1999–2000 Houston Rockets season

The 1999–2000 Houston Rockets season was the 33rd season for the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association, and their 29th season in Houston, Texas.^[1] This season was notable for the Rockets acquiring rookie point guard, and first-round draft pick Steve Francis from the University of Maryland in a trade from the Vancouver Grizzlies; the Grizzlies had drafted Francis with the second overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft, but he refused to play for them.^[2][3][4] In the draft, the Rockets selected power forward Kenny Thomas from the University of New Mexico with the 22nd overall pick.^[5][6][7] During the off-season, the team acquired Walt Williams, Kelvin Cato and Carlos Rogers from the Portland Trail Blazers,^[8][9][10] and signed free agent Shandon Anderson.^[11][12][13]

Despite the addition of Francis, Anderson, Williams, Thomas and Cato, the Rockets got off to a bad start by losing ten of their first twelve games of the regular season. The team posted a six-game winning streak in January, and later on held a 20–30 record at the All-Star break.^[14] However, the Rockets posted an eight-game losing streak in March, as Hakeem Olajuwon only played just 44 games due to a hernia injury, and breathing problems.^[15][16][17] The Rockets won seven of their final ten games of the season, and finished in sixth place in the Midwest Division with a 34–48 record,^[18] failing to qualify for the NBA playoffs for the first time since the 1991–92 season.^[1]

Francis averaged 18.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game, and led the Rockets with 107 three-point field goals, as he was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, and was also named the co-NBA Rookie of the Year along with Elton Brand of the Chicago Bulls.^[19][20][21] In addition, second-year guard Cuttino Mobley played a sixth man role off the bench, averaging 15.8 points per game along with 104 three-point field goals, while Anderson provided the team with 12.3 points per game, Williams contributed 10.9 points per game and 102 three-point field goals, Olajuwon averaged 10.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, and Cato provided with 8.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. Off the bench, Thomas averaged 8.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, and Rogers contributed 8.0 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.^[22]

During the NBA All-Star weekend at The Arena in Oakland in Oakland, California, Francis and Mobley were both selected for the NBA Rookie Challenge Game, as Francis was a member of the Rookies team, while Mobley was a member of the Sophomores team.^[23][24] Francis scored 13 points along with 11 assists, as the Rookies defeated the Sophomores in overtime, 92–83.^[24] In addition, Francis participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, in which he finished in second place behind Vince Carter of the Toronto Raptors,^[23][25][26] and also participated in the NBA 2Ball Competition, along with Cynthia Cooper of the WNBA's Houston Comets.^[23][27] Mobley finished in second place in Sixth Man of the Year voting, behind Rodney Rogers of the Phoenix Suns.^[28][29] The Rockets finished 20th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 624,594 at the Compaq Center during the regular season.^[22][30]

After he already announced in the off-season that the upcoming season would be his last, Charles Barkley suffered a knee injury during an 83–73 road loss to his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers on December 8, 1999, after attempting to block a shot on 76ers' forward Tyrone Hill; the injury forced an early end to his career.^[31][32][33] However, Barkley would return on April 19, 2000, against the Vancouver Grizzlies, his final NBA game. He came off the bench and scored on a put-back, scoring his final career points, after which he received a standing ovation. After the game, Barkley retired, ending his 16-year NBA career. He averaged 14.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in 20 games this season.^[34][35][36]