[1560 Approved] Top 10 Rockets Contributors of all time...

I later added the fact that he made sure Rockets made the playoffs when Hakeem was out. Rockets made the playoffs as 6th seed that year. Without Clyde they were in danger of not even making it. I think Clyde deserves credit for that.

 

1. Hakeem
2. Ryan Bowen
3. Sampson
4. Malone
5. Drexler
6. Tomjonovich
7. Horry
8. Cassell
9. Maxwell
10. E. Hayes

 

Sure he does, which is why he is on my list.

 

I never noticed this, but the Rocket were actually 29-17 prior to trading Thorpe for Clyde. Before Hakeem went out in late March, the Rockets went 12-10 post trade. While Hakeem was out, the Rockets went 3-5. After he returned, they finished the season 3-3. It really seems like they put everything together in the middle of their playoff run, which makes it pretty amazing.

How far might we have gotten if we never made that trade? Do the Rockets figure it out eventually, with Thorpe? Does Maxwell stick around?

 

rook,

everyone knows they went five hundred after that trade and caught fire in the playoffs, tinman would be ashamed.

 

Yup, it was remarkable. Not only was Hakeem's performance during that run legendary, but so was how the team gelled together while facing adversity.

-They were 6th seeded team meaning they would not have Home court advantage in any of the series.
-They played and won elimination games in other team's home court (one of the few ever done in history), game 5 against Jazz (back when first round was still best of 5) in Utah, and game 7 against the Suns in Phoenix.
-They had to come back against both those teams and faced elimination games several times. In fact hey set the record for overcoming # of elimination games in a row. They came back from 1-3 deficit and beat Suns.
-They lost Carl Harerra due to shoulder injury in 3rd game of the First round series. Harerra was supposed to fill the void left behind by Otis Thorpe. Robert Horry got bulk of the responsibility at PF with Pete Chilcutt and Chucky Hayes (journeymen) backing him up.
-They end up sweeping the Finals.

To overcome all this for any team would be remarkable. But to do it

1) with a major mid-season trade
2) not having full team during regular season
3) gelling on the fly in playoffs

was simply Incredible. Which is why I consider that team one of the best teams in NBA history

 

It's been too long. I think I watched and rewatched Double Clutch far too many times in the intervening years, and that made it look like the Rockets were just in a total funk before the trade. But 27-19 is respectable. That's on pace for 51 wins.

 

I dont know how far they would have gotten with Otis. They won the year before, and Hakeem was better than previous year, so it was definitely possible. I would say Clyde improved the odds.

Maxwell would have definitely stayed. The only reason he left was because he couldn't stand to be in Clyde's shadows.

 

This is the exact list I made, and then I realized that you had already made it. Except, I think it's VERY debatable picking two out of Horry, Cassell, Calvin Murphy, and Yao Ming. I know Yao hasn't won anything yet, he is going to go down as the second best center in franchise history, and the number one money-maker. You cannot discount any of that.

 

Maxwell was MIA from practices right before that trade - they didn't know where he was. lol. He was starting to lose his marbles again, and I'm sure that was one of the reasons the trade was made. It was right before this trade that Max had punched the fan in the stands.... in Portland.

 

Say what???

 

I think he may be right there.

I expect Yao to be a Rocket legend before its all over. Ring or no ring.

 

Maxwell was paranoid about that contract extension, getting Clyde made him go Tracy McGrady, except Tracy McGrady is way overpaid. Max was underpaid.

 

Who would you put him over at center : Hakeem or Moses?

 

CHUCKY BROWN!!

 

"Who the hell is Chucky Brown"

 

Otis Thorpe proved his DEFENSE against Karl Malone, the Knicks front line, Charles Barkley etc

When Scola shuts down Boozer, then I'll consider him.

 

Ooops!

 

#1 Olajuwon - Undisputed

#2 Calvin & Rudy T - Both started and ended their careers in Houston. Contributed in more ways than just playing by coaching, tutoring, broadcasting, assisting, scouting and drafting Cassell, Horry and Yao.

#3 Maxwell - Without him there is no 93 playoff success, there is no 94 championship nor the two 15 game winning streaks or the 22-1 start

#4 Thorpe - One of the top 10 PF of all time, no kidding. The guy could run the fast break by himself, score 20-30 with ease, post up, shoot the three, rebound like a monster and block shots. One of the most underrated players in NBA history

#5 Horry - Great underrated draft pick who contributed heavily to our championships and the 92-93 turnaround season

#6 Cassell - Alongside with Horry one of the best careers of the ones drafted by Rudy T in the 90s. Without this player, who never was a rookie, we do not beat the Suns in 94 and we do not win the Finals in 94.

#7 Elie - He will not go without a fight and was very good player off the bench. The Kiss of Death we all remember

#8 Kenny Smith - Very underrated and a major key to the Rockets 90s success when he took over from Sleepy in 90-91

#9 Yao - Already a heck of a player and a great individual

#10 Sampson - The guy was part of a great duo and contributed considerably in the 80s


Honorable mention: Dikembe Mutombo because of the kind of human being he is and how he stepped up last year during the 22 game winning streak. Without him, there wouldn't have been one and the finger wag is just something to marvel at. His number will be retired and after spending just as long here as he did in Denver where he did great things, I'm glad he's been a Rocket.