The Houston Rockets have been a fortunate franchise in since they began paying in 1967. The team was able to bring in Moses Malone in the 1970s. Malone played with Calvin Murphy, Rudy Tomjanovich, and Mike Newlin to take the team from the dreaded expansion team years to a run as a contender for playoff tickets and the championship. By the 1980-81 season the Rockets were in the NBA Finals. The trip was ended by the Boston Celtics, the same team that would beat the Rockets when they returned to the NBA Finals in 1986.
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Hakeem Olajuwon was a member of that 1986 team and was one of the twin towers that competed for many years in a conference dominated by the Los Angeles Lakers. Olajuwon became the centerpiece for the Rockets team that used the Bulls break from the NBA Finals in the mid-90s. The teams made the postseason with rosters that featured Kenny Smith, Sam Cassell, and Clyde Drexler. The playoff tickets in 1994 and 1995 followed the Rockets as they beat the New York Knicks in seven games and the Orlando Magic in four straight for two straight championships.
This season fans at the Toyota Center will be anxious to see Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady, and Ron Artest on the floor at the same time. In theory the trio should take the Rockets to a deep run in the postseason. In reality for the club to even ensure Rockets playoff tickets those Houston players have to stay healthy (Ming and McGrady) over the entire course of the 82-game schedule and keeping their head on straight (Artest). If things do go well and the players can get a long then the team has a great post player in the 7 foot 6 Ming, a great slasher and scorer in McGrady, and a defensive ace with range in Artest.
The rest of the role players will include Rafer Alston, Luis Scola, Shane Battier, and Chuck Hayes. Alston has come a long way from his street ball days and is now a starting point guard. Scola is a power forward with an ugly, but effective game. He is not going to dunk on anyone, but he will shoot a high percentage, know when to pass the ball, and buy into the team defense. Battier is a solid defender and decent outside shooter. Hayes is a good on the boards and play great post defense. How far the playoff tickets for the Houston Rockets go is really up to these guys play to support the big three.