the NBA’s merger with the American Basketball Association (ABA). Like Houston, San Antonio would spend a few years in the East’s Central Division before being permanently realigned west.
Division races mattered much more in the NBA of 1977 than they do today. The playoff structure called for six teams per conference to qualify. That meant two byes into the conference semifinals and the two division winners got those byes. Moreover, the first round was a best-of-three “mini-series.” You needed a division crown to avoid being thrown into a quick “lightning round.”
INTO CONTENTION
Houston started the season 6-5, a stretch that included a 22-point loss to Philadelphia. But they had integrated Moses into the lineup and took advantage of a home-heavy schedule to rip off eight straight wins.
That stretch included a visit to San Antonio on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. With Rudy T going for 28 points/17 rebounds and Murphy scoring 26 while dishing out seven assists, the Rockets overcame a 30-point night by Spurs star George Gervin and won 125-116.
A trip through the Western Conference was tough, as Houston lost to good teams in the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, and Portland Trailblazers. But they came back home and knocked off Washington. Then, on December 29, the Rockets nipped the 76ers 93-91 behind 26 points from Murphy.
As we moved into the New Year, Houston was 19-11. They led the Central Division by a half-game over Cleveland and were three up on San Antonio. The Rockets were three games ahead of Philly for the top record in the East and squarely in the mix with L.A., Portland, and the Denver Nuggets for the best overall record in the NBA.
THE WINTER SLOG
January saw the seas get a little rougher. Houston lost back-to-back games on a Saturday/Sunday to the Bullets, who were starting to get some traction, and the Cavs, both losses decisive. The Rockets lost at home to Denver and lost to Philadelphia and Boston.
They did recover with a three-game winning streak that included a 110-107 win over Portland, who eventually won the NBA title. Moses went for 24 points/19 rebounds in the win.
February saw more up-and-down play, as Houston slogged through the dog days of the schedule. They beat Cleveland and won on the road in Portland. But the Rockets also lost at home to San Antonio and came up short in road trips to Denver and Los Angeles.
Heading into March, Houston was 33-26. They were comfortably in the playoff structure, no small thing for this franchise in 1977. But they were 2 ½ games behind Washington in the Central Division, with Cleveland and San Antonio both also giving chase.
A SECOND WIND
With the end of the long regular season in sight, the Rockets found a second wind. They tore off a nine-game winning streak. Houston went to Los Angeles and beat the Lakers 120-113 behind a 26/19 line from Malone. They lost in Philly, but promptly won three in a row, keynoted by an overtime win at Portland.
Houston surged to a 46-31 record by the end of March and led the Central by a game and a half over Washington. And on the first day of April, the Rockets went on the road to the nation’s capital and used a dominant fourth quarter to beat the Bullets 91-85. Moses hauled in an astonishing 27 rebounds and the Rockets all but salted the division title away.
The final regular season record was 49-33. Houston would be the 2-seed in the East. In a league where no one won more than 53 games, they were a legitimate contender heading into the playoffs.
BATTLING THE BULLETS
Washington won their mini-series and came to Houston to begin the best-of-seven conference semifinals. This was a good Bullets team, just a year away from winning an NBA championship. They had a physical front line, led by Elvin Hayes and including Wes Unseld and Truck Robinson, all of whom got double-digit rebounds per night. Phil Chenier gave the lineup balance with 20ppg in the backcourt.
This group came into Houston and made a quick statement. The Rockets lost the rebounding battle in Game 1, by a decisive 47-34 margin. They didn’t get to the foul line. And they gave up homecourt advantage right out of the chute in a 111-101 loss.
Houston played like a desperate team in Game 2, and they attacked the glass. Moses went off for 31 points/26 rebounds. Even though the Rockets allowed the Bullets to shoot 55 percent from the floor, Houston’s 57-43 rebounding edge was the decisive factor. It went to overtime, but they kept themselves in the series with a 124-118 win.
The Rockets still needed to win one on the road. It didn’t happen in Game 3. In a turnover-marred game both ways, Washington did better at the free throw line and Houston lost 93-90.
Game 4 was tight. But Tomjanovich had his best game of the series with 28 points. The Rockets held the Bullets to 43 percent shooting from the floor. And Houston showcased some depth, winning bench scoring 29-14. It was enough to get a 107-103 win, tie up the series and shift homecourt back in their favor.
Houston kept rebounding back home in Game 5. Their advantage on the boards was 51-39 with Moses posting a 25/22 line. And Murphy exploded for the first time in the series, dropping 40. With a 123-115 win, the Rockets moved to the brink of advancing.
Game 6 back in the nation’s capital was hard-fought, a one-point game after three quarters. Houston was getting wide-ranging contributions. Rudy T led the way with a 26/8 night. Mike Newlin scored 21. Murphy handed out nine assists, and Moses pulled down 14 rebounds.
It was enough to get control in the fourth quarter and win 108-103. For the first time in their short history, the Houston Rockets were going to the conference finals.
FALLING TO PHILLY
Philadelphia held serve on the top half of the bracket and were the opponent. The 76ers were led by the electric Julius “Dr. J’ Erving and high-scoring guard Doug Collins. Statistically, Houston held their own against Philly over the course of this series, but it was the 76ers who made the key plays to win.
Houston dropped the first two games on the road. They answered back in Game 3, but a home loss in Game 4 put them in a tough hole. The Rockets didn’t mail it in and ground out a 118-115 win in Game 5. But another home defeat in Game 6 ended the season.
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
Over the next three seasons, Houston struggled to build on its breakthrough, hovering around the .500 mark. The franchise also endured one of the darkest moments in NBA history when Rudy T suffered devastating facial injuries after being punched by Kermit Washington during a game in December 1977. Tomjanovich’s playing career was never the same. Combined with coaching changes and the eventual move to the Western Conference, the Rockets’ rise was delayed.
In 1981, they again had a .500 regular season but led by Moses the playoffs were different. Those ’81 Rockets upset Magic Johnson’s Lakers and went all the way to the NBA Finals, bringing a measure of fulfillment to the hope that was rooted in 1977.