The 1975-76 Houston Rockets season marked a pivotal chapter in the franchise’s history as they relocated from San Diego to Houston. This move set the stage for increased fan engagement and a fresh start for the team. Under head coach Tom Nissalke, the Rockets competed in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference.
The team finished the regular season with a 40-42 record, securing a spot in the playoffs as the third seed in their division. Key contributors included Rudy Tomjanovich, who was known for his scoring and leadership, and Calvin Murphy, whose agility and shooting were instrumental in several close games. The Rockets also benefited from the presence of center Moses Malone, who was acquired mid-season and quickly became a force on the boards.
In the playoffs, the Rockets faced the New York Knicks in the first round. It was a best-of-three series, and the Rockets emerged victorious, winning 2-1. This triumph led them to the conference semifinals, where they encountered the formidable Boston Celtics. Despite a valiant effort, the Rockets were overpowered by the Celtics, losing the series 4-2. This playoff run, however, was a significant achievement for the franchise, laying the groundwork for future successes.
The 1975-76 season was a foundational year for the Houston Rockets, showcasing their potential and setting a precedent for continued growth in the NBA. The move to Houston and the playoff performance were key highlights of this transformative season.
- Regular Season Record: 40-42
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Houston Rockets Roster and Stats for 1975-76 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Calvin Murphy | 82 | 21.0 | 2.5 | 7.3 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Mike Newlin | 82 | 18.6 | 4.1 | 5.6 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Rudy Tomjanovich | 79 | 18.5 | 8.4 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Kevin Kunnert | 80 | 12.9 | 9.8 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Ed Ratleff | 72 | 11.1 | 5.3 | 3.6 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Joe Meriweather | 81 | 10.2 | 6.4 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 0.0 | |||||||
| John Johnson | 67 | 9.7 | 4.4 | 2.9 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Cliff Meely | 14 | 5.2 | 3.7 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Ron Riley | 65 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Dave Wohl | 50 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Rudy White | 32 | 3.2 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Gus Bailey | 30 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Steve Hawes | 6 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
Houston Rockets 1975-76 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1975-76 season for the Houston Rockets.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 24, 1975 | @ Boston Celtics | L 109-94 | |
| Oct 28, 1975 | @ Buffalo Braves | L 124-108 | |
| Oct 31, 1975 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 131-127 | |
| Nov 02, 1975 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 104-89 | |
| Nov 04, 1975 | vs. New York Knicks | W 119-106 | |
| Nov 08, 1975 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 116-112 | |
| Nov 12, 1975 | vs. Buffalo Braves | L 93-80 | |
| Nov 13, 1975 | @ New York Knicks | L 108-102 | |
| Nov 15, 1975 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | W 103-101 | |
| Nov 18, 1975 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 95-91 | |
| Nov 19, 1975 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 118-110 | |
| Nov 21, 1975 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 107-92 | |
| Nov 23, 1975 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 110-99 | |
| Nov 25, 1975 | @ Washington Bullets | W 100-89 | |
| Nov 26, 1975 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 97-85 | |
| Nov 29, 1975 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 99-98 | |
| Dec 02, 1975 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 91-77 | |
| Dec 03, 1975 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 107-101 | |
| Dec 05, 1975 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 102-91 | |
| Dec 06, 1975 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 105-96 | |
| Dec 10, 1975 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 105-91 | |
| Dec 13, 1975 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 137-120 | |
| Dec 16, 1975 | @ Kansas City Kings | W 111-100 | |
| Dec 17, 1975 | @ Buffalo Braves | L 88-85 | |
| Dec 19, 1975 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 113-107 | |
| Dec 20, 1975 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 123-108 | |
| Dec 23, 1975 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 103-94 | |
| Dec 25, 1975 | @ New Orleans Jazz | L 101-99 | |
| Dec 27, 1975 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 113-110 | |
| Dec 28, 1975 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 116-106 | |
| Jan 01, 1976 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 110-107 | |
| Jan 03, 1976 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 126-101 | |
| Jan 05, 1976 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 98-97 | |
| Jan 07, 1976 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 108-106 | |
| Jan 08, 1976 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 115-106 | |
| Jan 10, 1976 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 105-94 | |
| Jan 14, 1976 | vs. New York Knicks | L 107-103 | |
| Jan 16, 1976 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 128-103 | |
| Jan 17, 1976 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | L 103-97 | |
| Jan 19, 1976 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 115-96 | |
| Jan 23, 1976 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 124-115 | |
| Jan 24, 1976 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 110-103 | |
| Jan 27, 1976 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 127-116 | |
| Jan 28, 1976 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 108-93 | |
| Jan 29, 1976 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 119-86 | |
| Jan 31, 1976 | @ New York Knicks | W 130-114 | |
| Feb 05, 1976 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | L 114-111 | |
| Feb 07, 1976 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 89-87 | |
| Feb 09, 1976 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 105-86 | |
| Feb 11, 1976 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 115-103 | |
| Feb 13, 1976 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 134-109 | |
| Feb 14, 1976 | @ Washington Bullets | L 108-89 | |
| Feb 15, 1976 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 113-105 | |
| Feb 18, 1976 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 114-98 | |
| Feb 20, 1976 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 110-108 | |
| Feb 21, 1976 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 110-108 | |
| Feb 22, 1976 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 107-103 | |
| Feb 23, 1976 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 117-114 | |
| Feb 25, 1976 | @ Boston Celtics | L 103-102 | |
| Feb 27, 1976 | @ Buffalo Braves | W 113-107 | |
| Feb 29, 1976 | @ Washington Bullets | L 110-108 | |
| Mar 03, 1976 | @ New Orleans Jazz | W 113-105 | |
| Mar 04, 1976 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 113-106 | |
| Mar 06, 1976 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 101-97 | |
| Mar 07, 1976 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 123-106 | |
| Mar 10, 1976 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 113-110 | |
| Mar 12, 1976 | @ Buffalo Braves | W 113-100 | |
| Mar 13, 1976 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 111-97 | |
| Mar 16, 1976 | vs. New York Knicks | W 116-111 | |
| Mar 17, 1976 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 124-112 | |
| Mar 19, 1976 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 111-105 | |
| Mar 21, 1976 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 117-107 | |
| Mar 23, 1976 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 125-106 | |
| Mar 25, 1976 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 123-104 | |
| Mar 27, 1976 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 109-95 | |
| Mar 30, 1976 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 95-86 | |
| Apr 02, 1976 | @ Boston Celtics | L 119-115 | |
| Apr 05, 1976 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 130-129 | |
| Apr 07, 1976 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 115-105 | |
| Apr 09, 1976 | @ New Orleans Jazz | L 99-88 | |
| Apr 10, 1976 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 110-99 | |
| Apr 11, 1976 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 122-111 |