1989–90 Houston Rockets season

The 1989–90 Houston Rockets season was the 23rd season for the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association, and their 19th season in Houston, Texas.^[1] During the off-season, the Rockets signed free agents John Lucas and Larry Smith.^[2][3]

With the addition of Smith, the Rockets got off to a 9–6 start to the regular season, but then struggled holding a 12–18 record as of December 30, 1989. However, the team managed to win seven of their next nine games, and later on held a 22–25 record at the All-Star break.^[4] At mid-season, the team acquired second-year guard Vernon Maxwell from the San Antonio Spurs.^[5][6][7] With the addition of Maxwell, the Rockets posted a six-game winning streak in March, and continued to play around .500 in winning percentage for the remainder of the season, finishing in fifth place in the Midwest Division with a 41–41 record;^[8] the team won a tie-breaker over the Seattle SuperSonics for the eighth seed in the Western Conference.^[9][10]

Akeem Olajuwon averaged 24.3 points, 14.0 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 4.6 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, and to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. In addition, Otis Thorpe averaged 17.1 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, while Mitchell Wiggins averaged 15.5 points and 1.3 steals per game, Buck Johnson provided the team with 14.8 points and 1.3 steals per game, and Sleepy Floyd contributed 12.2 points and 7.3 assists per game. Off the bench, Mike Woodson contributed 6.5 points per game, while Lucas provided with 5.8 points and 4.9 assists per game, and Smith averaged 3.0 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.^[11]

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Miami Arena in Miami, Florida, Olajuwon was selected for the 1990 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Western Conference All-Star team;^[12][13][14] he finished in seventh place in Most Valuable Player voting,^[15][16] and also finished in second place in Defensive Player of the Year voting, behind Dennis Rodman of the Detroit Pistons.^[17][16]

In the Western Conference First Round of the 1990 NBA playoffs, the Rockets faced off against the top–seeded, and Pacific Division champion Los Angeles Lakers, who were led by the quartet of All-Star guard, and Most Valuable Player of the Year, Magic Johnson, All-Star forward James Worthy, Byron Scott, and All-Star forward A.C. Green. The Rockets lost the first two games to the Lakers on the road at the Great Western Forum, but managed to win Game 3 at home, 114–108 at The Summit. However, the Rockets lost Game 4 to the Lakers at home, 109–88, thus losing the series in four games.^[18][19][20]

The Rockets finished eleventh in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 649,702 at The Summit during the regular season.^[11][21] Following the season, Wiggins was released to free agency, and Lucas and Tim McCormick were both traded to the Atlanta Hawks.^[22][23]