1998–99 Houston Rockets season

The 1998–99 NBA season was the Rockets' 32nd season in the National Basketball Association, and 28th season in Houston. To replace the retiring Clyde Drexler, the Rockets acquired All-Star forward Scottie Pippen from the Chicago Bulls after a four-month lockout. The team also signed free agent Antoine Carr, who appeared in two NBA Finals appearances with the Utah Jazz. With the addition of Pippen along with Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley, plus re-acquiring three-point specialist Sam Mack from the Vancouver Grizzlies at midseason, the Rockets played solid basketball posting a nine-game winning streak in March, and finished third in the Midwest Division with a 31–19 record. Pippen had a solid season averaging 14.5 points per game, while rookies Michael Dickerson and Cuttino Mobley were both selected to the All-Rookie Second Team.

However, in the first round of the playoffs, the Rockets lost one game to three to the Los Angeles Lakers. After the defeat, Houston didn't return to the playoffs until 2004. Pippen spent only one season with the Rockets, and was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers before the following season. Also following the season, Dickerson and Carr were traded along with Othella Harrington, and Brent Price to the Vancouver Grizzlies, Mack and Matt Maloney were both released, and Eddie Johnson retired.

Offseason

Draft picks

Roster

Roster listing

Houston Rockets roster v t e
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY-MM-DD) From PF 4 Barkley, Charles 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 252 lb (114 kg) Auburn SF 50 Bullard, Matt 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Iowa PF 55 Carr, Antoine 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Wichita State SG 3 Dickerson, Michael 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Arizona PG 11 Drew, Bryce 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Valparaiso PF 32 Harrington, Othella 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Georgetown SF 8 Johnson, Eddie  6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Illinois SG 7 Mack, Sam 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 227 lb (103 kg) California PG 12 Maloney, Matt  6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 192 lb (87 kg) Pennsylvania PF 2 Miller, Anthony  6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Michigan State PG 5 Mobley, Cuttino 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Rhode Island C 34 Olajuwon, Hakeem (C) 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 255 lb (116 kg) Houston SF 33 Pippen, Scottie 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Central Arkansas PG 20 Price, Brent 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 165 lb (75 kg) Oklahoma C 53 Roberts, Stanley 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 285 lb (129 kg) LSU	Head coach Rudy Tomjanovich (Michigan} Assistant coach(es) Bill Berry Jim Boylen Larry Smith Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster Last transaction: March 11, 1999 −

Regular season

Season standings

z – clinched division title

y – clinched division title

x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

Game log

Playoffs

West First Round

(4) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Houston Rockets: Lakers win series 3-1

• Game 1 @ Great Western Forum, Los Angeles (May 9): Los Angeles 101, Houston 100
• Game 2 @ Great Western Forum, Los Angeles (May 11): Los Angeles 110, Houston 98
• Game 3 @ Compaq Center, Houston (May 13): Houston 100, Los Angeles 88
• Game 4 @ Compaq Center, Houston (May 15): Los Angeles 98, Houston 88

Last Playoff Meeting: 1996 Western Conference First Round (Houston won 3-1)

Player statistics

Season

Playoffs

Awards and records

Awards

• Hakeem Olajuwon, All-NBA Third Team
• Cuttino Mobley, NBA All-Rookie Team Second Team

Records

Transactions

Trades

Free agents

See also

• 1998–99 NBA season