| 30 August 2010
And the hits keep coming... Now we're up to H, and that's Houston's territory. The Rockets came into existence in 1967, residing in San Diego, and then moved to Houston in 1971. Assessing their top 5 all time is one helluva task, they've had some greats. And it pains me that I couldn't find a place on my 5 for one of their more recent players - I toyed with having T-Mac on the list... but in the end went in a different direction.
Here they are: the top 5 Rockets of all time...
5. Ralph Lee Sampson, Jr - Sampson spent the first 4 and a half seasons at the Rockets, and that would be the best years of his career - an All Star every year. Stretching out to 7'4", when teamed with Olujawon they were a fearsome forest in defense, and nigh on impossible to defend on offense - the original "Twin Towers". Best remembered for his buzzer-beater to dethrone the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals in '86: an amazing, twisting, prayer of a shot with 1 second left to win the game.
4. Elvin Ernest Hayes - Rookie year, the Big E quietly throws up a massive 54 points with the season just begun, and the last time a rook lead the scoring average was with Elvin Hayes. In his second season, he lead rebounding - the first time in a decade that someone not named Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain had done so. It's a pity that the Rockets traded him when they did, as the Big E had some of his best years coming. He finished his time, aptly, as a Rocket.
3. Calvin Murphy - Considered to be one of the best free throw shooters of all time, Murphy was only surpassed by The Dream as far as points scored for the Rockets. The diminutive point man (Murphy was measured a generous 5'9") is still the assists leader for the Rockets, more than 1000 ahead of his nearest rival.
2. Moses Eugene Malone - A 3 time NBA MVP (2 whilst a Rocket), Moses Malone put up NBA 2K11 numbers. In his first MVP season ('79), he averaged nearly 25 points and over 17 rebounds per game. The second of his MVPs at Houston ('82) he scored 31.1 ppg and 14.7 rpg. Insane numbers.
Tenacious and unrelenting on the boards, Malone still holds the record for offensive boards in a season - 587.
1. Hakeem Abdul Olujawon - 17 seasons. Seven. Teen. Seasons - as a Rocket. And the only player in the history of the NBA to win the MVP, the DPoY, and the Finals MVP all in the same year - and lead the Houston franchise to it's first ever NBA title. 12 All-NBA teams. 9 All D teams. 12 All Star teams. Hall of Fame.
Was there any doubt that the The Dream would lead this list?
Was there any doubt that the The Dream would lead this list?
Just as he lead the Rockets franchise to their two titles in '94/'95, two titles that there is no way on this earth Houston could have won without Hakeem Olujawon, likely even substituting him with any other player playing at that time.
The next episode will be sponsored by the letter "i" - and that's the province of the Indiana Pacers!
