The 2001–02 NBA season was the Rockets' 35th season in the National Basketball Association , 31st season in the city of Houston , and their 27th and penultimate season at Compaq Center .[1] In the 2001 NBA draft , the Rockets selected Richard Jefferson from the University of Arizona with the 13th pick, but soon traded him to the New Jersey Nets for top draft pick Eddie Griffin .[2] During the off-season, the team acquired All-Star forward Glen Rice from the New York Knicks ,[3] and re-acquired former Rockets forward Kevin Willis from the Milwaukee Bucks . In their first season without All-Star center Hakeem Olajuwon , the Rockets got off to a 7–5 start, but then suffered a dreadful 15-game losing streak. Rice only played just 20 games due to a foot injury, and Maurice Taylor missed the entire season with a ruptured Achilles tendon.[4] Due to injuries that hindered their roster for parts of the year, the Rockets played mediocre basketball all season long, losing 15 of their final 18 games, and finishing fifth in the Midwest Division with a disappointing 28–54 record.[5]
Team captain Steve Francis averaged 21.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game, and made his first All-Star appearance being selected for the 2002 NBA All-Star Game ,[6] but he only played 57 games, and starting 56 of them due to recurring foot injuries and migraines.[7] He also participated in the Slam Dunk Contest. Cuttino Mobley led the team in scoring averaging 21.7 points per game, and Griffin was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.[8] Following the season, Walt Williams signed as a free agent with the Dallas Mavericks , and Willis signed with the San Antonio Spurs .
Offseason [ ]
Draft picks [ ]
Roster [ ]
2001–02 Houston Rockets roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB (YYYY-MM-DD)
From
G
10
Brown, Tierre
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
189 lb (86 kg)
McNeese State
F/C
13
Cato, Kelvin
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
255 lb (116 kg)
Iowa State
C
52
Collier, Jason
7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
260 lb (118 kg)
Georgia Tech
G
3
Francis, Steve
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
Maryland
F/C
33
Griffin, Eddie
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
Seton Hall
F
14
Langhi, Dan
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
Vanderbilt
G/F
5
Mobley, Cuttino
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
Rhode Island
F
44
Morris, Terence
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
221 lb (100 kg)
Maryland
G
12
Norris, Moochie
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
West Florida
F
41
Rice, Glen
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
Michigan
F
21
Thomas, Kenny
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
261 lb (118 kg)
New Mexico
G/F
18
Torres, Oscar
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
Xavier
F/C
2
Taylor, Maurice (IN)
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
260 lb (118 kg)
Michigan
F
42
Williams, Walt
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
219 lb (99 kg)
Maryland
F/C
43
Willis, Kevin
7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
245 lb (111 kg)
Michigan State
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(C) Team captain(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
Roster
Roster Notes [ ]
Forward/center Maurice Taylor missed the entire season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Regular season [ ]
Season standings [ ]
Record vs. opponents [ ]
2001-02 NBA Records
Team
ATL
BOS
CHA
CHI
CLE
DAL
DEN
DET
GSW
HOU
IND
LAC
LAL
MEM
MIA
MIL
MIN
NJN
NYK
ORL
PHI
PHO
POR
SAC
SAS
SEA
TOR
UTA
WAS
Atlanta
—
2–2
2–2
3–1
3–1
0–2
2–0
1–3
2–0
1–1
1–3
1–1
1–1
2–0
3–1
1–3
0–2
2–1
1–3
1–3
1–3
1–1
1–1
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–4
1–1
0–3
Boston
2–2
—
2–1
2–2
4–0
0–2
2–0
2–2
1–1
0–2
3–0
2–0
2–0
2–0
3–1
1–3
1–1
3–1
4–0
3–1
1–3
1–1
1–1
0–2
0–2
1–1
2–2
1–1
3–1
Charlotte
2–2
1–2
—
4–0
3–1
0–2
2–0
1–3
2–0
1–1
3–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
3–0
2–2
0–2
1–3
2–2
3–1
1–3
2–0
1–1
0–2
1–1
1–1
2–2
1–1
3–1
Chicago
1–3
2–2
0–4
—
1–3
0–2
0–2
1–3
1–1
2–0
0–4
0–2
2–0
1–1
1–3
2–2
0–2
0–4
3–1
0–3
1–2
1–1
0–2
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–4
0–2
1–3
Cleveland
1–3
0–4
1–3
3–1
—
0–2
1–1
1–3
1–1
2–0
2–2
0–2
0–2
1–1
3–1
3–1
2–0
1–3
2–2
1–3
0–3
1–1
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–3
0–2
1–2
Dallas
2–0
2–0
2–0
2–0
2–0
—
4–0
1–1
4–0
2–2
2–0
2–2
1–3
4–0
1–1
2–0
2–2
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
3–1
2–2
3–1
1–3
3–1
1–1
3–1
1–1
Denver
0–2
0–2
0–2
2–0
1–1
0–4
—
0–2
1–3
2–2
0–2
1–3
1–3
3–1
0–2
0–2
2–2
1–1
2–0
0–2
1–1
3–1
2–2
0–4
0–4
3–1
1–1
1–3
0–2
Detroit
3–1
2–2
3–1
3–1
3–1
1–1
2–0
—
1–1
1–1
3–1
1–1
0–2
2–0
2–1
2–2
1–1
3–1
3–1
2–2
2–1
1–1
0–2
0–2
0–2
1–1
3–1
1–1
4–0
Golden State
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–4
3–1
1–1
—
1–3
0–2
2–2
1–3
3–1
0–2
0–2
1–3
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–4
2–2
0–4
0–4
0–4
0–2
0–4
1–1
Houston
1–1
2–0
1–1
0–2
0–2
2–2
2–2
1–1
3–1
—
0–2
1–3
0–4
1–3
0–2
1–1
2–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
2–2
1–3
0–4
0–4
2–2
1–1
2–2
1–1
Indiana
3–1
0–3
1–3
4–0
2–2
0–2
2–0
1–3
2–0
2–0
—
1–1
0–2
1–1
2–2
1–3
1–1
1–3
2–1
3–1
3–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
0–2
1–3
1–1
3–1
L.A. Clippers
1–1
0–2
1–1
2–0
2–0
2–2
3–1
1–1
2–2
3–1
1–1
—
1–3
3–1
2–0
1–1
2–2
0–2
2–0
1–1
0–2
3–1
1–3
1–3
1–3
1–3
1–1
0–4
1–1
L.A. Lakers
1–1
0–2
2–0
0–2
2–0
3–1
3–1
2–0
3–1
4–0
2–0
3–1
—
3–1
1–1
2–0
2–2
1–1
2–0
2–0
1–1
2–2
2–2
3–1
3–1
3–1
1–1
3–1
2–0
Memphis
0–2
0–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
0–4
1–3
0–2
1–3
3–1
1–1
1–3
1–3
—
1–1
0–2
0–4
0–2
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–3
2–2
1–3
0–4
0–4
1–1
3–1
0–2
Miami
1–3
1–3
0–3
3–1
1–3
1–1
2–0
1–2
2–0
2–0
2–2
0–2
1–1
1–1
—
3–1
0–2
1–3
2–2
3–1
1–3
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
2–0
1–3
0–2
2–2
Milwaukee
3–1
3–1
2–2
2–2
1–3
0–2
2–0
2–2
2–0
1–1
3–1
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–3
—
0–2
1–2
1–3
2–1
1–3
0–2
0–2
0–2
2–0
0–2
4–0
2–0
3–1
Minnesota
2–0
1–1
2–0
2–0
0–2
2–2
2–2
1–1
3–1
2–2
1–1
2–2
2–2
4–0
2–0
2–0
—
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–2
2–2
1–3
2–2
2–2
1–1
3–1
2–0
New Jersey
1–2
1–3
3–1
4–0
3–1
0–2
1–1
1–3
1–1
2–0
3–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
3–1
2–1
1–1
—
4–0
3–1
2–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–2
1–1
3–1
New York
3–1
0–4
2–2
1–3
2–2
1–1
0–2
1–3
1–1
1–1
1–2
0–2
0–2
1–1
2–2
3–1
0–2
0–4
—
0–4
1–3
1–1
1–1
1–1
0–2
2–0
3–0
1–1
1–3
Orlando
3–1
1–3
1–3
3–0
3–1
1–1
2–0
2–2
2–0
2–0
1–3
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–3
1–2
1–1
1–3
4–0
—
3–1
2–0
0–2
1–1
0–2
0–2
3–1
1–1
2–2
Philadelphia
3–1
3–1
3–1
2–1
3–0
1–1
1–1
1–2
1–1
1–1
1–3
2–0
1–1
0–2
3–1
3–1
1–1
2–2
3–1
1–3
—
2–0
0–2
0–2
1–1
1–1
1–3
0–2
2–3
Phoenix
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
1–1
1–3
1–3
1–1
4–0
2–2
1–1
1–3
2–2
3–1
1–1
2–0
2–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
0–2
—
2–2
1–3
1–3
2–2
1–1
2–2
0–2
Portland
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
2–2
2–2
2–0
2–2
3–1
1–1
3–1
2–2
2–2
1–1
2–0
2–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
2–2
—
2–2
1–3
3–1
1–1
1–3
2–0
Sacramento
2–0
2–0
2–0
2–0
2–0
1–3
4–0
2–0
4–0
4–0
0–2
3–1
1–3
3–1
2–0
2–0
3–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
3–1
2–2
—
3–1
2–2
2–0
4–0
1–1
San Antonio
2–0
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
3–1
4–0
2–0
4–0
4–0
1–1
3–1
1–3
4–0
1–1
0–2
2–2
0–2
2–0
2–0
1–1
3–1
3–1
1–3
—
2–2
1–1
4–0
2–0
Seattle
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–3
1–3
1–1
4–0
2–2
2–0
3–1
1–3
4–0
0–2
2–0
2–2
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–1
2–2
1–3
2–2
2–2
—
2–0
1–3
1–1
Toronto
4–0
2–2
2–2
4–0
3–1
1–1
1–1
1–3
2–0
1–1
3–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
3–1
0–4
1–1
2–2
0–3
1–3
3–1
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
—
1–1
1–2
Utah
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
1–3
3–1
1–1
4–0
2–2
1–1
4–0
1–3
1–3
2–0
0–2
1–3
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–2
3–1
0–4
0–4
3–1
1–1
—
2–0
Washington
3–0
1–3
1–3
3–1
2–1
1–1
2–0
0–4
1–1
1–1
1–3
1–1
0–2
2–0
2–2
1–3
0–2
1–3
3–1
2–2
3–2
2–0
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
2–1
0–2
—
Game log [ ]
This section is empty. You can help by . (June 2012 )
Player statistics [ ]
Season [ ]
Player
GP
GS
MPG
FG%
3FG%
FT%
RPG
APG
SPG
BPG
PPG
Awards and records [ ]
Transactions [ ]
This section is empty. You can help by . (June 2012 )
References [ ]
^ 2001-02 Houston Rockets
^ "PRO BASKETBALL; Three High School Stars Are Among First Four Chosen" . New York Times . June 28, 2001. Retrieved July 24, 2021 .
^ "PRO BASKETBALL; Looking for Balance, the Knicks Trade Rice" . New York Times . August 11, 2001. Retrieved January 11, 2022 .
^ "PLUS: BASKETBALL; Rockets' Taylor Will Miss Season" . New York Times . September 6, 2001. Retrieved January 12, 2022 .
^ "2001–02 Houston Rockets Schedule and Results" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved September 20, 2021 .
^ "2002 NBA All-Star Game: West 135, East 120" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved December 31, 2021 .
^ "Francis' migraine eases up; guard rejoins team" . Chron . January 18, 2002. Retrieved January 12, 2022 .
^ "2001–02 Houston Rockets Roster and Stats" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved September 20, 2021 .
See also [ ]
Franchise Arenas Personnel G League affiliate Retired numbers NBA Championships Rivalries Culture and lore
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