1978–79 Houston Rockets season

NBA professional basketball team season

1978–79 Houston Rockets season

Head coach| Tom Nissalke
Arena| The Summit
Results
Record| 47-35 (.573)
Place| Division: 2nd (Central)
Conference: 4th (Eastern)
Playoff finish| East First Round
(lost to Hawks 0–2)

* * *

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television| KHTV
Radio| KPRC
| < 1977–78  | 1979–80 >

|

The 1978–79 NBA season was the Rockets' 12th season in the NBA and 8th season in the city of Houston.[1]

In the playoffs, the Rockets were swept by the Atlanta Hawks in two games in the First Round.

## Roster[edit]

Houston Rockets roster

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

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F | 4 | Barry, Rick | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)  | 205 lb (93 kg)  |  | Miami (FL)
F | 22 | Bradley, Alonzo | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)  | 190 lb (86 kg)  |  | Texas Southern
G | 10 | Dunleavy, Mike | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)  | 180 lb (82 kg)  |  | South Carolina
C | 24 | Malone, Moses | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)  | 235 lb (107 kg)  |  | Petersburg High School
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 | 50 | Reid, Robert | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)  | 205 lb (93 kg)  |  | Saint Mary's
F | 45 | Tomjanovich, Rudy | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)  | 218 lb (99 kg)  |  | Michigan

Head coach

* Tom Nissalke

* * *

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* (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  |  Div

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y-San Antonio Spurs | 48 | 34 | .585 | – | 29–12 | 19–22 | 11–9
x-Houston Rockets | 47 | 35 | .573 | 1 | 30–11 | 17–24 | 12–8
x-Atlanta Hawks | 46 | 36 | .561 | 2 | 34–7 | 12–29 | 14–6
Cleveland Cavaliers | 30 | 52 | .366 | 18 | 20–21 | 10–31 | 6–14
Detroit Pistons | 30 | 52 | .366 | 18 | 22–19 | 8–33 | 9–11
New Orleans Jazz | 26 | 56 | .317 | 22 | 21–20 | 8–33 | 9–15
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Eastern Conference

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Team  |  W  |  L  |  PCT  |  GB
1  | z-Washington Bullets | 54 | 28 | .659 | –
2  | y-San Antonio Spurs | 48 | 34 | .585 | 6
3  | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 47 | 35 | .573 | 7
4  | x-Houston Rockets | 47 | 35 | .573 | 7
5  | x-Atlanta Hawks | 46 | 36 | .561 | 8
6  | x-New Jersey Nets | 37 | 45 | .451 | 17
7  | New York Knicks | 31 | 51 | .378 | 23
8  | Cleveland Cavaliers | 30 | 52 | .366 | 24
8  | Detroit Pistons | 30 | 52 | .366 | 24
10  | Boston Celtics | 29 | 53 | .354 | 25
11  | New Orleans Jazz | 26 | 56 | .317 | 28

z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents[edit]

1978-79 NBA Records

Team  | ATL  | BOS  | CHI  | CLE  | DEN  | DET  | GSW  | HOU  | IND  | KCK  | LAL  | MIL  | NJN  | NOJ  | NYK  | PHI  | PHO  | POR  | SAS  | SDC  | SEA  | WAS
Atlanta | — | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2
Boston | 2–2 | — | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4
Chicago | 1–3 | 2–1 | — | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 0–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3
Cleveland | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | — | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4
Denver | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | — | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3
Detroit | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | — | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 1–3
Golden State | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2
Houston  | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2
Indiana | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | — | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3
Kansas City | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–0
Los Angeles | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | — | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2
Milwaukee | 0–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | — | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3
New Jersey | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3
New Orleans | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–3 | 0–4
New York | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | — | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3
Philadelphia | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 1–3 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1
Phoenix | 1–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | — | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3
Portland | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | — | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1
San Antonio | 1–3 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–2 | — | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–3
San Diego | 1–3 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | — | 2–2 | 0–3
Seattle | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 2–2
Washington | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | —

## Playoffs[edit]

1979 playoff game log

First Round: 0–2 (home: 0–1; road: 0–1)

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location
Attendance | Series

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1  | April 11  | Atlanta | L 106–109 | Moses Malone (28)  | Moses Malone (17)  | Slick Watts (7)  | The Summit
14,405  | 0–1
2  | April 13  | @ Atlanta | L 91–100 | Moses Malone (21)  | Moses Malone (24)  | Calvin Murphy (4)  | Omni Coliseum
15,798  | 0–2

1979 schedule

## Awards and records[edit]

* Moses Malone, NBA Most Valuable Player Award
* Moses Malone, All-NBA First Team
* Moses Malone, NBA All-Defensive Second Team

## References[edit]

1. ^ 1978-79 Houston Rockets

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1978–79 NBA season by team

* 1978 NBA draft
* All-Star Game
* Playoffs
* Finals
* Transactions

Eastern|

| Atlantic|

* Boston
* New Jersey
* New York
* Philadelphia
* Washington

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Central|

* Atlanta
* Cleveland
* Detroit
* Houston
* New Orleans
* San Antonio

Western|

| Midwest|

* Chicago
* Denver
* Indiana
* Kansas City
* Milwaukee

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Pacific|

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

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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
*[ Div ]: Division record