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1990–91 Houston Rockets season

The 1990–91 Houston Rockets season was the 24th season for the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association, and their 20th season in Houston, Texas. During the off-season, the Rockets acquired Kenny Smith from the Atlanta Hawks, and signed free agent David Wood.

With the addition of Kenny Smith, the Rockets got off to an 8–7 start to the regular season. The team continued to play around .500 in winning percentage, as Hakeem Olajuwon missed 25 games due to a bone fracture in his right eye. However, the Rockets held a 27–21 record at the All-Star break, and posted a 14–1 record in March, which included a 13-game winning streak. The Rockets finished in third place in the Midwest Division with a 52–30 record, and earned the sixth seed in the Western Conference. Head coach Don Chaney was named the NBA Coach of the Year, after leading his team to an 11-game improvement over the previous season.

Olajuwon averaged 21.2 points, 13.8 rebounds, 2.2 steals and 3.9 blocks per game in 56 games, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, and to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. In addition, Kenny Smith averaged 17.7 points, 7.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game, while Otis Thorpe provided the team with 17.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, and Vernon Maxwell contributed 17.0 points and 1.5 steals per game, and led the league with 172 three-point field goals. Meanwhile, Buck Johnson provided with 13.6 points per game, while off the bench, Sleepy Floyd played a sixth man role, averaging 12.3 points, 3.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game, Wood contributed 5.3 points per game, and defensive forward Larry Smith averaged 3.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina, Kenny Smith participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest for the second consecutive year; due to his eye injury, Olajuwon was not selected for the 1991 NBA All-Star Game. Kenny Smith finished in 17th place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Olajuwon finished in 18th place; Olajuwon also finished tied in fifth place in Defensive Player of the Year voting, while Kenny Smith finished in third place in Most Improved Player voting, with Larry Smith finishing tied in eighth place, and Larry Smith also finished tied in sixth place in Sixth Man of the Year voting.

In the Western Conference First Round of the 1991 NBA playoffs, and for the second consecutive year, the Rockets faced off against the 3rd–seeded Los Angeles Lakers, who were led by the trio of All-Star guard Magic Johnson, All-Star forward James Worthy, and Byron Scott. The Rockets lost the first two games to the Lakers on the road at the Great Western Forum, before losing Game 3 at home, 94–90 at The Summit, thus losing the series in a three-game sweep; it was the second consecutive year that the Rockets had their season ended by the Lakers. The Lakers would lose in five games to the Chicago Bulls in the 1991 NBA Finals.

The Rockets finished 16th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 613,230 at The Summit during the regular season. Following the season, Wood was released to free agency.

Draft picks

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

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

Game log

Regular season

|- | 1 | November 2 | @ Portland | L 89–90 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 0–1 |- | 2 | November 3 | @ Seattle | L 106–108 | | | | Seattle Center Coliseum | 0–2 |- | 3 | November 6 | Denver | W 145–135 | | | | The Summit | 1–2 |- | 4 | November 8 | Orlando | W 103–99 | | | | The Summit | 2–2 |- | 5 | November 10 | @ San Antonio | L 110–111 | | | | HemisFair Arena | 2–3 |- | 6 | November 11 | Utah | W 110–90 | | | | The Summit | 3–3 |- | 7 | November 13 | Minnesota | W 90–88 | | | | The Summit | 4–3 |- | 8 | November 15 | L.A. Lakers | L 103–108 (OT) | | | | The Summit | 4–4 |- | 9 | November 17 | Miami | W 117–100 | | | | The Summit | 5–4 |- | 10 | November 20 | @ New York | W 115–88 | | | | Madison Square Garden | 6–4 |- | 11 | November 21 | @ Boston | L 95–108 | | | | Boston Garden | 6–5 |- | 12 | November 23 | @ Indiana | L 111–112 | | | | Market Square Arena | 6–6 |- | 13 | November 25 | @ Minnesota | W 107–91 | | | | Target Center | 7–6 |- | 14 | November 27 | L.A. Clippers | W 107–102 | | | | The Summit | 8–6 |- | 15 | November 28 | @ Utah | L 92–103 | | | | Salt Palace | 8–7

|- | 16 | December 1 | Sacramento | W 117–93 | | | | The Summit | 9–7 |- | 17 | December 4 | Atlanta | L 110–113 | | | | The Summit | 9–8 |- | 18 | December 6 | Charlotte | W 116–110 | | | | The Summit | 10–8 |- | 19 | December 8 | @ Dallas | W 113–107 | | | | Reunion Arena | 11–8 |- | 20 | December 10 | Boston | L 95–107 | | | | The Summit | 11–9 |- | 21 | December 12 | @ Philadelphia | W 108–100 | | | | The Spectrum | 12–9 |- | 22 | December 14 | @ Washington | L 93–106 | | | | Capital Centre | 12–10 |- | 23 | December 15 | @ Charlotte | W 100–97 | | | | Charlotte Coliseum | 13–10 |- | 24 | December 18 | San Antonio | L 95–96 | | | | The Summit | 13–11 |- | 25 | December 20 | Orlando | W 128–126 (OT) | | | | The Summit | 14–11 |- | 26 | December 22 | Phoenix | W 122–102 | | | | The Summit | 15–11 |- | 27 | December 26 | @ Orlando | L 103–109 | | | | Orlando Arena | 15–12 |- | 28 | December 28 | @ New Jersey | W 101–99 | | | | Brendan Byrne Arena | 16–12 |- | 29 | December 29 | @ Detroit | L 84–99 | | | | The Palace of Auburn Hills | 16–13

|- | 30 | January 3 | Chicago | W 114–92 | | | | The Summit | 17–13 |- | 31 | January 5 | Indiana | W 112–99 | | | | The Summit | 18–13 |- | 32 | January 8 | Portland | L 97–123 | | | | The Summit | 18–14 |- | 33 | January 10 | @ Denver | W 156–133 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 19–14 |- | 34 | January 11 | @ Phoenix | L 110–114 | | | | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 19–15 |- | 35 | January 13 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 97–116 | | | | Great Western Forum | 19–16 |- | 36 | January 14 | @ L.A. Clippers | L 126–130 (OT) | | | | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena | 19–17 |- | 37 | January 17 | Detroit | L 91–97 (OT) | | | | The Summit | 19–18 |- | 38 | January 19 | L.A. Clippers | W 107–96 | | | | The Summit | 20–18 |- | 39 | January 21 | @ Sacramento | L 94–97 | | | | ARCO Arena | 20–19 |- | 40 | January 22 | @ Golden State | L 116–123 | | | | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 20–20 |- | 41 | January 24 | Minnesota | W 118–94 | | | | The Summit | 21–20 |- | 42 | January 26 | Cleveland | W 103–97 | | | | The Summit | 22–20 |- | 43 | January 29 | San Antonio | W 91–89 | | | | The Summit | 23–20 |- | 44 | January 31 | Seattle | L 94–97 | | | | The Summit | 23–21

|- | 45 | February 2 | @ San Antonio | W 100–94 (OT) | | | | HemisFair Arena | 24–21 |- | 46 | February 3 | Golden State | W 143–135 (2OT) | | | | The Summit | 25–21 |- | 47 | February 6 | @ Milwaukee | W 111–109 | | | | Bradley Center | 26–21 |- | 48 | February 7 | @ Cleveland | W 96–92 | | | | Richfield Coliseum | 27–21 |- | 49 | February 12 | @ Utah | L 92–113 | | | | Salt Palace | 27–22 |- | 50 | February 14 | Washington | W 129–117 | | | | The Summit | 28–22 |- | 51 | February 16 | Phoenix | W 100–91 | | | | The Summit | 29–22 |- | 52 | February 19 | L.A. Lakers | L 103–112 | | | | The Summit | 29–23 |- | 53 | February 21 | Milwaukee | W 92–90 | | | | The Summit | 30–23 |- | 54 | February 24 | @ Minnesota | W 100–91 | | | | Target Center | 30–24 |- | 55 | February 26 | @ Denver | W 129–99 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 32–23 |- | 56 | February 28 | @ L.A. Clippers | L 80–83 | | | | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena | 32–24

|- | 57 | March 3 | @ L.A. Lakers | W 104–95 | | | | Great Western Forum | 33–24 |- | 58 | March 5 | New Jersey | W 112–100 | | | | The Summit | 34–24 |- | 59 | March 7 | Dallas | W 122–90 | | | | The Summit | 35–24 |- | 60 | March 9 | Philadelphia | W 97–80 | | | | The Summit | 36–24 |- | 61 | March 12 | Seattle | W 93–91 | | | | The Summit | 37–24 |- | 62 | March 14 | Orlando | W 119–95 | | | | The Summit | 38–24 |- | 63 | March 15 | @ Phoenix | W 135–128 | | | | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 39–24 |- | 64 | March 17 | Golden State | W 123–119 | | | | The Summit | 40–24 |- | 65 | March 19 | @ Minnesota | W 98–85 | | | | Target Center | 41–24 |- | 66 | March 21 | Sacramento | W 98–87 | | | | The Summit | 42–24 |- | 67 | March 23 | New York | W 111–98 | | | | The Summit | 43–24 |- | 68 | March 25 | @ Chicago | W 100–90 | | | | Chicago Stadium | 44–24 |- | 69 | March 28 | @ Atlanta | W 112–111 | | | | The Omni | 45–24 |- | 70 | March 30 | @ Orlando | L 82–114 | | | | Orlando Arena | 45–25 |- | 71 | March 31 | @ Miami | W 123–103 | | | | Miami Arena | 46–25

|- | 72 | April 3 | Dallas | W 102–86 | | | | The Summit | 47–25 |- | 73 | April 5 | @ Denver | W 126–120 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 48–25 |- | 74 | April 6 | Utah | W 97–88 | | | | The Summit | 49–25 |- | 75 | April 9 | Portland | L 93–103 | | | | The Summit | 49–26 |- | 76 | April 11 | @ Golden State | L 99–111 | | | | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 49–27 |- | 77 | April 13 | @ Sacramento | W 95–94 | | | | ARCO Arena | 50–27 |- | 78 | April 15 | @ Seattle | W 97–93 | | | | Seattle Center Coliseum | 51–27 |- | 79 | April 16 | @ Portland | L 96–115 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 51–28 |- | 80 | April 18 | San Antonio | L 95–102 | | | | The Summit | 51–29 |- | 81 | April 19 | @ Dallas | L 107–113 | | | | Reunion Arena | 51–30 |- | 82 | April 21 | Denver | W 131–125 | | | | The Summit | 52–30

Playoffs

|- | 1 | April 25 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 92–94 | Hakeem Olajuwon (22) | Hakeem Olajuwon (16) | Maxwell, K. Smith (5) | Great Western Forum<br>17,505 | 0–1 |- | 2 | April 27 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 98–109 | Vernon Maxwell (31) | Hakeem Olajuwon (11) | Kenny Smith (7) | Great Western Forum<br>17,505 | 0–2 |- | 3 | April 30 | L.A. Lakers | L 90–94 | Thorpe, Olajuwon (21) | Hakeem Olajuwon (17) | Kenny Smith (12) | The Summit<br>16,611 | 0–3 |-

Player statistics

Season

Playoffs

Player statistics citation:

Awards and records

References

See also