The 1979-80 Houston Rockets season was marked by significant challenges and transitions. The team, under head coach Del Harris, finished the regular season with a record of 41-41, placing fourth in the Central Division. Despite the .500 finish, the Rockets managed to secure a playoff spot, showcasing resilience throughout the season.
Key players for the Rockets included Moses Malone, who was a standout performer. Malone’s dominance in the paint was evident as he averaged 25.8 points and 14.5 rebounds per game, earning him a spot on the All-NBA First Team. His contributions were pivotal to the Rockets’ performance, both offensively and defensively. Calvin Murphy also played a crucial role, providing scoring support and veteran leadership.
In the playoffs, the Rockets faced the San Antonio Spurs in the first round. The series was a tightly contested affair, but the Rockets managed to advance by defeating the Spurs two games to one in the best-of-three series. However, their postseason journey was cut short in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where they faced the Boston Celtics. The Celtics, led by Larry Bird, proved too formidable, sweeping the Rockets in four games.
Overall, the 1979-80 season was a mixed bag for the Houston Rockets. While they showcased moments of competitiveness and the brilliance of Moses Malone, their inability to progress beyond the semifinals highlighted areas for improvement as they looked to build for future success.
- Regular Season Record: 41-41
- Playoff Result: Western Conference First Round: 2-1, Western Conference Semifinals: 0-4
Houston Rockets Roster and Stats for 1979-80 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Moses Malone | 82 | 25.8 | 14.5 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 7 | 25.9 | 13.9 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 2.3 | 0.0 |
| Calvin Murphy | 76 | 20.0 | 2.0 | 3.9 | 1.8 | 0.1 | 6.7 | 7 | 18.7 | 1.4 | 3.7 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 50.0 |
| Rudy Tomjanovich | 62 | 14.2 | 5.8 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 34.4 | 7 | 8.3 | 5.7 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 14.3 |
| Robert Reid | 76 | 13.0 | 5.8 | 3.2 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 7 | 18.0 | 7.9 | 3.7 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Rick Barry | 72 | 12.0 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 39.7 | 6 | 5.5 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 25.0 |
| Allen Leavell | 77 | 10.9 | 2.4 | 5.4 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 16.7 | 7 | 5.6 | 1.7 | 3.4 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Billy Paultz | 37 | 8.6 | 7.2 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 7 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| Mike Dunleavy | 51 | 8.0 | 2.0 | 4.1 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 18.7 | 6 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dwight Jones | 21 | 6.0 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Tom Henderson | 66 | 5.5 | 1.7 | 4.2 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7 | 8.0 | 2.3 | 6.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 |
| Major Jones | 82 | 5.3 | 4.6 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 33.3 | 6 | 4.7 | 3.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Rudy White | 9 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| John Shumate | 29 | 3.5 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Paul Mokeski | 12 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Alonzo Bradley | 22 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 4 | 4.0 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 100.0 |
Houston Rockets in the 1980 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. San Antonio Spurs
In the first round of the 1980 NBA Playoffs, the Houston Rockets, led by Moses Malone, faced off against the San Antonio Spurs. Despite finishing the regular season with a sub-.500 record, the Rockets managed to upset the Spurs in a best-of-three series, taking advantage of Malone's dominant inside presence to secure a 2-1 series victory. This surprising performance highlighted Malone's ability to elevate his game in crucial moments, setting the stage for a deeper playoff run.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 02, 1980 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 95-85 | |
| Apr 04, 1980 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 106-101 | |
| Apr 06, 1980 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 141-120 |
Playoffs Second Round vs. Boston Celtics
In the 1980 NBA Playoffs, the Houston Rockets faced the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals after a surprising first-round victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Despite a strong effort led by Moses Malone, the Rockets were overpowered by the Celtics' depth and experience, losing the series 4-0. This sweep underscored the Celtics' dominance during that era, while highlighting the areas the Rockets needed to strengthen to become true contenders.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 09, 1980 | @ Boston Celtics | L 119-101 | |
| Apr 11, 1980 | @ Boston Celtics | L 95-75 | |
| Apr 13, 1980 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 100-81 | |
| Apr 14, 1980 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 138-121 |
Houston Rockets 1979-80 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1979-80 season for the Houston Rockets.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 12, 1979 | @ Boston Celtics | L 114-106 | |
| Oct 13, 1979 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 113-105 | |
| Oct 16, 1979 | @ New York Knicks | L 126-121 | |
| Oct 17, 1979 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 116-112 | |
| Oct 20, 1979 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 107-102 | |
| Oct 24, 1979 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 100-99 | |
| Oct 28, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 120-115 | |
| Oct 30, 1979 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 124-112 | |
| Oct 31, 1979 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 133-129 | |
| Nov 03, 1979 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 114-111 | |
| Nov 07, 1979 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 106-101 | |
| Nov 10, 1979 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 112-104 | |
| Nov 13, 1979 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 128-127 | |
| Nov 14, 1979 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 133-92 | |
| Nov 16, 1979 | vs. New York Knicks | W 133-130 | |
| Nov 17, 1979 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 102-100 | |
| Nov 20, 1979 | @ New York Knicks | L 130-125 | |
| Nov 21, 1979 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 97-94 | |
| Nov 23, 1979 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 113-102 | |
| Nov 24, 1979 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 105-103 | |
| Nov 27, 1979 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 117-115 | |
| Nov 28, 1979 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 113-111 | |
| Nov 30, 1979 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 106-95 | |
| Dec 01, 1979 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 120-112 | |
| Dec 05, 1979 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 116-114 | |
| Dec 07, 1979 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 124-109 | |
| Dec 08, 1979 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 138-129 | |
| Dec 12, 1979 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 118-107 | |
| Dec 13, 1979 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 121-113 | |
| Dec 14, 1979 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 109-101 | |
| Dec 16, 1979 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 123-101 | |
| Dec 19, 1979 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 108-102 | |
| Dec 21, 1979 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 117-106 | |
| Dec 22, 1979 | @ Washington Bullets | L 122-114 | |
| Dec 26, 1979 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 143-110 | |
| Dec 27, 1979 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 112-110 | |
| Dec 29, 1979 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 104-100 | |
| Jan 02, 1980 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 111-103 | |
| Jan 04, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 104-101 | |
| Jan 05, 1980 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 111-110 | |
| Jan 08, 1980 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 118-115 | |
| Jan 09, 1980 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 114-112 | |
| Jan 12, 1980 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 112-96 | |
| Jan 13, 1980 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 121-117 | |
| Jan 16, 1980 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 122-112 | |
| Jan 18, 1980 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 134-111 | |
| Jan 19, 1980 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 122-110 | |
| Jan 22, 1980 | @ Boston Celtics | L 112-106 | |
| Jan 23, 1980 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 111-110 | |
| Jan 26, 1980 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 123-111 | |
| Jan 29, 1980 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 133-112 | |
| Jan 30, 1980 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 118-111 | |
| Jan 31, 1980 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 110-105 | |
| Feb 06, 1980 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 115-114 | |
| Feb 08, 1980 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 105-104 | |
| Feb 09, 1980 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 117-95 | |
| Feb 12, 1980 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 120-118 | |
| Feb 13, 1980 | vs. New York Knicks | W 122-117 | |
| Feb 15, 1980 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 114-103 | |
| Feb 17, 1980 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 112-99 | |
| Feb 20, 1980 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 115-102 | |
| Feb 22, 1980 | @ Utah Jazz | W 94-82 | |
| Feb 24, 1980 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 112-100 | |
| Feb 26, 1980 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 93-88 | |
| Feb 27, 1980 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 110-97 | |
| Feb 28, 1980 | @ Washington Bullets | L 105-99 | |
| Mar 02, 1980 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 94-91 | |
| Mar 04, 1980 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 93-83 | |
| Mar 05, 1980 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 103-99 | |
| Mar 07, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 111-110 | |
| Mar 08, 1980 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 97-79 | |
| Mar 11, 1980 | @ New York Knicks | L 129-109 | |
| Mar 12, 1980 | @ Boston Celtics | L 121-105 | |
| Mar 14, 1980 | @ Washington Bullets | L 92-85 | |
| Mar 16, 1980 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 102-99 | |
| Mar 19, 1980 | vs. New York Knicks | W 139-113 | |
| Mar 20, 1980 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 109-96 | |
| Mar 22, 1980 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 125-110 | |
| Mar 25, 1980 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 126-107 | |
| Mar 26, 1980 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 113-101 | |
| Mar 28, 1980 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 128-112 | |
| Mar 30, 1980 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 121-106 |