1972–73 Houston Rockets season

1972–73 Houston Rockets season
Head coach
General managerRay Patterson
Owners
ArenaHofheinz Pavilion
Results
Record33–49 (.402)
PlaceDivision: 3rd (Central)
Conference: 5th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionKHTV
RadioKPRC
< 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

Draft picks

Main article: 1972 NBA draft

Roster

Houston Rockets roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
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
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Central Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
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
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

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

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

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

References

  1. ^ 1972–73 Houston Rockets