Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets have fallen on such hard times in recent years that it can be hard for fans to recall when their team was ever any good at all. In 2022-23, the Rockets finished tied for last in the Western Conference with the San Antonio Spurs, continuing the poor form that has kept them out of the playoffs since 2020. The team actually began its NBA journey as the San Diego Rockets in 1967 before relocating to Houston in 1971. Like many expansion franchises, the Rockets struggled to find success initially, but in the 1980s Moses Malone led them to their first NBA Finals in 1981 despite a losing record in the regular season (40-42). The Rockets pushed the powerful Boston Celtics to a Game Six but in the end succumbed to their heavily-favored rivals. They then acquired the hulking duo of Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampsom, dubbed “The Twin Towers” for their height and power, and reached the Finals (again) in 1986, only to lose to the Celtics (again). Expectations remained high in the ensuing years but the Rockets seemed to fail time and time again at crucial moments, which (along with simultaneous defeats of the city’s NFL team) earned Houston the name “Choke City” in the press. With Olajuwon still in his prime, however, the Rockets finally put things right, turning around a key series against the Phoenix Suns in Game 7 and going on to win the 1994 NBA Championship followed by another in 1995. Choke City became “Clutch City” and Houston fans hoped the good times would never end. But they did end, though the team’s fortunes did improve for a time after they acquired James Harden in 2012. In the upcoming 2023-24 season, fans will be counting on youngsters like Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun to step up and fulfill their potential to launch the Houston Rockets back into the NBA Playoffs.

How can I get cheap tickets to Houston Rockets games?

Despite struggles in recent years, the Houston Rockets are still a big ticket draw for long-time fans and general basketball enthusiasts alike. This popularity means that getting your hands on Rockets tickets can be difficult, particularly for postseason playoff games, in-season tournament games, or rivalry matchups (see below), which frequently sell out well in advance. To find the cheapest tickets to sold out Houston Rockets games, check the TicketX listings and game schedule on this page and use our helpful TicketX seating chart to compare prices and seat locations. You can purchase your tickets with the lowest commission fees from TicketX with just one click! 

Houston Rockets Rivalries

The Houston Rockets do have several NBA  teams that they would consider rivals, but if you ask any Rockets fan, there is really only one rival that matters: San Antonio Spurs. This bitter rivalry is fueled by the relatively short distance between these two Texas cities means that fans frequently travel to away games in high numbers, as well as the high number of games the teams play due to being in the same division. Sharing a division also means that the Rockets and Spurs are frequently fighting for playoffs spots. The pair have met four times in the NBA Playoffs, with the Rockets emerging triumphant on all but one occasion. Fans particularly reveled in the rivalry in the 1990s when games involved showdowns between the Rockets’ Hakeem Olajuwon and the Spurs’ David Robinson. Other rivals of the Rockets include the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, and Utah Jazz.

Are Houston Rockets basketball games exciting?

Houston Rockets games are known for being high octane affairs, with fans generating plenty of noise as they cheer on their team to victory. Whether the team is striving for contention for a playoff spot or just trying to beat one of its closest rivals, the atmosphere inside Toyota Center is always electric. The Houston Rockets also have one of the biggest fan bases of any NBA team in China, due to the fact that Chinese superstar Yao Ming formerly starred in Houston during his NBA career.