Golden State Warriors

Bench. Injured Reserve. Starters. Bench. At the 2005 trading deadline, he further added to the team by bringing in the first superstar the Warriors have had since Mullin himself, Baron Davis. Starters. He is building the team around Richardson, Dunleavy, and Murphy, complementing them with experience in Derek Fisher, a free agent signed by Golden State after 3 championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, and Calbert Cheaney, a playoff-tested sharpshooter. Their season ended in the first round of the playoffs as they lost to their in-state rival, the Dallas Mavericks 4-3 in the Western First Round.

Chris Mullin took over as VP of Basketball Operations, hiring Mitch Richmond as his assistant and former teammates Mario Elie as an assistant coach and Rod Higgins as the general manager. McGrady and Yao let their team to their best record in 10 years, finishing the year at 51-31 and seeded 5th in the Western Conference Playoffs. With rising star Antawn Jamison leading the team, the Warriors seemed on the rise, however, a string of injuries kept them from making it on top in the competitive Western conference. Then during the offseason the Rockets trio ended as Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley and other familar teamates were traded to the Orlando Magic, but in return was Tracy McGrady, Juwan Howard, and many others. from Duke University, and Troy Murphy from University of Notre Dame. The next 2003-2004 season was totally similar season, with another familiar record of 45-37, but the only difference was that they finally made their 21st Century playoff debut, however they were eliminated in a similar fate as their preceeding teams, being knocked out with a 4-1 record in the first round of the playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers. He did, however, draft several players who are the core of the most recent Warriors, including 2-time NBA slam dunk champion Jason Richardson from Michigan State, NCAA champion Mike Dunleavy, Jr. However the season ended in a familar record of 41-38.

He also drafted several busts such as Todd Fuller, Chris Porter, and Vonteego Cummings. The 2002-2003 basketball season was a big clean up and a definite return of a winning team reputation which was lost during the turn of the century and a new "Rockets trio" (Yao Ming, Steve Francis, and Cuttino Mobley). Jean's team philosophy centered around "experienced veterans" and a college star when in reality, he brought in several has-been players and former standouts who were in the twilights of their career, such as Mark Price, Terry Cummings, John Starks, and Mookie Blaylock. People conidered him as the "New Hakeem" due to his height and the ability to shoot the ball easily, and his tough blocking defense. GM Garry St. But then Yao Ming a tall 7 foot and 6 inches Chinese basketball player from the Shanghai Sharks decided to participate in the NBA draft of 2002, eventually he was picked and was ready for the job. For eleven years, to this day, the Warriors have not made the playoffs. The losing season of 2001-2002 brought dishonor and a total loss of faith of the Rockets nationally and locally in Houston.

The team had another successful string of wins in the late 80s/early 90s with the high scoring trio of point guard Tim Hardaway, guard Mitch Richmond, and forward Chris Mullin (collectively known as Run T-M-C). However, with then coach Don Nelson wishing to go with a bigger lineup, he made a trade that not only broke up the RUN T-M-C, core by sending Richmond to the Sacramento Kings for draft day bust Billy Owens, but also sent the Warriors into a tailspin as an organization. The first "Hakeem-less" season in almost 20 years was tied up at a disspointing record at 28-54. As a result, the home games of the Warriors' only West Coast championship were played not in Oakland but at the Cow Palace in Daly City. Then the aged Hakeem Olajuwon was traded to the Toronto Raptors in 2001 which only leaves Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley as their successors in being the head stars in the team, but the following 2001-2002 season was no success, as their team was moslty made up of young Rookies and bench players which made Steve and Cuttino's job of making the team a winning one more difficult. So little was felt of the team's chances in the playoffs, even by their home fans, that the Coliseum Arena scheduled other events during the dates of the NBA playoffs. The Rockets during the this era were a total blowout, and in return brought loss of national respect they once had, the Rockets however in the year 2000 brought a 45-37, but it still didn't cut them into the playoffs. That team was coached by former Warrior Al Attles, and led on the court by Rick Barry, Jamaal Wilkes, and Phil Smith. They got into the playoffs in 1999 with a record of 45-37 on a 7th place seed, but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round with a series of 4-1, this ended the Rockets winning years as the the years ahead would bring a series of losses and a bad reputation.

In what many consider the biggest upset in the history of the NBA, the Warriors defeated the heavily-favored Washington Bullets in a four-game sweep. Then in 1999 brought the fall of the winning team reputation they had, as Charles Barkley was injured and planned to retire after the injury, but the fall also brought some once thought new hope, Scottie Pippen was traded from the Bulls after Micheal Jordans 2nd retirement, and Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley arrived into the team that year. As the Golden State Warriors, the franchise has only won one NBA championship, in 1974-1975. They were good, but the Utah Jazz eliminated them from the Western Conference Finals in 1997 and in the Western Conference Semifinals in 1998, dimished any chances of holding an NBA title again. Six "home" games were played in San Diego during that season but more significantly, none were played in San Francisco or Daly City. Some of the role players like Sam Cassell and Robert Horrywere traded for Charles Barkley from the Phoenix Suns and Matt Maloney drafted into the team in 1996. They changed their name to the Golden State Warriors for the 1971-1972 season, playing almost all home games in Oakland. The post championship years declined the team as Hakeem Olajuwon was aging.

The 1970-1971 season would be the team's last as the San Francisco Warriors. Like his old friend Olajuwon did the previous year, Drexler experiences the joy of winning an NBA championship at last. With the opening of the Oakland Coliseum Arena in 1966, the Warriors began scheduling increasing numbers of home games at that venue. However, Houston comes back to win the last three games of the series, and then gets past the Spurs to reach the Finals, where they are matched up with the Orlando Magic. With Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway, the Magic is expected to win the championship, but Houston sweeps the series in four straight games. After several seasons in the ABA, Barry rejoined the Warriors in 1972. In fact, the Suns lead the second-round series 3 games to 1 (just as they did in the same round the year before). Angered by management's failure to pay him certain incentive awards he felt he was due, Barry sat out the 1967-1968 season, joining the Oakland Oaks of the rival American Basketball Association the following year. They are not expected to defeat the Utah Jazz in the first round, the Phoenix Suns in the second round, or the San Antonio Spurs in the conference finals.

Barry was named NBA Rookie of the Year in his first season, then led the Warriors to the NBA finals in the 1966-1967 season, where the team lost (four games to two) to the team that replaced the Warriors in the City of Brotherly Love, the Philadelphia 76ers. Houston struggles in the regular season, and they enter the playoffs as a sixth seed in the Western Conference. In 1965, the Warriors drafted Rick Barry in the first round. In a midseason trade with Portland, the Rockets obtain star guard Clyde Drexler, who had played alongside Olajuwon at the University of Houston. The Warriors won the 1963-1964 Western Division crown, losing the NBA championship series to the Boston Celtics, four games to one. After being down 3 games to 2 in the NBA Finals, the Rockets win the last two games on their home court, thanks to the misfortunes of New York's best shooter: Knicks guard John Starks misses what would have been a series-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer in Game 6 after the shot was blocked by Olajuwon, and he shoots a cold 2-for-18 from the field in Game 7, missing all six of his 3-point shot attempts. In 1962, the team moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and became the San Francisco Warriors, playing most of their home games in San Francisco and at the Cow Palace in neighboring Daly City, though occasionally playing home games in nearby cities such as Oakland and San Jose. With Hakeem Olajuwon as their center, the Rockets defeat the New York Knicks in seven games.

On March 2, 1962, in a Warrior "home" game played in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Chamberlain scored 100 points against the Knickerbockers, a single-game record that may never be broken. The Celtics defeated the Rockets again in the 1986 NBA Finals. Known as "Wilt the Stilt," Chamberlain quickly began shattering NBA scoring records and changed the style of play forever. Unfortunately, the Celtics with Larry Bird, Robert Parish, Cedric Maxwell, and Kevin McHale were too strong. In 1959, the team signed their 216-cm tall (7'1") draft pick Wilt Chamberlain. The championship series with Boston was fought to six games. The Warriors won their only other championship as a Philadelphia team in the 1955-1956 season, defeating the Fort Wayne Pistons four games to one. The Houston Rockets finally made it to finals, the first time a team from Houston played for a championship in basketball, football, or baseball.

The Warriors are one of only three original BAA/NBA teams still in existence, the others being the Boston Celtics and New York Knickerbockers. The Kings, led by Otis Birdsong, Scott Wedman, and Phil Ford fell to the Rockets in five games. Gottlieb retained the ABL Sphas until that league disbanded in 1955. This set up an unlikely conference finals matchup with Kansas City. (The BAA became the National Basketball Association in 1949.) The team was founded by Eddie Gottlieb, the long-time promoter of the Philadelphia Sphas, one of the mainstays of the original American Basketball League. The Rockets upset Los Angeles, two games to one, then got past the Spurs and George Gervin, four games to three, in the western conference semifinals. The Philadelphia Warriors were a charter member of the Basketball Association of America, winning the championship in the league's inaugural 1946-1947 season by defeating the Chicago Stags, four games to one. Houston playoff run began by drawing the defending NBA-champion Lakers and Magic Johnson in the first round.

"Golden State" is the nickname of the state of California, derived from the 1849 Gold Rush. Houston tied with Kansas City for second place in the Midwest behind San Antonio with regular season at 40-42. The Golden State Warriors are a National Basketball Association team based in Oakland, California. Other members of the 80-81 team were Rudy Tomjanovich, Robert Reid, Mike Dunleavy, Sr., Allen Leavell, Billy Paultz, Bill Willoughby, Calvin Garrett, Tom Henderson, and Major Jones. He is now a silent partner and talent scout for the Warriors organization. Murphy, the shortest player in the league, sets two NBA records, sinking 78 consecutive free throws to break Rick Barry's mark of 60 set in 1976 achieving a free-throw percentage of .958 breaking Rick Barry's record set with the Rockets in 1979. Bowens went to Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory High School and graduated from SFSU mastering in Criminology/Sociology. Malone carries the Rockets to NBA finals.

Hailing from San Francisco, he was compared to the likes of Michael Jordan when he dunked on Jason Kidd at Kezar Pavillion in a charity game. The arrival of a third NBA team in Texas, the Dallas Mavericks, caused a reshuffling in 1980-81 that sent Houston to the Midwest Division of the Western Conference, which also included San Antonio, Kansas City, Denver, Utah, and Dallas. 28 - Nathan Bowens although he never played in the NBA due to multiple knee surgery, his number was retired by the organization for he was suppose to be the next big thing. After beating the Spurs, two games to one, in the first-round playoff series, they were swept by the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. 42 Nate Thurmond. The Rockets finished the year at 41-41, tying the San Antonio Spurs for second place in the Central Division. 24 Rick Barry. Del Harris replaced Nissalke at the helm for the 1979-80 campaign.

16 Al Attles. The Rockets went 47-35 in 1978-79, Nissalke's last season as coach, finshing second in the Central Division losing two straight to Atlanta in a best-of-three first-round series. 14 Tom Meschery. He would play one more year for the Rockets before retiring in 1980. 13 Wilt Chamberlain. He did set a new NBA record, however, by posting a .947 free-throw percentage for the season. Free. The future Hall of Famer, now in the twilight of his career, averaged a modest 13.5 points.

World B. Rick Barry also joined the team that year as a free agent, with the Rockets sending John Lucas to Golden State Warriors as compensation. Bernard King. Malone, Murphy, and Tomjanovich (who had returned to average 19.0 points) all played in the 1979 NBA All-Star Game. Manute Bol. Malone, not exceptionally big or quick, used subtle moves, perfect positioning, and bulldog determination to become a superb center. Larry Smith. Malone receives the league's MVP Award.

Jamaal Wilkes. Tomjanovich, displaying the "heart of a champion", spent the next five months in rehab returning to play as an NBA all-star. Chris Webber. That shocking scene became the defining moment of not only the Rockets' 1977-78 season (a conference finals team the previous year, collapsed into last place with a 28-54 record) but also of two basketball players' professional careers. Latrell Sprewell. The powerful blow landed squarely on the face of a running Tomjanovich, causing massive jaw, eye, and cheek injuries; Tomjanovich's skull was also fractured when his head hit the floor. Mitch Richmond. As Tomjanovich ran over to the two, Washington turned and blindly swung his fist.

Chris Mullin. In a December 9 game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Kunnert got into a fight with the Lakers' Kermit Washington. Sarunas Marciulionis. The Rockets' hopes ended against the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals on a controversial charging call against Lucas in the final moments of Game 6. Antawn Jamison. Malone, then a novice 21-year old, outbattled Wes Unseld and Hayes to help the Rockets to a playoff victory in six games against the Washington Bullets. Tim Hardaway. The Rockets, now led by Tomjanovich, Murphy, Newlin, Malone, Kevin Kunnert, and rookie guard John Lucas, took the Central Division title.

Nate Thurmond. At the insistence of new coach Tom Nissalke, a trade was completed with the Buffalo Braves to acquire Moses Malone, who as a high school star made the unprecedented decision of bypassing college basketball to sign on as a professional with the Utah Stars of the ABA in 1974. Andy Phillip. The rockets defeated the New York Knicks (with Walt Frazier, Earl Monroe, Bill Bradley, and Jerry Lucas) in the first round and advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals before losing to the Boston Celtics. Robert Parish. With Coach John Egan's guidance and Tomjanovich, Murphy, and Mike Newlin leading the way, the Rockets made their first appearance in the playoffs since arriving in Houston. Jerry Lucas. The lack of winning did little to capture the city's attention.

Neil Johnston. After trading Hayes to the Baltimore Bullets for Jack Marin, the Rockets went into a rebuilding mode for the next two seasons. Tom Gola. Despite this, the team played well, acquiring two promising young players in Calvin Murphy and Rudy Tomjanovich. Joe Fulks. A local legend has it that some days the local churches in Waco drew more people than the Rockets. Wilt Chamberlain. The Rockets began playing at the Astrodome and AstroHall, both in Houston, the HemisFair Arena, in San Antonio, the Hofheinz Pavilion, on the University of Houston campus, and at Waco. However, fan support was also scarce in the football-dominated city, and the Rockets averaged less than 5000 fans per game the first season.

Rick Barry. In 1971, real estate broker Wayne Duddleston and banker Billy Goldberg bought the franchise for $5.6 million and relocated the team from San Diego, where there was a lack of fan support, to Houston, Texas, the home town of Hayes. Paul Arizin. Hayes led the team to the franchise's first ever playoff appearance in 1969. SF - #3 Rodney White (Charlotte). The Rockets won the coin toss versus the Baltimore Bullets, earning them the number one pick in the NBA Draft, selecting Elvin "the Big E" Hayes from the University of Houston. PF - #20 Nikoloz Tskitishvili (ნიკოლოზ ცქიტიშვილი) (Republic of Georgia). They selected Pat Riley with their first draft pick in 1967, and proceeded to a then-NBA record 67-loss season.

G/F - #2 Mickael Pietrus (Guadeloupe). The San Diego Rockets entered the NBA in 1967 as an expansion team in the same year the Seattle SuperSonics entered. PG - #4 Derek Fisher (Arkansas-Little Rock). The Toyota Center was eventually built after the team pressured the city for a new arena. G/F - #40 Calbert Cheaney (Indiana). The team's former home was the Compaq Center, originally called The Summit. F - #11 Zarko Cabarkapa (Clemson). The Houston Rockets are a National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas.

F/C - #15 Andris Biedrins (Latvia). 45 Rudy Tomjanovich. SF - #34 Mike Dunleavy, Jr. (Duke). 34 Hakeem Olajuwon. PF - #1 Troy Murphy (Notre Dame). 24 Moses Malone. C - #36 Adonal Foyle (Colgate). 23 Calvin Murphy.

SG - #23 Jason Richardson (Michigan State). 22 Clyde Drexler. PG - #5 Baron Davis (UCLA). Bill Willoughby. Walt Williams. Jimmy Walker.

Otis Thorpe. Kenny Smith. Purvis Short. Ralph Sampson.

Glen Rice. Robert Reid. Brent Price. Scottie Pippen.

Moochie Norris. Mike Newlin. Cuttino Mobley. Rodney McCray.

Vernon Maxwell. Matt Maloney. Sam Mack. John Lucas.

Lewis Lloyd. Allen Leavell. Kevin Kunnert. Don Kojis.

Toby Kimball. Buck Johnson. Robert Horry. Carl Herrera.

Steve Harris. Othella Harrington. Eddie Griffin. Dave Gambee.

Steve Francis. Eric Floyd. Mario Elie. Pete Chilcutt.

Kelvin Cato. Sam Cassell. Matt Bullard. Chucky Brown.

Scott Brooks. Rick Barry. Charles Barkley. PG - #17 Charlie Ward (Florida State).

F - #5 Juwan Howard (Michigan). SG - #7 David Wesley (Baylor). F - #30 Clarence Weatherspoon (Southern Miss). PG - #23 Moochie Norris (West Florida).

C - #55 Dikembe Mutombo (Georgetown). PG - #13 Mike James (Duquesne). SG - #20 Jon Barry (Georgia Tech). F/C - #42 Vin Baker (Hartford).

C - #11 Yao Ming (姚明) (China). SF - #40 Ryan Bowen (Iowa). PF - #35 Scott Padgett (Kentucky). PG - #3 Bob Sura (Florida State).

Zion Christian Academy, Rocky Mount, North Carolina). SG - #1 Tracy McGrady (Mt. Clyde Drexler. Calvin Murphy.

Moses Malone. Elvin Hayes.