1978–79 Houston Rockets season

1978–79 Houston Rockets season
Head coachTom Nissalke
ArenaThe Summit
Results
Record47–35 (.573)
PlaceDivision: 2nd (Central)
Conference: 4th (Eastern)
Playoff finishEast First Round
(lost to Hawks 0–2)

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionKHTV
RadioKPRC
< 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

Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
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

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

Regular season

Season standings

W L PCT GB Home Road Div
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
#
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

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

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
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

References