2002–03 Houston Rockets season

2002–03 Houston Rockets season
Yao Ming's rookie season
Head coach	Rudy Tomjanovich
Arena	Compaq Center
Results
Record	43–39 (.524)
Place	Division: 5th (Midwest) Conference: 9th
Playoff finish	Did Not Qualify
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com

The 2002–03 Houston Rockets season, the team's last at Compaq Center, saw the Rockets draft Yao Ming. This season was also head coach Rudy Tomjanovich's last as he would step down following the season due to health issues. With Yao teamed up with captain Steve Francis, they gelled their first season together, being named as starters for the 2003 NBA All-Star Game. On January 17, 2003, Francis gained national media attention, scoring a career-high 44 points in a home game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Rockets would go on to finish the season with a 43-39 record without clinching a playoff spot.

Draft picks

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	1	Yao Ming	(C)	China	Shanghai Sharks (China)
1	15	Boštjan Nachbar (from Toronto)	(SF)	Slovenia	Benetton Treviso (Italy)
2	37	Tito Maddox	(PG)	United States	Fresno State So.

Roster

Houston Rockets roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From F/C 13 Cato, Kelvin 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 255 lb (116 kg) Iowa State C 52 Collier, Jason 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 260 lb (118 kg) Georgia Tech G 3 Francis, Steve 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Maryland F/C 33 Griffin, Eddie 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Seton Hall G 1 Hawkins, Juaquin 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Long Beach State G 6 Maddox, Tito 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Fresno State G/F 5 Mobley, Cuttino 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Rhode Island F 44 Morris, Terence 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 221 lb (100 kg) Maryland F 9 Nachbar, Boštjan 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 221 lb (100 kg) Slovenia G 12 Norris, Moochie 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) West Florida G/F 55 Posey, James 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Xavier F 41 Rice, Glen 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Michigan F/C 2 Taylor, Maurice 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 260 lb (118 kg) Michigan C 11 Yao Ming 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) 310 lb (141 kg) China	Head coach Rudy Tomjanovich (Michigan) Assistant coach(es) Jim Boylen (Maine) Dean Cooper (Aquinas) Melvin Hunt (Baylor) Larry Smith (Alcorn State) Mike Wells (Mt. Vernon Nazarene) Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster • Transactions

Note

Bold = All-Star selection

Regular season

Standings

Midwest Division

Team	W	L	PCT	GB
San Antonio Spurs	60	22	.732	-
Dallas Mavericks	60	22	.732	-
Minnesota Timberwolves	51	31	.622	9
Utah Jazz	47	35	.573	13
Houston Rockets	43	39	.524	17
Memphis Grizzlies	28	54	.341	32
Denver Nuggets	17	65	.207	43

Game log

Game	Date	Opponent	Result	Rockets score	Opponents	Record	Streak	OT
1	October 30	@ Indiana	Loss	82	91	0-1	Lost 1
2	November 1	@ Denver	Win	83	74	1-1	Won 1
3	November 2	Toronto	Win	88	76	2-1	Won 2
4	November 5	Seattle	Loss	97	104	2-2	Lost 1
5	November 9	Golden State	Win	111	104	3-2	Won 1
6	November 12	Portland	Win	86	83	4-2	Won 2
7	November 15	@ Phoenix	Loss	87	88	4-3	Lost 1
8	November 17	@ LA Lakers	Win	93	89	5-3	Won 1
9	November 19	Cleveland	Win	97	80	6-3	Won 2
10	November 21	@ Dallas	Loss	90	103	6-4	Lost 1
11	November 22	Washington	Win	93	86	7-4	Won 1
12	November 24	@ LA Clippers	Loss	89	90	7-5	Lost 1
13	November 26	@ Portland	Loss	71	77	7-6	Lost 2
14	November 27	@ Golden State	Win	91	84	8-6	Won 1
15	November 29	@ Seattle	Win	83	72	9-6	Won 2
16	December 1	@ Sacramento	Loss	84	103	9-7	Lost 1
17	December 3	San Antonio	Win	89	75	10-7	Won 1
18	December 6	@ New Orleans	Loss	96	98	10-8	Lost 1	OT
19	December 7	Philadelphia	Win	97	72	11-8	Won 1
20	December 10	Sacramento	Win	103	96	12-8	Won 2
21	December 13	@ Memphis	Loss	109	114	12-9	Lost 1	OT
22	December 14	LA Clippers	Loss	83	94	12-10	Lost 2
23	December 16	@ Miami	Win	105	100	13-10	Won 1	OT
24	December 18	Indiana	Win	95	83	14-10	Won 2
25	December 20	Atlanta	Win	101	82	15-10	Won 3
26	December 21	@ Minnesota	Loss	86	98	15-11	Lost 1
27	December 23	Utah	Loss	91	96	15-12	Lost 2
28	December 27	New York	Loss	83	99	15-13	Lost 3
29	December 29	New Orleans	Win	97	85	16-13	Won 1
30	December 31	Milwaukee	Win	103	80	17-13	Won 2
31	January 4	Golden State	Loss	84	86	17-14	Lost 1
32	January 7	Minnesota	Win	94	86	18-14	Won 1
33	January 8	@ Orlando	Win	91	81	19-14	Won 2
34	January 10	@ Atlanta	Loss	75	84	19-15	Lost 1
35	January 11	Denver	Win	87	85	20-15	Won 1
36	January 13	Boston	Win	101	92	21-15	Won 2
37	January 15	Phoenix	Win	102	96	22-15	Won 3
38	January 17	LA Lakers	Win	108	104	23-15	Won 4	OT
39	January 20	@ San Antonio	Loss	82	87	23-16	Lost 1
40	January 21	@ Dallas	Loss	86	107	23-17	Lost 2
41	January 24	Detroit	Loss	74	98	23-18	Lost 3
42	January 26	@ Chicago	Loss	98	100	23-19	Lost 4
43	January 27	@ Memphis	Win	100	95	24-19	Won 1
44	January 29	Dallas	Loss	81	104	24-20	Lost 1
45	January 31	Minnesota	Win	121	101	25-20	Won 1
46	February 2	Sacramento	Win	105	89	26-20	Won 2
47	February 4	@ Minnesota	Loss	89	103	26-21	Lost 1
48	February 5	@ Cleveland	Loss	102	105	26-22	Lost 2
49	February 11	Utah	Loss	101	103	26-23	Lost 3	OT
50	February 12	@ Utah	Win	106	76	27-23	Won 1
51	February 14	Miami	Loss	82	94	27-24	Lost 1
52	February 18	@ LA Lakers	Loss	99	106	27-25	Lost 2	2OT
53	February 19	@ Phoenix	Win	107	89	28-25	Won 1
54	February 21	Dallas	Loss	85	100	28-26	Lost 1
55	February 22	Memphis	Win	93	82	29-26	Won 1
56	February 24	@ Boston	Win	101	95	30-26	Won 2	OT
57	February 25	@ New York	Loss	95	102	30-27	Lost 1
58	February 27	@ Washington	Loss	98	100	30-28	Lost 2	OT
59	March 2	San Antonio	Loss	88	97	30-29	Lost 3
60	March 4	@ Detroit	Loss	83	96	30-30	Lost 4
61	March 5	@ Toronto	Win	97	95	31-30	Won 1
62	March 8	New Jersey	Win	83	71	32-30	Won 2
63	March 12	LA Clippers	Win	118	114	33-30	Won 3	OT
64	March 14	Chicago	Win	121	91	34-30	Won 4
65	March 16	Phoenix	Win	85	75	35-30	Won 5
66	March 18	@ Seattle	Loss	94	100	35-31	Lost 1
67	March 19	@ Portland	Loss	83	94	35-32	Lost 2
68	March 21	@ Golden State	Win	117	107	36-32	Won 1
69	March 23	@ Sacramento	Loss	108	109	36-33	Lost 1
70	March 24	@ LA Clippers	Win	108	90	37-33	Won 1
71	March 26	LA Lakers	Loss	93	96	37-34	Lost 1
72	March 27	@ San Antonio	Loss	85	98	37-35	Lost 2
73	March 29	Denver	Win	102	89	38-35	Won 1
74	March 31	@ New Jersey	Loss	86	110	38-36	Lost 1
75	April 2	@ Milwaukee	Loss	99	106	38-37	Lost 2
76	April 4	@ Philadelphia	Win	88	79	39-37	Won 1
77	April 6	Orlando	Win	114	93	40-37	Won 2
78	April 8	Portland	Loss	66	81	40-38	Lost 1
79	April 9	@ Utah	Loss	73	94	40-39	Lost 2
80	April 12	Seattle	Win	101	86	41-39	Won 1
81	April 15	Memphis	Win	97	86	42-39	Won 2
82	April 16	@ Denver	Win	89	84	43-39	Won 3

Player statistics

Legend

3

Season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG

Awards and records

Awards

• Yao Ming, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team

Transactions

Free Agents

Additions

Player	Signed	Former team

Subtractions

Player	Left	New team

See also

• 2002–03 NBA season