2003–04 Houston Rockets season

March 2026 August 2023 Houston Rockets 2004 45 37 Midwest 5 7 Jeff Van Gundy Toyota Center KNWS-51, KIAH First round(lost to Lakers 1–4) HOU The 2003–04 Houston Rockets season was the Rockets' 37th season in the National Basketball Association, and their 33rd season in the city of Houston.2003-04 Houston Rockets The season saw the Rockets move their home games from Compaq Center to the new Toyota Center. During the offseason, the Rockets hired head coach Jeff Van Gundy, who is best known for his tenure with the New York Knicks, and signed free agent Jim Jackson. Midway through the season, they signed free agent point guard Mark Jackson. The Rockets finished fifth in the Midwest Division with a 45–37 record, and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 1999 as the number 7 seed in the Western Conference. Second-year star Yao Ming and Steve Francis were both selected for the 2004 NBA All-Star Game. However, the Rockets were eliminated from the first round of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Lakers, who added Karl Malone and Gary Payton to join Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, in five games. This also marked Francis' only playoff appearance in his career. Following the season, he was traded along with Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato to the Orlando Magic, Exit T-mac, Enter Steve Francis . . .the 7-player Trade With Houston Is Final. Tracy McGrady Didn't Want To Leave Here. Orlando Sentinel June 30, 2004 https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2004/06/30/exit-t-mac-enter-steve-francis-the-7-player-trade-with-houston-is-final-tracy-mcgrady-didnt-want-to-leave-here/ August 29, 2017 and Mark Jackson retired. For the season, the team sported new uniforms and a new logo, they remained in used until 2019. Offseason NBA draft 2003 NBA draft Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club 2 44 Malick Badiane Forward Langen (Germany) Roster Houston Rockets 2003–04 #B50000 white #CBD4D8 black 13 Kelvin Cato F/C 6 11 275 Iowa State 3 Steve Francis G 6 3 210 Maryland 7 Adrian Griffin G/F 6 5 217 Seton Hall yes 21 Jim Jackson basketball F 6 6 220 Ohio State 31 Mark Jackson basketball G 6 1 180 St. John's 11 Yao Ming C 7 6 310 China 5 Cuttino Mobley G/F 6 4 190 Rhode Island 9 Boštjan Nachbar F 6 9 221 Slovenia 35 Scott Padgett F 6 9 240 Kentucky 52 Eric Piatkowski G/F 6 7 215 Nebraska 2 Maurice Taylor F/C 6 9 265 Michigan 30 Clarence Weatherspoon F 6 6 240 Southern Miss 29 Mike Wilks basketball G 5 10 180 Rice Jeff Van Gundy (Nazareth) Tom Thibodeau (Salem State) Steve Clifford Patrick Ewing Andy Greer https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/2004.html Regular season Season standings HOU HOU Game log Playoffs Houston Rockets 2004 yes Houston Rockets First Round yes yes no 1 1 0 3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | April 17 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 71–72 | Steve Francis (18) | Jim Jackson (12) | Steve Francis (5) | Staples Center18,997 | 0–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | April 19 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 84–98 | Yao Ming (21) | Steve Francis (10) | Steve Francis (12) | Staples Center18,997 | 0–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | April 23 | L.A. Lakers | W 102–91 | Steve Francis (27) | Jackson, Yao (10) | Steve Francis (7) | Toyota Center18,226 | 1–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | April 25 | L.A. Lakers | L 88–92 (OT) | Steve Francis (17) | Jim Jackson (20) | Steve Francis (9) | Toyota Center18,219 | 1–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | April 28 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 78–97 | Jim Jackson (17) | Kelvin Cato (12) | Steve Francis (5) | Staples Center18,997 | 1–4 |- HOU 2004 yes Player statistics Regular season Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPGTorraye Braggs† 11 0 12.0 .464 .667 3.1 .5 .4 .2 3.1Kelvin Cato 69 67 25.3 .447 .676 6.8 1.0 .8 1.4 6.1Alton Ford 9 0 4.6 .545 .500 1.2 .3 .0 .1 1.7Steve Francis 79 79 40.4 .403 .292 .775 5.5 6.2 1.8 .4 16.6Adrian Griffin 19 1 7.0 .278 .500 .000 1.0 .5 .4 .1 .6Jim Jackson basketball 80 80 39.0 .424 .400 .843 6.1 2.8 1.1 .3 12.9Mark Jackson 42 3 13.7 .340 .171 .718 1.7 2.8 .4 .0 2.5Yao Ming 82 82 32.8 .522 .000 .809 9.0 1.5 .3 1.9 17.5Cuttino Mobley 80 80 40.4 .426 .390 .811 4.5 3.2 1.3 .4 15.8Boštjan Nachbar 45 3 11.5 .356 .365 .724 1.6 .7 .3 .3 3.1Moochie Norris† 30 0 13.4 .310 .348 .750 1.0 1.6 .5 .1 2.7Charles Oakley 7 0 3.6 .333 .833 .7 .3 .0 .0 1.3Scott Padgett 58 5 9.4 .443 .431 .750 2.4 .4 .2 .2 3.4Eric Piatkowski 49 0 14.3 .377 .352 .875 1.5 .5 .3 .1 4.1Maurice Taylor 75 10 27.7 .480 .000 .736 5.1 1.4 .6 .6 11.5Clarence Weatherspoon† 37 0 17.6 .503 .000 .660 4.2 .5 .6 .4 5.6Mike Wilks basketball 26 0 5.6 .472 .600 .833 .6 .7 .1 .0 1.9 Playoffs Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPGKelvin Cato 5 5 29.6 .591 .429 6.8 .4 1.0 .8 5.8Steve Francis 5 5 44.4 .429 .412 .725 8.4 7.6 1.4 .2 19.2Jim Jackson basketball 5 5 44.2 .397 .276 .667 10.4 2.0 1.0 .2 14.8Mark Jackson 5 0 7.6 .167 .000 .6 1.0 .4 .0 .4Yao Ming 5 5 37.0 .456 .765 7.4 1.8 .4 1.4 15.0Cuttino Mobley 5 5 42.0 .387 .286 .800 4.8 2.8 .6 .6 14.4Boštjan Nachbar 5 0 8.2 .444 .333 1.000 1.2 .4 .2 .0 2.8Scott Padgett 4 0 3.5 .400 .333 .8 .0 .3 .3 1.3Eric Piatkowski 1 0 4.0 .000 1.0 .0 .0 .0 .0Maurice Taylor 5 0 23.0 .474 .765 3.2 1.0 .0 .2 9.8Clarence Weatherspoon 2 0 11.0 .400 .500 2.0 .0 .0 .0 3.5Mike Wilks basketball 2 0 2.5 .0 .5 .0 .0 .0 † Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Rockets only. Awards and records Yao Ming, All-NBA Third Team References See also 2003–04 NBA season Category:Houston Rockets seasons Houston Rockets Houston Rockets Houston Rockets Category:2003 in Houston Category:2004 in Houston