1995–96 Houston Rockets season

The 1995–96 NBA season was the 29th season for the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association, and their 25th season in Houston, Texas.^[1] During the off-season, the Rockets signed free agents Mark Bryant and Eldridge Recasner.^[2][3] After two straight NBA championships, the team changed their primary logo, which showed a light blue rocket flying past a red basketball with the team name "Rockets",^[4] and added new pinstripe uniforms adding dark navy blue to their color scheme.^[5][6]

1995–96 Houston Rockets season
Head coach	Rudy Tomjanovich
General manager	Bob Weinhauer
Owner(s)	Leslie Alexander
Arena	The Summit
Results
Record	48–34 (.585)
Place	Division: 3rd (Midwest) Conference: 5th (Western)
Playoff finish	Conference semifinals (lost to SuperSonics 0–4)
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
Television	KTXH Prime Sports Southwest
Radio	KTRH
< 1994–95 1996–97 >

The Rockets got off to a fast start by winning ten of their first eleven games of the regular season. However, injuries would be an issue all year, as Clyde Drexler only played 52 games due to knee and ankle injuries,^[7][8][9] while Sam Cassell only played 61 games due to elbow and foot injuries,^[10][11] and Mario Elie only played just 45 games due to wrist and arm injuries.^[12][10] At mid-season, the Rockets signed free agent Sam Mack, who previously played in the Continental Basketball Association,^[13] as the team held a 31–18 record at the All-Star break.^[14] Despite the injuries and a 7-game losing streak in March, the Rockets finished in third place in the Midwest Division with a 48–34 record, and earned the fifth seed in the Western Conference.^[15]

Hakeem Olajuwon averaged 26.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 2.9 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, and to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, while Drexler averaged 19.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.0 steals per game. In addition, Cassell played a sixth man role, averaging 14.5 points and 4.6 assists per game off the bench, while Robert Horry provided the team with 12.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.5 blocks per game, and also led them with 142 three-point field goals, Elie provided with 11.1 points per game, and Mack contributed 10.8 points per game. Chucky Brown averaged 8.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, while Bryant provided with 8.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game off the bench, three-point specialist Kenny Smith contributed 8.5 points and 3.6 assists per game, and Recasner contributed 6.9 points and 2.7 assists per game.^[16]

Olajuwon and Drexler were both selected for the 1996 NBA All-Star Game in San Antonio, Texas.^[17][18][19] Olajuwon also finished in fourth place in Most Valuable Player voting,^[20][21] and in fifth place in Defensive Player of the Year voting,^[21] while Cassell finished in fourth place in Sixth Man of the Year voting,^[21] and head coach Rudy Tomjanovich finished in fifth place in Coach of the Year voting.^[22][21]

In the Western Conference First Round of the 1996 NBA playoffs, the Rockets defeated the 4th-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in four games;^[23][24][25] All-Star guard Magic Johnson had come out of his retirement midway through the regular season, and would retire again after the Lakers' loss to the Rockets.^[26][27][28] However, the Rockets would be swept in the Western Conference Semi-finals by the Seattle SuperSonics in four straight games.^[29][30][31] The SuperSonics would reach the 1996 NBA Finals, but eventually fell in six games to the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls.^[32][33][34]

Following the season, Cassell, Horry, Brown and Bryant were all traded to the Phoenix Suns,^[35][36][37] while Smith signed as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons,^[38][39][40] and Recasner signed with the Atlanta Hawks.^[41] The Rockets' new primary logo and uniforms both remained in use until 2003.

Offseason

Draft picks

Main article: 1995 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
2	41	Erik Meek	Center	United States	Duke

Roster

1995–96 Houston Rockets roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From G 9 Melvin Booker 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1972–08–20 Missouri F 15 Tim Breaux 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1970–09–19 Wyoming F 52 Chucky Brown 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 214 lb (97 kg) 1968–02–29 NC State F 2 Mark Bryant 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1965–04–25 Seton Hall G 10 Sam Cassell 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1969–11–18 Florida State F 32 Pete Chilcutt 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1968–09–14 North Carolina G 22 Clyde Drexler 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1962–06–22 Houston G/F 17 Mario Elie 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1963–11–26 American International F 25 Robert Horry 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1970–08–25 Alabama F/C 27 Charles Jones 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1957–04–03 Albany State F 4 Sam Mack 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1970–05–26 Houston G 20 Tracy Moore 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1965–12–28 Tulsa C 34 Hakeem Olajuwon 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 255 lb (116 kg) 1963–01–21 Houston G 3 Eldridge Recasner 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1967–12–14 Washington G 30 Kenny Smith 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1965–03–08 North Carolina

Head coach Rudy Tomjanovich Assistant(s) Bill Berry Jim Boylen Carroll Dawson Larry Smith Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster

Regular season

Season standings

Midwest Division v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-San Antonio Spurs	59	23	.720	–	33–8	26–15	19–5
x-Utah Jazz	55	27	.671	4	34–7	21–20	14–10
x-Houston Rockets	48	34	.585	11	27–14	21–20	15–9
Denver Nuggets	35	47	.427	24	24–17	11–30	13–11
Minnesota Timberwolves	26	56	.317	33	17–24	9–32	10–14
Dallas Mavericks	26	56	.317	33	16–25	10–31	10–14
Vancouver Grizzlies	15	67	.183	44	10–31	5–36	3–21

Western Conference v t e
#	Team	W	L	PCT	GB	GP
1	c-Seattle SuperSonics *	64	18	.780	–	82
2	y-San Antonio Spurs *	59	23	.720	5	82
3	x-Utah Jazz	55	27	.671	9	82
4	x-Los Angeles Lakers	53	29	.646	11	82
5	x-Houston Rockets	48	34	.585	16	82
6	x-Portland Trail Blazers	44	38	.537	20	82
7	x-Phoenix Suns	41	41	.500	23	82
8	x-Sacramento Kings	39	43	.476	25	82
9	Golden State Warriors	36	46	.439	28	82
10	Denver Nuggets	35	47	.427	29	82
11	Los Angeles Clippers	29	53	.354	35	82
12	Minnesota Timberwolves	26	56	.317	38	82
13	Dallas Mavericks	26	56	.317	38	82
14	Vancouver Grizzlies	15	67	.183	49	82

z – clinched division title

y – clinched division title

x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1995-96 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BOS	CHA	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	LAC	LAL	MIA	MIL	MIN	NJN	NYK	ORL	PHI	PHO	POR	SAC	SAS	SEA	TOR	UTA	VAN	WAS
Atlanta	—	4–0	3–1	0–4	3–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–0	0–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	4–0	2–1	2–2	2–1	0–2	2–0	2–0	0–2	0–2	4–0	1–1	2–0	1–3
Boston	0–4	—	2–2	0–3	1–3	0–2	1–1	2–1	0–2	1–1	0–4	2–0	0–2	3–1	3–1	2–0	2–2	0–4	1–3	4–0	1–1	0–2	2–0	0–2	0–2	3–1	0–2	1–1	2–2
Charlotte	1–3	2–2	—	1–3	3–1	2–0	2–0	1–3	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	2–2	3–1	1–1	0–3	3–0	0–4	3–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	3–1	1–1	2–0	3–1
Chicago	4–0	3–0	3–1	—	4–0	2–0	1–1	4–0	2–0	2–0	2–2	2–0	2–0	3–1	4–0	2–0	3–0	3–1	3–1	4–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–0	2–0	4–0
Cleveland	1–3	3–1	1–3	0–4	—	2–0	1–1	2–2	2–0	1–1	2–2	2–0	2–0	1–3	4–0	2–0	1–2	3–1	1–2	4–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	3–1	0–2	2–0	3–1
Dallas	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	0–2	—	2–2	0–2	2–2	1–3	0–2	2–2	0–4	0–2	1–1	0–4	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	0–4	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–3	4–0	0–2
Denver	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–2	—	1–1	2–2	1–3	0–2	1–3	2–2	0–2	1–1	4–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–1	0–4	0–4	0–4	1–3	2–0	3–1	3–1	1–1
Detroit	2–2	1–2	3–1	0–4	2–2	2–0	1–1	—	2–0	1–1	2–2	2–0	0–2	1–3	2–2	1–1	4–0	0–4	1–3	4–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	4–0	0–2	2–0	1–2
Golden State	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–2	2–2	0–2	—	2–2	1–1	3–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	3–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3	0–4	1–1	1–3	4–0	1–1
Houston	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	3–1	3–1	1–1	2–2	—	2–0	4–0	3–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–0	3–1	2–2	2–2	1–3	0–4	2–0	2–2	4–0	1–1
Indiana	3–1	4–0	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–0	2–0	2–2	1–1	0–2	—	2–0	1–1	3–0	3–1	1–1	1–3	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	4–0	0–2	2–0	3–0
L.A. Clippers	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–2	3–1	0–2	1–3	0–4	0–2	—	0–4	1–1	1–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	3–1	2–2	2–2	1–3	0–4	0–2	1–3	3–1	1–1
L.A. Lakers	2–0	2–0	0–2	0–2	0–2	4–0	2–2	2–0	3–1	1–3	1–1	4–0	—	2–0	2–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	1–3	2–2	2–0	2–2	4–0	1–1
Miami	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–3	3–1	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–1	2–0	0–3	1–1	0–2	—	3–0	1–1	5–0	1–3	1–3	3–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–1	0–2	1–1	2–2
Milwaukee	2–2	1–3	1–3	0–4	0–4	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–1	0–2	0–3	—	1–1	1–3	2–2	1–3	2–1	0–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–3
Minnesota	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	4–0	0–4	1–1	1–3	2–2	1–1	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–1	—	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–3	0–4	3–1	1–3	0–4	1–1	1–3	2–2	0–2
New Jersey	0–4	2–2	3–0	0–3	2–1	1–1	2–0	0–4	0–2	0–2	3–1	1–1	0–2	0–5	3–1	1–1	—	2–2	0–4	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–2	0–2	2–0	2–2
New York	1–2	4–0	0–3	1–3	1–3	2–0	1–1	4–0	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	2–2	2–0	2–2	—	1–3	3–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	4–0	1–1	1–1	3–1
Orlando	2–2	3–1	4–0	1–3	2–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	2–0	2–0	2–2	2–0	1–1	3–1	3–1	2–0	4–0	3–1	—	4–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–1	1–1	2–0	4–0
Philadelphia	1–2	0–4	1–3	0–4	0–4	2–0	0–2	0–4	0–2	0–2	1–3	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–2	1–1	2–2	1–3	0–4	—	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	3–1	1–1	1–1	1–3
Phoenix	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	3–1	1–3	0–2	3–1	1–3	1–1	1–3	1–3	1–1	2–0	3–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	2–0	—	2–2	2–2	1–3	0–4	2–0	1–3	4–0	2–0
Portland	0–2	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	4–0	4–0	0–2	3–1	2–2	1–1	2–2	2–2	2–0	0–2	4–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	—	1–3	1–3	1–3	2–0	1–3	2–2	0–2
Sacramento	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–2	4–0	1–1	3–1	2–2	2–0	2–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	1–3	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	3–1	—	1–3	0–4	2–0	0–4	2–2	0–2
San Antonio	2–0	2–0	2–0	0–2	2–0	2–2	4–0	0–2	3–1	3–1	1–1	3–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–1	3–1	3–1	—	2–2	2–0	3–1	4–0	1–1
Seattle	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	3–1	1–1	4–0	4–0	0–2	4–0	2–2	2–0	2–0	4–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	4–0	3–1	4–0	2–2	—	1–1	3–1	3–1	1–1
Toronto	0–4	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–1	0–2	0–4	1–1	0–2	0–4	2–0	0–2	1–2	2–2	1–1	2–2	0–4	1–2	1–3	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	—	0–2	1–1	3–1
Utah	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	2–0	3–1	1–3	2–0	3–1	2–2	2–0	3–1	2–2	2–0	2–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	3–1	4–0	1–3	1–3	2–0	—	4–0	1–1
Vancouver	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–4	1–3	0–2	0–4	0–4	0–2	1–3	0–4	1–1	1–1	2–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–4	2–2	2–2	0–4	1–3	1–1	0–4	—	0–2
Washington	3–1	2–2	1–3	0–4	1–3	2–0	1–1	2–1	1–1	1–1	0–3	1–1	1–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	2–2	1–3	0–4	3–1	0–2	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	2–0	—

Game log

Playoffs

1996 playoff game log
First Round: 3–1 (home: 2–0; road: 1–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 25 @ L.A. Lakers W 87–83 Hakeem Olajuwon (33) Horry, Olajuwon (7) Drexler, Smith (4) Great Western Forum 17,505 1–0 2 April 27 @ L.A. Lakers L 94–104 Sam Cassell (22) Horry, Olajuwon (8) Sam Cassell (8) Great Western Forum 17,505 1–1 3 April 30 L.A. Lakers W 104–98 Hakeem Olajuwon (30) Robert Horry (10) Clyde Drexler (11) The Summit 16,285 2–1 4 May 2 L.A. Lakers W 102–94 Hakeem Olajuwon (25) Hakeem Olajuwon (11) Olajuwon, Drexler (7) The Summit 16,285 3–1
Conference semifinals: 0–4 (home: 0–2; road: 0–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 May 4 @ Seattle L 75–108 Robert Horry (18) Clyde Drexler (9) Kenny Smith (5) KeyArena 17,072 0–1 2 May 6 @ Seattle L 101–105 Clyde Drexler (19) Hakeem Olajuwon (16) Kenny Smith (7) KeyArena 17,072 0–2 3 May 10 Seattle L 112–115 Clyde Drexler (28) Hakeem Olajuwon (13) Kenny Smith (11) The Summit 16,285 0–3 4 May 12 Seattle L 107–114 (OT) Hakeem Olajuwon (26) Clyde Drexler (15) Drexler, Cassell (6) The Summit 16,611 0–4
1996 schedule

Player statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game

Season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Melvin Booker	11	0	11.9	.320	.158	.818	.8	1.9	.5	.1	4.0
Tim Breaux	54	4	10.6	.366	.326	.622	1.1	.4	.2	.1	3.0
Chucky Brown	82	82	24.6	.541	.125	.693	5.4	1.1	.6	.5	8.6
Mark Bryant	71	9	22.4	.543	.000	.718	4.9	.7	.4	.3	8.6
Sam Cassell	61	0	27.6	.439	.348	.825	3.1	4.6	.9	.1	14.5
Pete Chilcutt	74	0	8.8	.408	.378	.654	2.1	.4	.3	.2	2.7
Clyde Drexler	52	51	38.4	.433	.332	.784	7.2	5.8	2.0	.5	19.3
Mario Elie	45	16	30.8	.504	.323	.852	3.4	3.1	1.0	.2	11.1
Alvin Heggs	4	0	3.5	.600		.667	.5	.0	.0	.0	2.0
Robert Horry	71	71	37.1	.410	.366	.776	5.8	4.0	1.6	1.5	12.0
Jaren Jackson	4	0	8.3	.000	.000	.800	.8	.0	.3	.0	2.0
Henry James	7	0	8.3	.417	.333	1.000	.9	.3	.0	.0	4.3
Charles Jones	46	0	6.5	.316		.308	1.6	.3	.1	.5	.3
Sam Mack	31	20	28.0	.422	.400	.848	3.2	2.5	.7	.3	10.8
Tracy Moore	8	2	23.8	.395	.433	.947	2.8	.8	.3	.0	11.4
Hakeem Olajuwon	72	72	38.8	.514	.214	.724	10.9	3.6	1.6	2.9	26.9
Eldridge Recasner	63	27	20.2	.415	.424	.864	2.3	2.7	.4	.1	6.9
Kenny Smith	68	56	23.8	.433	.382	.821	1.4	3.6	.7	.0	8.5

Playoffs

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Chucky Brown	8	8	21.0	.556		.833	3.0	.6	.4	.0	8.1
Mark Bryant	8	0	18.1	.600		.800	3.4	.5	.1	.3	6.8
Sam Cassell	8	0	25.8	.321	.276	.793	2.1	4.3	.8	.1	10.4
Pete Chilcutt	1	0	10.0	.250	.000	.000	3.0	.0	.0	.0	2.0
Clyde Drexler	8	8	36.5	.415	.265	.765	7.8	5.0	2.6	.5	16.6
Mario Elie	8	0	29.1	.439	.375	.917	2.8	1.8	.9	.4	9.8
Robert Horry	8	8	38.5	.407	.396	.435	7.1	3.0	2.6	1.6	13.1
Charles Jones	3	0	2.7	.000			.3	.0	.0	.0	.0
Sam Mack	6	0	7.8	.333	.222	.000	1.5	.2	.2	.0	2.0
Hakeem Olajuwon	8	8	41.1	.510	.000	.725	9.1	3.9	1.9	2.1	22.4
Eldridge Recasner	1	0	8.0	.000	.000		1.0	2.0	.0	.0	.0
Kenny Smith	8	8	23.9	.434	.387	1.000	1.5	4.8	.6	.0	8.9

Player Statistics Citation:^[16]

Awards and records

• During the preseason period, the Rockets would win the 1995 McDonald's Championship championship from October 19-21, winning the championship match over Italy's Buckler Beer Bologna.

Season

• Hakeem Olajuwon was named to the All-NBA Second Team, as well as the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.

Transactions

Trades

Free agents

Additions Player Signed Former team

Subtractions Player Left New team

See also

• 1995–96 NBA season