1972–73 Houston Rockets season

NBA professional basketball team season

1972–73 Houston Rockets season

Head coach|

* Tex Winter (fired)
* Johnny Egan

General manager| Ray Patterson
Owners|

* Wayne Duddlesten
* Billy Goldberg
* Mickey Herskowitz

Arena| Hofheinz Pavilion
Results
Record| 33-49 (.402)
Place| Division: 3rd (Central)
Conference: 5th (Eastern)
Playoff finish| Did not qualify

* * *

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television| KHTV
Radio| KPRC
| < 1971–72  | 1973–74 >

|

The 1972-73 NBA season was the Rockets' 6th season in the NBA and 2nd season in the city of Houston.[1]

## Offseason

[edit]

### Draft picks

[edit]

Main article: 1972 NBA draft

## Roster

[edit]

Houston Rockets roster

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Players  | Coaches

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| Pos. | No. | Name  | Height  | Weight  | DOB  | From

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F | 24 | Marin, Jack | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)  | 210 lb (95 kg)  |  | Duke
SG | 40 | McKenzie, Stan | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)  | 195 lb (88 kg)  |  | NYU
F/C | 20 | Moore, Otto | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)  | 205 lb (93 kg)  |  | Texas–Pan American
G | 23 | Murphy, Calvin | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)  | 165 lb (75 kg)  |  | Niagara
G | 14 | Newlin, Mike | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)  | 200 lb (91 kg)  |  | Utah
F | 6 | Smith, Don | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)  | 235 lb (107 kg)  |  | Iowa State
F | 45 | Tomjanovich, Rudy | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)  | 218 lb (99 kg)  |  | Michigan
G | 11 | Walker, Jimmy | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)  | 195 lb (88 kg)  |  | Providence

Head coach

* Johnny Egan

* * *

Legend

* (DP) Unsigned draft pick
* (FA) Free agent
* (S) Suspended
* Injured

## Regular season

[edit]

### Season standings

[edit]

Central Division

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|  W  |  L  |  PCT  |  GB  |  Home  |  Road  |  Neutral  |  Div

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y-Baltimore Bullets | 52 | 30 | .634 | – | 24–9 | 21–17 | 7–4 | 17–5
x-Atlanta Hawks | 46 | 36 | .561 | 6 | 28–13 | 17–23 | 1–0 | 10–12
Houston Rockets | 33 | 49 | .402 | 19 | 14–14 | 10–28 | 9–7 | 9–13
Cleveland Cavaliers | 32 | 50 | .390 | 20 | 20–21 | 10–27 | 2–2 | 8–14
#  |

Eastern Conference

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|

Team  |  W  |  L  |  PCT
1  | z-Boston Celtics | 68 | 14 | .829
2  | x-New York Knicks | 57 | 25 | .695
3  | y-Baltimore Bullets | 52 | 30 | .634
4  | x-Atlanta Hawks | 46 | 36 | .561
5  | Houston Rockets | 33 | 49 | .402
6  | Cleveland Cavaliers | 32 | 50 | .390
7  | Buffalo Braves | 21 | 61 | .256
8  | Philadelphia 76ers | 9 | 73 | .110

### Record vs. opponents

[edit]

1972–73 NBA Records

Team  | ATL  | BAL  | BOS  | BUF  | CHI  | CLE  | DET  | GSW  | HOU  | KCO  | LAL  | MIL  | NYK  | PHI  | PHO  | POR  | SEA
Atlanta | — | 3–4 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 3–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–4 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1
Baltimore | 4–3 | — | 1–5 | 5–1 | 0–4 | 8–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 5–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 4–0
Boston | 5–1 | 5–1 | — | 7–0 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 4–4 | 7–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 4–0
Buffalo | 1–5 | 1–5 | 0–7 | — | 2–2 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–6 | 7–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2
Chicago | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | — | 3–1 | 3–4 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 5–2 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 5–1
Cleveland | 4–3 | 0–8 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 1–3 | — | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–6 | 6–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1
Detroit | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 4–3 | 3–1 | — | 2–4 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 2–5 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 2–4
Golden State | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | — | 3–1 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 4–3
Houston  | 4–4 | 2–5 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 0–4 | 3–4 | 3–1 | 1–3 | — | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2
Kansas City-Omaha | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–5 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–0 | — | 1–5 | 1–6 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–2
Los Angeles | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 4–3 | 3–1 | 5–1 | — | 3–3 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 6–1 | 6–0 | 6–0
Milwaukee | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 5–2 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 6–1 | 3–3 | — | 2–2 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 5–1
New York | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–4 | 6–1 | 1–3 | 6–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 6–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0
Philadelphia | 0–6 | 1–5 | 0–7 | 1–7 | 0–4 | 0–6 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–6 | — | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3
Phoenix | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–6 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 4–0 | — | 5–2 | 4–2
Portland | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–5 | 3–1 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–5 | — | 3–4
Seattle | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 4–3 | —

### Game log

[edit]

1972–73 Game log

# | Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record
1 | October 13 | @ Cleveland | 109–108 | Rudy Tomjanovich (21) | 1–0
2 | October 14 | @ Buffalo | 121–113 | Mike Newlin (25) | 2–0
3 | October 17 | @ New York | 95–103 | Marin, Walker (21) | 2–1
4 | October 20 | Atlanta | 108–120 | Jimmy Walker (29) | 3–1
5 | October 21 | Chicago | 130–97 | Calvin Murphy (18) | 3–2
6 | October 25 | N Los Angeles | 112–107 | Don Smith[a] (23) | 3–3
7 | October 27 | Detroit | 118–130 | Jimmy Walker (30) | 4–3
8 | October 31 | @ Atlanta | 106–105 | Jack Marin (26) | 5–3
9 | November 1 | @ Philadelphia | 108–104 | Rudy Tomjanovich (23) | 6–3
10 | November 3 | Atlanta | 114–108 | Cliff Meely (21) | 6–4
11 | November 4 | N Detroit | 118–108 | Otto Moore (30) | 7–4
12 | November 7 | @ Los Angeles | 109–122 | Mike Newlin (30) | 7–5
13 | November 10 | @ Phoenix | 109–115 | Jimmy Walker (24) | 7–6
14 | November 11 | N Philadelphia | 114–112 | Jack Marin (30) | 7–7
15 | November 14 | @ Baltimore | 103–104 | Jack Marin (31) | 7–8
16 | November 16 | @ New York | 100–119 | Jack Marin (22) | 7–9
17 | November 18 | @ Kansas City–Omaha | 117–127 | Jimmy Walker (26) | 7–10
18 | November 21 | @ Chicago | 105–113 | Jimmy Walker (30) | 7–11
19 | November 22 | Golden State | 104–132 | Jack Marin (27) | 8–11
20 | November 25 | Seattle | 109–114 | Jack Marin (28) | 9–11
21 | November 28 | N Baltimore | 90–108 | Murphy, Walker (23) | 9–12
22 | November 29 | N Baltimore | 102–94 | Jack Marin (21) | 10–12
23 | December 1 | @ Baltimore | 96–103 | Jack Marin (20) | 10–13
24 | December 2 | Kansas City–Omaha | 114–109 | Jimmy Walker (32) | 10–14
25 | December 5 | @ Golden State | 101–108 | Rudy Tomjanovich (22) | 10–15
26 | December 8 | Portland | 108–114 | Jimmy Walker (24) | 11–15
27 | December 12 | @ Buffalo | 94–95 | Marin, Moore (20) | 11–16
28 | December 15 | @ Baltimore | 91–94 | Jimmy Walker (21) | 11–17
29 | December 16 | @ Detroit | 123–112 | Jimmy Walker (30) | 12–17
30 | December 17 | @ Cleveland | 110–109 | Jack Marin (35) | 13–17
31 | December 20 | N New York | 124–102 | Jimmy Walker (25) | 13–18
32 | December 22 | Philadelphia | 103–116 | Jack Marin (29) | 14–18
33 | December 26 | Phoenix | 110–113 | Rudy Tomjanovich (31) | 15–18
34 | December 27 | Los Angeles | 104–136 | Mike Newlin (24) | 16–18
35 | December 29 | Milwaukee | 114–101 | Jack Marin (25) | 16–19
36 | January 2 | Boston | 130–110 | Jimmy Walker (25) | 16–20
37 | January 3 | Boston | 112–123 | Mike Newlin (29) | 17–20
38 | January 4 | @ Chicago | 97–111 | Rudy Tomjanovich (26) | 17–21
39 | January 6 | @ New York | 106–116 | Jack Marin (24) | 17–22
40 | January 7 | @ Cleveland | 97–102 | Marin, Walker (22) | 17–23
41 | January 9 | @ Atlanta | 114–120 | Tomjanovich, Walker (25) | 17–24
42 | January 10 | @ Boston | 107–128 | Calvin Murphy (20) | 17–25
43 | January 12 | New York | 104–103 | Smith, Tomjanovich (20) | 17–26
44 | January 13 | Cleveland | 123–115 | Calvin Murphy (20) | 17–27
45 | January 17 | N Golden State | 117–123 | Don Smith (21) | 17–28
46 | January 19 | Cleveland | 108–104 | Mike Newlin (24) | 17–29
47 | January 20 | Portland | 130–115 | Meely, Murphy (19) | 17–30
48 | January 21 | New York | 103–107 | Mike Newlin (25) | 18–30
49 | January 25 | N Milwaukee | 125–129 | Rudy Tomjanovich (29) | 19–30
50 | January 26 | @ Boston | 126–139 | Calvin Murphy (27) | 19–31
51 | January 28 | Atlanta | 108–116 | Jimmy Walker (28) | 20–31
52 | January 30 | @ Portland | 123–120 | Rudy Tomjanovich (31) | 21–31
53 | January 31 | @ Seattle | 109–118 | Rudy Tomjanovich (25) | 21–32
54 | February 2 | @ Los Angeles | 109–126 | Mike Newlin (30) | 21–33
55 | February 3 | @ Phoenix | 123–132 | Rudy Tomjanovich (27) | 21–34
56 | February 4 | N Buffalo | 130–118 | Jack Marin (30) | 22–34
57 | February 6 | N Philadelphia | 117–123 | Rudy Tomjanovich (35) | 23–34
58 | February 9 | Kansas City–Omaha | 121–116 | Jack Marin (35) | 23–35
59 | February 10 | @ Atlanta | 91–103 | Rudy Tomjanovich (24) | 23–36
60 | February 13 | @ Kansas City–Omaha | 118–132 | Mike Newlin (34) | 23–37
61 | February 16 | @ Milwaukee | 103–105 | Rudy Tomjanovich (29) | 23–38
62 | February 17 | Phoenix | 111–127 | Rudy Tomjanovich (28) | 24–38
63 | February 18 | Chicago | 110–99 | Rudy Tomjanovich (22) | 24–39
64 | February 21 | N Seattle | 107–139 | Rudy Tomjanovich (37) | 25–39
65 | February 23 | N Philadelphia | 116–138 | Jack Marin (30) | 26–39
66 | February 25 | @ Detroit | 112–129 | Mike Newlin (24) | 26–40
67 | February 27 | @ Buffalo | 112–105 | Mike Newlin (29) | 27–40
68 | March 3 | @ Atlanta | 125–136 | Rudy Tomjanovich (32) | 27–41
69 | March 4 | Milwaukee | 116–101 | Jack Marin (19) | 27–42
70 | March 7 | N Cleveland | 100–118 | Rudy Tomjanovich (25) | 27–43
71 | March 9 | Baltimore | 109–104 | Murphy, Newlin (21) | 27–44
72 | March 10 | Cleveland | 116–131 | Rudy Tomjanovich (34) | 28–44
73 | March 11 | Atlanta | 118–129 | Jack Marin (35) | 29–44
74 | March 15 | @ Golden State | 125–141 | Rudy Tomjanovich (37) | 29–45
75 | March 16 | @ Portland | 128–141 | Rudy Tomjanovich (28) | 29–46
76 | March 18 | @ Seattle | 112–121 | Tomjanovich, Walker (27) | 29–47
77 | March 20 | N Boston | 89–94 | Rudy Tomjanovich (21) | 29–48
78 | March 21 | @ Baltimore | 118–110 | Rudy Tomjanovich (26) | 30–48
79 | March 23 | @ Philadelphia | 132–112 | Rudy Tomjanovich (28) | 31–48
80 | March 25 | Boston | 125–121 | Mike Newlin (36) | 31–49
81 | March 27 | N Buffalo | 121–111 | Rudy Tomjanovich (25) | 32–49
82 | March 28 | N Buffalo | 138–122 | Calvin Murphy (31) | 33–49

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Changed his name to Zaid Abdul-Aziz in 1976.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ 1972–73 Houston Rockets

* v
* t
* e

1972–73 NBA season by team

* 1972 NBA draft
* All-Star Game
* Playoffs
* Finals
* Transactions

Eastern|

| Atlantic|

* Boston
* Buffalo
* New York
* Philadelphia

|

Central|

* Atlanta
* Baltimore
* Cleveland
* Houston

Western|

| Midwest|

* Chicago
* Detroit
* Kansas City-Omaha
* Milwaukee

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Pacific|

* Golden State
* Los Angeles
* Phoenix
* Portland
* Seattle

* v
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* e

Houston Rockets seasons

* Franchise
* History
* Seasons

1960s|

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  1967–68 |  1968–69

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1970s|

|  1969–70 |  1970–71 |  1971–72 |  1972–73 |  1973–74 |  1974–75 |  1975–76 |  1976–77 |  1977–78 |  1978–79

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1980s|

|  1979–80 |  1980–81 |  1981–82 |  1982–83 |  1983–84 |  1984–85 |  1985–86 |  1986–87 |  1987–88 |  1988–89

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1990s|

|  1989–90 |  1990–91 |  1991–92 |  1992–93 |  1993–94 |  1994–95 |  1995–96 |  1996–97 |  1997–98 |  1998–99

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2000s|

|  1999–00 |  2000–01 |  2001–02 |  2002–03 |  2003–04 |  2004–05 |  2005–06 |  2006–07 |  2007–08 |  2008–09

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2010s|

|  2009–10 |  2010–11 |  2011–12 |  2012–13 |  2013–14 |  2014–15 |  2015–16 |  2016–17 |  2017–18 |  2018–19

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2020s|

|  2019–20 |  2020–21 |  2021–22 |  2022–23 |  2023–24 |  |  |  |  |

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Bold indicates NBA Finals victory
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Pos.]: Position
*[No.]: Number
*[ W ]: Games won
*[ L ]: Games lost
*[ PCT ]: Winning percentage
*[ GB ]: Games behind
*[ Home ]: Home record
*[ Road ]: Road record
*[ Neutral ]: Neutral record
*[ Div ]: Division record