The Houston Rockets history is a never-ending story (hopefully) that occasionally has the Deep in the Heart of Texas team doing well in other years not so much.
With their exclusive import from China, Yao Ming, the Houston Rockets are a perennial threat to win not only their division but the entire Western Conference and representing that last side of the country’s basketball region in the NBA Finals.
What must be said about the Houston Rockets and the Houston Rockets history is that no other NBA team has had such a roller-coaster ride in the State of Texas as the Houston Rockets NBA franchise.
Relocated from San Diego to Texas in 1970
The team relocated from San Diego in 1970 bringing along one of the best players to ever play in an NBA basketball game power-forward Elvin Hayes otherwise known as the Big E. Elvin Hayes had a bit of trouble with the ownership and the coaches of the Houston Rockets and was never one to limit his voice or his opinion.
Shuttled off to Washington to make history there with Wes Unseld Hayes took with him a heavy heart as he left an organization that he had played for ever since he was a Houston Cougar and won the National Championship against Lew Alcindor’s or better known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s undefeated and heavily-favored UCLA Bruin team.
NBA World Championship in 1994 and 1995
The Houston Rockets history contains two NBA World Championship in 1994 and 1995 and four times Western Conference Division Winners 1981, 1986, 1994, and 1995. By winning the NBA Championship back to back the Houston Rockets solidified their place in history as one of the best NBA teams of the 1990’s.
Other than the Rockets the NBA teams that were crowned NBA Champions of that decade (90’s) included the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. It is said that the Houston Rockets were the only team that was able to derail and cause at least a temporary break in the lineage of the dynasties of both the Celtics and the Lakers.
Newly Appointed National Basketball Association Expansion TeamThe history of the Houston Rockets started off in San Diego as a newly appointed National Basketball Association expansion team. The San Diego Rockets struggled and never really won the right to be called a good team yet they were a solid team at times especially when Elvin Hayes came on board.
Since the San Diego Rockets were only in South-Central California for two years it is not too fair to judge them very harshly. When the team was moved to Houston, Texas they have done quite well and have a very strong following and still retain a bit of a fan-base in the State of California.
Greener Pastures
What’s important to realize when it comes to teams up rooting and moving and relocating to greener pastures is that they retain a strong home base and as long as the move was not in the middle of night with 17 Ryder trucks or involving the stiffing of millions of dollars owed to the city creditors such as restaurants caterers and garbage pickup, then the fans that are loyal will stay loyal.
NBA Playoffs 2010
What the future holds for the Houston Rockets and the rewriting of the Houston Rockets history remains in doubt as any other NBA team’s future. What is known is that as long as the All-NBA Houston Rockets giant of a center, Yao Ming, from China remains healthy the Rockets are always in contention for an NBA Finals World Championship regardless of the supporting cast.
The 2010 NBA Playoffs is about to get underway with the Houston Rockets a strong wildcard contender and only the future will tell if Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming can make some moves in this postseason run for the roses.