2002–03 Houston Rockets season

The 2002–03 NBA season was the Rockets' 36th season in the National Basketball Association, and 32nd season in the city of Houston.[1] This was their final season playing at the Compaq Center. The Rockets won the Draft Lottery,[2] where they selected 7'6" Chinese sensation Yao Ming with the first overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft.[3][4][5][6] In December, the Rockets acquired James Posey from the Denver Nuggets in a three-team trade, which sent Kenny Thomas to the Philadelphia 76ers.[7][8]

2002–03 Houston Rockets season
Head coachRudy Tomjanovich
ArenaCompaq Center
Results
Record43–39 (.524)
PlaceDivision: 5th (Midwest)
Conference: 9th
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionKNWS-TV
KHWB
Fox Sports Net Southwest
RadioKILT

The Rockets got off to a 9–6 start, and played .500 basketball for the remainder of the season, holding a 26–22 record at the All-Star break.[9] 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.[10] On January 17, 2003, Francis gained national media attention, scoring a career-high 44 points in a home game against the Los Angeles Lakers.[11][12][13] The Rockets finished the season fifth in the Midwest Division with a 43–39 record without clinching a playoff spot,[14] finishing just one game behind the 8th-seeded Phoenix Suns, although they improved on last season, where they won just 28 games. Yao averaged 13.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, and finished in second place in Rookie of the Year voting,[15][16][17] 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 game. In addition, Glen Rice contributed 9.0 points per game, while second-year forward Eddie Griffin provided with 8.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, and Maurice Taylor averaged 8.4 points per game off the bench.[18]

This season was also head coach Rudy Tomjanovich's last as he would step down following the season due to health issues,[19][20] though he would return in 2004 to coach the Lakers. Also following the season, Posey signed as a free agent with the Memphis Grizzlies,[21][22] while Griffin was released to free agency, and Rice was traded to the Utah Jazz,[23] but was released and signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Offseason

Draft picks
Main article: 2002 NBA draft
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
2002–03 Houston Rockets roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
F/C 13 Cato, Kelvin 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 255 lb (116 kg) Iowa State
C 52 Collier, Jason Injured 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 260 lb (118 kg) Georgia Tech
G 3 Francis, Steve (C) 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 Injured 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
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster
Last transaction: {{{access-date}}}

Note

Bold = All-Star selection

Regular season

Season standings
Midwest Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-San Antonio Spurs 6022.732–33–827–1417–7
x-Dallas Mavericks 6022.732–33–827–1418–6
x-Minnesota Timberwolves 5131.622933–818–2315–9
x-Utah Jazz 4735.5731329–1218–2315–9
Houston Rockets 4339.5241728–1315–2611–13
Memphis Grizzlies 2854.3413220–218–335–17
Denver Nuggets 1765.2074313–284–373–21
#
Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-San Antonio Spurs6022.732–
2 y-Sacramento Kings5923.7201
3 x-Dallas Mavericks6022.732–
4 x-Minnesota Timberwolves5131.6229
5 x-Los Angeles Lakers5032.61010
6 x-Portland Trail Blazers5032.61010
7 x-Utah Jazz4735.57313
8 x-Phoenix Suns4438.53716
9 Houston Rockets4339.52417
10 Seattle SuperSonics4042.48820
11 Golden State Warriors3844.46322
12 Memphis Grizzlies2854.34132
13 Los Angeles Clippers2755.32933
14 Denver Nuggets1765.20743

Record vs. opponents
2002-03 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MEM MIA MIL MIN NJN NOH NYK ORL PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA TOR UTA WAS
Atlanta —0–32–24–00–22–01–30–21–12–22–01–11–11–32–20–21–32–21–32–13–10–20–21–11–11–11–31–12–2
Boston 3–0—2–24–00–21–12–21–10–22–22–01–12–02–21–22–01–33–14–03–22–20–21–10–20–22–01–21–11–3
Chicago 2–22–2—3–10–21–10–41–11–12–20–21–11–11–22–20–22–21–32–11–31–31–11–10–20–20–22–21–11–3
Cleveland 0–40–41–3—0–21–10–41–11–10–42–01–10–21–20–40–22–21–31–20–40–40–20–20–20–21–13–11–10–4
Dallas 2–02–02–02–0—4–02–04–04–01–14–01–34–02–00–22–22–02–02–01–12–02–22–21–32–22–22–02–22–0
Denver 0–21–11–11–10–4—0–20–40–41–11–30–42–22–01–10–40–20–20–20–20–21–32–20–41–31–31–10–41–1
Detroit 3–12–24–04–00–22–0—1–12–02–21–11–12–03–11–31–12–12–22–22–12–21–10–21–10–21–13–12–03–1
Golden State 2–01–11–11–10–44–01–1—1–31–12–22–22–21–10–21–31–11–12–01–12–02–20–40–41–32–22–02–22–0
Houston 1–12–01–11–10–44–00–23–1—1–12–22–23–11–11–12–21–11–10–22–02–03–11–32–21–32–22–01–31–1
Indiana 2–22–22–24–01–11–12–21–11–1—2–00–21–14–03–12–01–23–13–12–12–21–10–20–20–22–03–11–12–2
L.A. Clippers 0–20–22–00–20–43–11–12–22–20–2—0–42–22–01–11–31–11–11–11–10–21–31–31–31–31–31–11–30–2
L.A. Lakers 1–11–11–11–13–14–01–12–22–22–04–0—4–01–12–02–20–21–11–11–11–13–12–22–20–42–22–03–11–1
Memphis 1–10–21–12–00–42–20–22–21–31–12–20–4—2–02–00–41–11–11–12–00–21–31–30–41–31–31–11–31–1
Miami 3–12–22–12–10–20–21–31–11–10–40–21–10–2—1–31–10–40–42–20–40–42–00–21–10–20–24–00–21–3
Milwaukee 2–22–12–24–02–01–13–12–01–11–31–10–20–23–1—0–22–22–23–12–22–20–22–00–20–21–12–20–22–1
Minnesota 2–00–22–02–02–24–01–13–12–20–23–12–24–01–12–0—0–21–12–01–11–13–13–12–22–22–21–11–32–0
New Jersey 3–13–12–22–20–22–01–21–11–12–11–12–01–14–02–22–0—2–23–12–21–31–12–00–21–11–14–00–23–1
New Orleans 2–21–33–13–10–22–02–21–11–11–31–11–11–14–02–21–12–2—3–11–32–12–00–21–10–22–04–02–02–1
New York 3–10–41–22–10–22–02–20–22–01–31–11–11–12–21–30–21–31–3—2–22–22–00–21–12–01–13–11–12–2
Orlando 1–22–33–14–01–12–01–21–10–21–21–11–10–24–02–21–12–23–12–2—2–20–20–21–10–22–02–21–12–2
Philadelphia 1–32–23–14–00–22–02–20–20–22–22–01–12–04–02–21–13–11–22–22–2—0–22–00–21–11–13–01–14–0
Phoenix 2–02–01–12–02–23–11–12–21–31–13–11–33–10–22–01–31–10–20–22–02–0—3–12–23–11–31–11–31–1
Portland 2–01–11–12–02–22–22–04–03–12–03–12–23–12–00–21–30–22–02–02–00–21–3—1–32–24–02–01–31–1
Sacramento 1–12–02–02–03–14–01–14–02–22–03–12–24–01–12–02–22–01–11–11–12–02–23–1—1–33–11–13–12–0
San Antonio 1–12–02–02–02–23–12–03–13–12–03–14–03–12–02–02–21–12–00–22–01–11–32–23–1—3–12–04–01–1
Seattle 1–10–22–01–12–23–11–12–22–20–23–12–23–12–01–12–21–10–21–10–21–13–10–41–31–3—2–02–21–1
Toronto 3–12–12–21–30–21–11–30–20–21–31–10–21–10–42–21–10–40–41–32–20–31–10–21–10–20–2—0–23–1
Utah 1–11–11–11–12–24–00–22–23–11–13–11–33–12–02–03–12–00–21–11–11–13–13–11–30–42–22–0—1–1
Washington 2–23–13–14–00–21–11–30–21–12–22–01–11–13–11–20–21–31–22–22–20–41–11–10–21–11–11–31–1—

Game log
GameDateOpponentResultRockets scoreOpponentsRecordStreakOT
1October 30@ IndianaLoss82910-1Lost 1
2November 1@ DenverWin83741-1Won 1
3November 2TorontoWin88762-1Won 2
4November 5SeattleLoss971042-2Lost 1
5November 9Golden StateWin1111043-2Won 1
6November 12PortlandWin86834-2Won 2
7November 15@ PhoenixLoss87884-3Lost 1
8November 17@ LA LakersWin93895-3Won 1
9November 19ClevelandWin97806-3Won 2
10November 21@ DallasLoss901036-4Lost 1
11November 22WashingtonWin93867-4Won 1
12November 24@ LA ClippersLoss89907-5Lost 1
13November 26@ PortlandLoss71777-6Lost 2
14November 27@ Golden StateWin91848-6Won 1
15November 29@ SeattleWin83729-6Won 2
16December 1@ SacramentoLoss841039-7Lost 1
17December 3San AntonioWin897510-7Won 1
18December 6@ New OrleansLoss969810-8Lost 1OT
19December 7PhiladelphiaWin977211-8Won 1
20December 10SacramentoWin1039612-8Won 2
21December 13@ MemphisLoss10911412-9Lost 1OT
22December 14LA ClippersLoss839412-10Lost 2
23December 16@ MiamiWin10510013-10Won 1OT
24December 18IndianaWin958314-10Won 2
25December 20AtlantaWin1018215-10Won 3
26December 21@ MinnesotaLoss869815-11Lost 1
27December 23UtahLoss919615-12Lost 2
28December 27New YorkLoss839915-13Lost 3
29December 29New OrleansWin978516-13Won 1
30December 31MilwaukeeWin1038017-13Won 2
31January 4Golden StateLoss848617-14Lost 1
32January 7MinnesotaWin948618-14Won 1
33January 8@ OrlandoWin918119-14Won 2
34January 10@ AtlantaLoss758419-15Lost 1
35January 11DenverWin878520-15Won 1
36January 13BostonWin1019221-15Won 2
37January 15PhoenixWin1029622-15Won 3
38January 17LA LakersWin10810423-15Won 4OT
39January 20@ San AntonioLoss828723-16Lost 1
40January 21@ DallasLoss8610723-17Lost 2
41January 24DetroitLoss749823-18Lost 3
42January 26@ ChicagoLoss9810023-19Lost 4
43January 27@ MemphisWin1009524-19Won 1
44January 29DallasLoss8110424-20Lost 1
45January 31MinnesotaWin12110125-20Won 1
46February 2SacramentoWin1058926-20Won 2
47February 4@ MinnesotaLoss8910326-21Lost 1
48February 5@ ClevelandLoss10210526-22Lost 2
49February 11UtahLoss10110326-23Lost 3OT
50February 12@ UtahWin1067627-23Won 1
51February 14MiamiLoss829427-24Lost 1
52February 18@ LA LakersLoss9910627-25Lost 22OT
53February 19@ PhoenixWin1078928-25Won 1
54February 21DallasLoss8510028-26Lost 1
55February 22MemphisWin938229-26Won 1
56February 24@ BostonWin1019530-26Won 2OT
57February 25@ New YorkLoss9510230-27Lost 1
58February 27@ WashingtonLoss9810030-28Lost 2OT
59March 2San AntonioLoss889730-29Lost 3
60March 4@ DetroitLoss839630-30Lost 4
61March 5@ TorontoWin979531-30Won 1
62March 8New JerseyWin837132-30Won 2
63March 12LA ClippersWin11811433-30Won 3OT
64March 14ChicagoWin1219134-30Won 4
65March 16PhoenixWin857535-30Won 5
66March 18@ SeattleLoss9410035-31Lost 1
67March 19@ PortlandLoss839435-32Lost 2
68March 21@ Golden StateWin11710736-32Won 1
69March 23@ SacramentoLoss10810936-33Lost 1
70March 24@ LA ClippersWin1089037-33Won 1
71March 26LA LakersLoss939637-34Lost 1
72March 27@ San AntonioLoss859837-35Lost 2
73March 29DenverWin1028938-35Won 1
74March 31@ New JerseyLoss8611038-36Lost 1
75April 2@ MilwaukeeLoss9910638-37Lost 2
76April 4@ PhiladelphiaWin887939-37Won 1
77April 6OrlandoWin1149340-37Won 2
78April 8PortlandLoss668140-38Lost 1
79April 9@ UtahLoss739440-39Lost 2
80April 12SeattleWin1018641-39Won 1
81April 15MemphisWin978642-39Won 2
82April 16@ DenverWin898443-39Won 3

Player statistics

Legend

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

Awards and records

Awards

Transactions

Free agents

See also

References
  1. 2002-03 Houston Rockets
  2. Broussard, Chris (May 20, 2002). "PRO BASKETBALL; Rockets Win Lottery with a Francis Assist". The New York Times. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  3. Passan, Jeff (June 27, 2002). "Rockets Select Yao No. 1 Overall in Draft". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  4. Povtak, Tim (June 27, 2002). "Foreign Players Make Move". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  5. "Rockets Make Yao Ming First Overall Pick". ESPN. June 26, 2002. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  6. "2002 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  7. "Posey Involved in Three-Team Trade". United Press International. December 18, 2002. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  8. "Nuggets, Rockets, 76ers Agree to 3-Way Trade". Arizona Daily Sun. December 18, 2002. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  9. "NBA Games Played on February 6, 2003". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  10. "2003 NBA All-Star Game: West 155, East 145 (2OT)". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  11. Brown, Tim (January 18, 2003). "Rockets Take Center Stage". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  12. "Houston 108, L.A. Lakers 104 (OT)". United Press International. January 18, 2003. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  13. Nichols, Rachel (January 19, 2003). "Francis on Centers' Stage". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  14. "2002–03 Houston Rockets Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  15. "PLUS: N.B.A.; Stoudemire Named Rookie of the Year". The New York Times. Associated Press. April 25, 2003. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  16. "Stoudemire Is Rookie of Year". Deseret News. April 25, 2003. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  17. "2002–03 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  18. "2002–03 Houston Rockets Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  19. "Rockets' Tomjanovich Resigns". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. May 24, 2003. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  20. "Grateful Tomjanovich Says He's Cancer-Free". Los Angeles Times. October 14, 2003. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  21. "Sprewell Is Part of 4-Team Trade". Los Angeles Times. Times Wire Services. July 24, 2003. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  22. "Posey Signs Offer Sheet". United Press International. July 23, 2003. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  23. "SPORTS BRIEFING: PRO BASKETBALL; Rockets Trade Rice to Jazz for Amaechi". The New York Times. Associated Press. October 1, 2003. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
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