2002–03 Houston Rockets season

The 2002–03 Houston Rockets season was the 36th season for the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association, and their 32nd season in Houston, Texas.^[1] This was also the team's final season in which they played their home games at the Compaq Center. After finishing with a 28–54 record the previous season, the Rockets won the NBA draft lottery,^[2] and selected 7'6" center, and Chinese basketball star Yao Ming with the first overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft.^[3][4][5] In December, the Rockets traded Kenny Thomas to the Philadelphia 76ers, and acquired James Posey from the Denver Nuggets in a three-team trade.^[6][7]

With the addition of Yao, the Rockets got off to a 9–6 start to the regular season, and played .500 in winning percentage for the remainder of the season, holding a 26–22 record at the All-Star break.^[8] The team posted a five-game winning streak in March, and won five of their final seven games of the season. The Rockets finished in fifth place in the Midwest Division with a 43–39 record, which was a 15-game improvement over the previous season; however, the team missed the NBA playoffs by finishing just one game behind the 8th–seeded Phoenix Suns.^[9]

Yao averaged 13.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, while Francis averaged 21.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.7 steals per game, and Cuttino Mobley provided the team with 17.5 points per and 1.3 steals game, and also led them with 118 three-point field goals. In addition, Posey provided with 9.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game in 58 games after the trade, while Glen Rice contributed 9.0 points per game and 101 three-point field goals, and second-year forward Eddie Griffin provided with 8.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. Meanwhile, Maurice Taylor averaged 8.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, Kelvin Cato provided with 5.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game, and Moochie Norris contributed 4.4 points and 2.4 assists per game.^[10]

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, Francis and Yao were both selected for the 2003 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Western Conference All-Star team; it was Yao's first ever All-Star appearance.^[11][12][13] Yao also finished in second place in Rookie of the Year voting, behind Amar'e Stoudemire of the Suns,^[14][15] while head coach Rudy Tomjanovich finished tied in 15th place in Coach of the Year voting.^[15] One notable highlight of the regular season occurred on January 17, 2003, in a home game against the 3-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers at the Compaq Center. Francis posted a double-double of 44 points and 11 assists, and also made 6 out of 8 three-point field-goal attempts, as the Rockets defeated the Lakers in overtime, 108–104.^[16][17][18]

The Rockets finished 27th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 565,166 at the Compaq Center during the regular season, which was the third-lowest in the league.^[10][19] Following the season, Tomjanovich resigned as head coach due to health issues,^[20][21] although he would return to coach the Los Angeles Lakers in 2004. Meanwhile, Posey signed as a free agent with the Memphis Grizzlies,^[22][23] while Griffin was released to free agency, and Rice was traded to the Utah Jazz,^[24] but was released and signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.