| Team: | San Diego Rockets |
| Team Link: | Houston Rockets |
| End Year: | 1971 |
| Wins: | 40 |
| Losses: | 42 |
| Division: | Pacific |
| Division Place: | 3 |
| Conf Place: | 7 |
| Coach: | Alex Hannum |
| Gm: | Pete Newell |
| Owner: | Bob Breitbard |
| Arena: | San Diego Sports Arena |
| Playoffs: | Did not qualify |
| Bbr Team: | SDR |
| Television: | KCST-TV |
| Radio: | KOGO |
| Next Name: | Houston Rockets |
The 1970–71 NBA season was the Rockets' 4th season in the NBA.[1] It was also the team's final season in San Diego, as the franchise relocated to Houston, Texas following the season.
See main article: article and 1970 NBA draft.
| 1970–71 NBA Records | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | ATL | BAL | BOS | BUF | CHI | CIN | CLE | DET | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SDR | SFW | SEA |
| — | 3–3 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 0–5 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 3–2 | ||
| 3–3 | — | 3–3 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | ||
| 4–2 | 3–3 | — | 4–0 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 0–6 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | ||
| 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | — | 0–4 | 0–4 | 5–7 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 6–6 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | ||
| 4–1 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 4–0 | — | 4–0 | 4–0 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 6–0 | 4–2 | 3–2 | ||
| 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 0–4 | — | 5–1 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 1–4 | ||
| 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 7–5 | 0–4 | 1–5 | — | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–10 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | ||
| 5–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–2 | — | 2–3 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 3–1 | ||
| 2–3 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 3–2 | — | 1–4 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | ||
| 4–1 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 4–1 | — | 1–4 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 6–0 | 5–1 | ||
| 3–3 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 4–1 | — | 2–4 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | ||
| 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 4–2 | — | 3–2 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | ||
| 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 2–3 | — | 4–0 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–2 | ||
| 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 6–6 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 10–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | — | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–4 | ||
| San Diego | 3–2 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 0–6 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–0 | — | 2–4 | 5–1 | |
| 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | — | 3–3 | ||
| 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | — | ||
| 1970–71 Game log | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | October 13 | 96–111 | Stu Lantz (24) | 0–1 | ||
| 2 | October 14 | 105–123 | John Trapp (20) | 0–2 | ||
| 3 | October 16 | 119–127 | Elvin Hayes (34) | 0–3 | ||
| 4 | October 17 | 102–93 | Elvin Hayes (30) | 1–3 | ||
| 5 | October 20 | 114–115 | Stu Lantz (43) | 2–3 | ||
| 6 | October 22 | 110–140 | Elvin Hayes (40) | 3–3 | ||
| 7 | October 24 | Philadelphia | 111–116 | John Block (32) | 4–3 | |
| 8 | October 25 | @ Phoenix | 98–117 | Hayes, Murphy (29) | 4–4 | |
| 9 | October 27 | 113–126 | Elvin Hayes (34) | 4–5 | ||
| 10 | October 28 | @ Cleveland | 110–99 | Elvin Hayes (40) | 5–5 | |
| 11 | October 29 | 107–114 | Calvin Murphy (23) | 5–6 | ||
| 12 | October 31 | 121–117 | Elvin Hayes (32) | 6–6 | ||
| 13 | November 4 | New York | 109–100 | Stu Lantz (28) | 6–7 | |
| 14 | November 6 | Baltimore | 125–118 | Elvin Hayes (35) | 6–8 | |
| 15 | November 7 | 102–114 | Elvin Hayes (45) | 6–9 | ||
| 16 | November 11 | 120–127 | Stu Lantz (38) | 7–9 | ||
| 17 | November 13 | San Francisco | 107–102 | Stu Lantz (23) | 7–10 | |
| 18 | November 14 | 101–112 | Stu Lantz (29) | 8–10 | ||
| 19 | November 16 | 136–118 | Elvin Hayes (29) | 9–10 | ||
| 20 | November 18 | Milwaukee | 117–111 | Don Adams (23) | 9–11 | |
| 21 | November 20 | 106–121 | Elvin Hayes (50) | 10–11 | ||
| 22 | November 21 | @ Seattle | 115–114 | Elvin Hayes (33) | 11–11 | |
| 23 | November 24 | @ Detroit | 104–111 | Hayes, Siegfried (28) | 11–12 | |
| 24 | November 25 | @ Cincinnati | 138–120 | Elvin Hayes (48) | 12–12 | |
| 25 | November 27 | Atlanta | 127–128 | Don Adams (33) | 13–12 | |
| 26 | November 28 | @ Phoenix | 117–116 | Elvin Hayes (37) | 14–12 | |
| 27 | November 29 | 112–130 | Don Adams (28) | 14–13 | ||
| 28 | December 1 | @ Portland | 120–114 | Elvin Hayes (37) | 15–13 | |
| 29 | December 5 | Los Angeles | 116–119 | Elvin Hayes (38) | 16–13 | |
| 30 | December 6 | @ Phoenix | 102–108 | Elvin Hayes (31) | 16–14 | |
| 31 | December 11 | Phoenix | 104–110 | Elvin Hayes (33) | 17–14 | |
| 32 | December 12 | @ Chicago | 98–103 | Elvin Hayes (25) | 17–15 | |
| 33 | December 13 | @ Cleveland | 118–95 | Elvin Hayes (40) | 18–15 | |
| 34 | December 15 | @ Philadelphia | 98–122 | Don Adams (16) | 18–16 | |
| 35 | December 16 | @ Atlanta | 117–128 | Stu Lantz (31) | 18–17 | |
| 36 | December 18 | Detroit | 129–116 | Elvin Hayes (23) | 18–18 | |
| 37 | December 19 | N Portland | 118–108 | Elvin Hayes (35) | 19–18 | |
| 38 | December 20 | @ Seattle | 110–108 | Elvin Hayes (35) | 20–18 | |
| 39 | December 23 | Atlanta | 102–133 | Elvin Hayes (29) | 21–18 | |
| 40 | December 27 | Chicago | 110–101 | Elvin Hayes (28) | 21–19 | |
| 41 | December 29 | 110–108 | Elvin Hayes (37) | 21–20 | ||
| 42 | January 1 | @ Los Angeles | 117–106 | Elvin Hayes (40) | 22–20 | |
| 43 | January 2 | Los Angeles | 108–109 (OT) | Elvin Hayes (25) | 23–20 | |
| 44 | January 5 | @ Chicago | 103–116 | Calvin Murphy (36) | 23–21 | |
| 45 | January 6 | @ Detroit | 99–100 | Elvin Hayes (23) | 23–22 | |
| 46 | January 8 | San Francisco | 120–117 | Elvin Hayes (28) | 23–23 | |
| 47 | January 9 | @ San Francisco | 103–109 | Don Adams (21) | 23–24 | |
| 48 | January 15 | Baltimore | 124–117 | Elvin Hayes (29) | 23–25 | |
| 49 | January 17 | Philadelphia | 106–105 | Stu Lantz (28) | 23–26 | |
| 50 | January 19 | @ New York | 113–117 (OT) | Elvin Hayes (29) | 23–27 | |
| 51 | January 20 | @ Boston | 112–142 | Elvin Hayes (30) | 23–28 | |
| 52 | January 22 | @ Buffalo | 94–101 | Elvin Hayes (30) | 23–29 | |
| 53 | January 23 | @ Baltimore | 120–127 | Stu Lantz (26) | 23–30 | |
| 54 | January 25 | Buffalo | 106–114 | Stu Lantz (37) | 24–30 | |
| 55 | January 27 | Chicago | 111–106 | Stu Lantz (26) | 24–31 | |
| 56 | January 29 | @ Detroit | 104–131 | Stu Lantz (27) | 24–32 | |
| 57 | January 30 | @ Cincinnati | 110–116 | Elvin Hayes (44) | 24–33 | |
| 58 | January 31 | @ Atlanta | 120–131 | Elvin Hayes (39) | 24–34 | |
| 59 | February 2 | @ Los Angeles | 105–133 | Elvin Hayes (27) | 24–35 | |
| 60 | February 3 | Milwaukee | 108–101 | Elvin Hayes (41) | 24–36 | |
| 61 | February 5 | Cleveland | 105–116 | Elvin Hayes (32) | 25–36 | |
| 62 | February 6 | Los Angeles | 115–108 | Elvin Hayes (33) | 25–37 | |
| 63 | February 7 | @ Seattle | 124–107 | Elvin Hayes (32) | 26–37 | |
| 64 | February 9 | Seattle | 115–132 | Elvin Hayes (36) | 27–37 | |
| 65 | February 11 | San Francisco | 111–119 | Stu Lantz (31) | 28–37 | |
| 66 | February 13 | Cincinnati | 116–120 | Don Adams (24) | 29–37 | |
| 67 | February 18 | New York | 116–115 | Elvin Hayes (33) | 29–38 | |
| 68 | February 19 | @ San Francisco | 109–103 | Calvin Murphy (30) | 30–38 | |
| 69 | February 20 | Boston | 118–128 | Elvin Hayes (33) | 31–38 | |
| 70 | February 23 | @ New York | 126–109 | Hayes, Murphy (29) | 32–38 | |
| 71 | February 24 | @ Milwaukee | 104–139 | Elvin Hayes (23) | 32–39 | |
| 72 | March 2 | @ Philadelphia | 111–103 | Calvin Murphy (27) | 33–39 | |
| 73 | March 3 | @ Boston | 113–128 | Elvin Hayes (35) | 33–40 | |
| 74 | March 5 | Seattle | 111–110 | Hayes, Lantz (27) | 33–41 | |
| 75 | March 6 | N Chicago | 99–105 | Elvin Hayes (27) | 33–42 | |
| 76 | March 7 | Portland | 121–135 | Elvin Hayes (39) | 34–42 | |
| 77 | March 9 | Buffalo | 96–106 | Elvin Hayes (27) | 35–42 | |
| 78 | March 11 | Boston | 91–115 | Stu Lantz (29) | 36–42 | |
| 79 | March 13 | Baltimore | 115–121 | John Block (30) | 37–42 | |
| 80 | March 17 | Detroit | 99–106 | Elvin Hayes (28) | 38–42 | |
| 81 | March 19 | Milwaukee | 99–111 | John Trapp (24) | 39–42 | |
| 82 | March 21 | Phoenix | 114–132 | Elvin Hayes (34) | 40–42 |