1983–84 Houston Rockets season

March 2026 August 2023 Houston Rockets 1984 29 53 Midwest 6 12 Bill Fitch The Summit KTXHHome Sports Entertainment KTRH Did not qualify HOU The 1983–84 Houston Rockets season featured the NBA debut of Ralph Sampson, whom the Rockets had selected as the first pick of the 1983 NBA draft. Under head coach Bill Fitch, the team finished with a 29–53 record, although Sampson won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. The team has been cited as an example of a "tanking", by deciding to play more bench players after starting the season with a 20–26 record, in order to fall in the standings and get higher in the draft order for the following season.https://nypost.com/2019/02/06/tanking-in-professional-sports-is-not-a-new-phenomenon/ Tanking in professional sports is not a new phenomenon Mike Vaccaro February 6, 2019 New York Post The Rockets finished last in the Western Conference and later won a coin flip that gave them the first section in the 1984 NBA draft, with which they selected Hakeem Olajuwon. Draft picks 1983 NBA draft RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalityCollege/Club team 1 1 Ralph Sampson C/PF United States Virginia 1 3 Rodney McCray SF United States Louisville 3 48 Craig Ehlo SG United States Washington State 4 71 Darrell Browder United States TCU 5 94 Chuck Barnett United States Oklahoma 6 117 Jim Stack United States Northwestern 7 140 Brian Kellerman United States Idaho 8 163 Jeff Bolding United States Arkansas State 9 185 James Campbell United States Oklahoma City Roster Houston Rockets 1983–84 2 James Bailey basketball PF 6 9 220 Rutgers 1957–05–21 3 Craig Ehlo SG 6 6 180 Washington State 1961–08–11 1 Phil Ford basketball PG 6 2 175 North Carolina 1956–06–02 44 Elvin Hayes PF 6 9 235 Houston 1945–11–17 27 Caldwell Jones C 6 11 217 Albany State 1950–08–04 11 Major Jones PF 6 9 225 Albany State 1953–07–09 30 Allen Leavell PG 6 1 170 Oklahoma City 1957–05–27 32 Lewis Lloyd SG 6 6 205 Drake 1959–02–22 22 Rodney McCray basketball SF 6 7 220 Louisville 1961–08–29 33 Robert Reid basketball SF 6 8 205 St. Mary's 1955–08–30 50 Ralph Sampson C 7 4 228 Virginia 1960–07–07 20 Terry Teagle SG 6 5 195 Baylor 1960–04–10 42 Wally Walker SF 6 7 190 Virginia 1954–07–18 Bill Fitch https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/1984.html Regular season Season standings HOU HOU Game log Regular season Houston Rockets 1984 #FF0000 #FFD700 Total: 29–53 (Home: 21–20; Road: 8–33) Houston Rockets October yes #FFD700 #FF0000 1 0 0 0 Houston Rockets November #FFD700 #FF0000 4 4 1 6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 | November 4, 1983 | @ Detroit | W 113–108 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 2–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | November 5, 1983 | @ Kansas City | L 106–123 | | | | Kemper Arena | 2–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 6 | November 8, 1983 | Portland | L 104–122 | | | | The Summit | 2–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 7 | November 10, 1983 | Utah | L 109–118 | | | | The Summit | 2–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 8 | November 12, 1983 | Dallas | W 100–98 | | | | The Summit | 3–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 9 | November 15, 1983 | New Jersey | L 86–104 | | | | The Summit | 3–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 10 | November 18, 1983 | @ Denver | L 127–134 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 3–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 12 | November 22, 1983 | Phoenix | W 118–96 | | | | The Summit | 5–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 13 | November 25, 1983 | Philadelphia | L 101–115 | | | | The Summit | 5–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 14 | November 26, 1983 | @ Atlanta | L 109–115 | | | | The Omni | 5–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 16 | November 30, 1983 | @ Dallas | L 102–113 | | | | Reunion Arena | 6–10 Houston Rockets December #FFD700 #FF0000 4 3 2 6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 17 | December 2, 1983 | Seattle | W 125–102 | | | | The Summit | 7–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 18 | December 3, 1983 | @ New York | L 101–117 | | | | Madison Square Garden | 7–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 19 | December 6, 1983 | Washington | L 109–113 | | | | The Summit | 7–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 20 | December 7, 1983 | @ Milwaukee | L 101–103 | | | | MECCA Arena | 7–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 22 | December 10, 1983 | Utah | L 121–128 | | | | The Summit | 8–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 23 | December 13, 1983 | Phoenix | W 129–110 | | | | The Summit | 9–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 24 | December 15, 1983 | @ Utah | L 111–138 | | | | Salt Palace Acord Arena | 9–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 27 | December 22, 1983 | @ Seattle | W 116–112 | | | | Kingdome | 11–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 28 | December 23, 1983 | @ Portland | L 84–97 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 11–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 30 | December 29, 1983 | Boston | W 107–94 | | | | The Summit | 12–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 31 | December 30, 1983 | @ Phoenix | L 110–121 | | | | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 12–19 Houston Rockets January #FFD700 #FF0000 5 3 2 4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 32 | January 3, 1984 | Dallas | L 117–119 | | | | The Summit | 12–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 33 | January 4, 1984 | @ Utah(at Las Vegas, Nevada) | L 111–116 | | | | Thomas & Mack Center | 12–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 34 | January 6, 1984 | @ Seattle | W 116–112 | | | | Kingdome | 12–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 35 | January 8, 1984 | @ Los Angeles | W 129–118 | | | | The Forum | 13–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 36 | January 10, 1984 | Los Angeles | L 132–136 (OT) | | | | The Summit | 13–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 37 | January 12, 1984 | Portland | L 117–120 | | | | The Summit | 13–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 39 | January 14, 1984 | Kansas City | W 109–104 | | | | The Summit | 15–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 40 | January 17, 1984 | Denver | W 124–115 | | | | The Summit | 16–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 42 | January 21, 1984 | Utah | W 115–105 | | | | The Summit | 18–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 44 | January 26, 1984 | @ Los Angeles | L 102–131 | | | | The Forum | 18–26 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- style="background:#cfc;" |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 45 | January 31, 1984 | @ Kansas City | W 122–107 | | | | Kemper Arena | 19–26 Houston Rockets February #FFD700 #FF0000 3 4 1 5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 46 | February 2, 1984 | Dallas | W 123–107 | | | | The Summit | 20–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 47 | February 4, 1984 | New York | L 95–103 | | | | The Summit | 20–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 48 | February 7, 1984 | @ Washington | L 92–95 | | | | Capital Centre | 20–28 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 49 | February 8, 1984 | @ Philadelphia | L 107–118 | | | | The Spectrum | 20–29 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 50 | February 10, 1984 | @ Boston | L 101–114 | | | | Boston Garden | 20–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 51 | February 12, 1984 | @ New Jersey | L 103–107 | | | | Brendan Byrne Arena | 20–31 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 52 | February 14, 1984 | Detroit | L 119–126 | | | | The Summit | 20–32 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 54 | February 18, 1984 | Phoenix | L 102–126 | | | | The Summit | 21–33 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 55 | February 21, 1984 | Milwaukee | W 119–102 | | | | The Summit | 22–33 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 56 | February 22, 1984 | @ Dallas | L 106–112 | | | | Reunion Arena | 22–34 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 58 | February 28, 1984 | Seattle | W 111–105 | | | | The Summit | 23–35 Houston Rockets March #FFD700 #FF0000 4 4 1 7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 59 | March 1, 1984 | Kansas City | L 101–108 | | | | The Summit | 23–36 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 61 | March 6, 1984 | @ Denver | L 128–130 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 24–37 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 62 | March 7, 1984 | @ Phoenix | L 110–123 | | | | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 24–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 67 | March 17, 1984 | Los Angeles | L 111–123 | | | | The Summit | 26–41 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 68 | March 20, 1984 | Kansas City | L 102–115 | | | | The Summit | 26–42 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 69 | March 21, 1984 | @ Denver | L 125–134 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 26–43 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 70 | March 23, 1984 | @ Dallas | L 104–116 | | | | Reunion Arena | 26–44 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 71 | March 24, 1984 | Atlanta | W 103–102 | | | | The Summit | 27–44 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 72 | March 27, 1984 | Denver | W 140–137 | | | | The Summit | 28–44 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 73 | March 29, 1984 | @ Los Angeles | L 109–115 | | | | The Forum | 28–45 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 74 | March 31, 1984 | Portland | L 102–106 | | | | The Summit | 28–46 Houston Rockets April #FFD700 #FF0000 0 2 1 5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 75 | April 2, 1984 | @ Utah | L 100–111 | | | | Salt Palace Acord Arena | 28–47 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 77 | April 5, 1984 | @ Portland | W 129–114 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 29–48 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 78 | April 8, 1984 | @ Seattle(at Tacoma, Washington) | L 107–120 | | | | Tacoma Dome | 29–49 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 80 | April 11, 1984 | Denver | L 110–130 | | | | The Summit | 29–51 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 82 | April 14, 1984 | @ Kansas City | L 96–108 | | | | Kemper Arena | 29–53 HOU 1984 Player statistics Season Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG Awards and records Awards Ralph Sampson, NBA Rookie of the Year Award Ralph Sampson, All-NBA Second Team Ralph Sampson, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team Records Transactions Trades Free agents 52% Additions Player Signed Former team Subtractions Player Left New team See also 1983–84 NBA season References Category:Houston Rockets seasons Houston Category:1983 in sports in Texas Category:1984 in sports in Texas Category:1983 in Houston Category:1984 in Houston