The 1971-72 NBA season was the Rockets' 5th season in the NBA and 1st season in the city of Houston[1] following their relocation from San Diego, where the franchise played its first four seasons prior to moving to becoming the first NBA franchise in Texas.
See main article: article and 1971 NBA draft.
| 1971–72 NBA Records | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | ATL | BAL | BOS | BUF | CHI | CIN | CLE | DET | GSW | HOU | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SEA |
| — | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–5 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–4 | ||
| 4–2 | — | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 2–3 | ||
| 4–0 | 2–2 | — | 6–0 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 2–3 | 4–0 | 2–3 | ||
| 2–4 | 3–3 | 0–6 | — | 1–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 0–4 | 2–4 | 0–4 | ||
| 5–0 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | — | 3–1 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 2–3 | ||
| 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–3 | — | 6–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 0–4 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 0–5 | ||
| 2–4 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 2–6 | — | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–4 | ||
| 2–3 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 3–1 | — | 0–5 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 | ||
| 2–3 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 5–0 | — | 5–1 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | ||
| Houston | 4–1 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 4–0 | 1–5 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–5 | — | 1–5 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | |
| 5–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | — | 4–1 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 5–1 | ||
| 3–2 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 1–4 | — | 2–3 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 6–0 | ||
| 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 3–2 | — | 3–3 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 3–2 | ||
| 3–3 | 0–4 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 1–4 | 3–3 | — | 1–4 | 2–2 | 4–1 | ||
| 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 4–1 | 4–1 | — | 6–0 | 3–2 | ||
| 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–6 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–6 | — | 0–6 | ||
| 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 6–0 | — | ||
| 1971–72 Game log | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | October 14 | 105–94 | Rudy Tomjanovich (28) | 0–1 | ||
| 2 | October 16 | 108–128 | Elvin Hayes (26) | 0–2 | ||
| 3 | October 17 | 99–112 | Calvin Murphy (26) | 0–3 | ||
| 4 | October 20 | 110–125 | Stu Lantz (33) | 0–4 | ||
| 5 | October 22 | 91–110 | Rudy Tomjanovich (18) | 0–5 | ||
| 6 | October 24 | 113–103 | Elvin Hayes (35) | 0–6 | ||
| 7 | October 26 | @ Detroit | 104–103 | Elvin Hayes (30) | 1–6 | |
| 8 | October 27 | 97–108 | Rudy Tomjanovich (25) | 1–7 | ||
| 9 | October 28 | 94–112 | Calvin Murphy (21) | 1–8 | ||
| 10 | October 31 | 87–102 | Cliff Meely (19) | 2–8 | ||
| 11 | November 3 | New York | 117–98 | Rudy Tomjanovich (26) | 2–9 | |
| 12 | November 4 | 112–110 | Elvin Hayes (28) | 2–10 | ||
| 13 | November 7 | 109–106 | Elvin Hayes (38) | 2–11 | ||
| 14 | November 9 | 99–115 | Stu Lantz (30) | 2–12 | ||
| 15 | November 10 | Boston | 142–103 | Elvin Hayes (30) | 2–13 | |
| 16 | November 12 | 102–111 | Stu Lantz (26) | 2–14 | ||
| 17 | November 13 | @ Chicago | 102–111 | Elvin Hayes (33) | 2–15 | |
| 18 | November 16 | @ Baltimore | 107–110 | Elvin Hayes (31) | 2–16 | |
| 19 | November 17 | @ Philadelphia | 118–112 | Elvin Hayes (33) | 3–16 | |
| 20 | November 19 | @ Los Angeles | 99–106 | Elvin Hayes (26) | 3–17 | |
| 21 | November 21 | N Golden State | 115–96 | Mike Newlin (31) | 4–17 | |
| 22 | November 24 | Philadelphia | 108–109 | Hayes, Tomjanovich (27) | 5–17 | |
| 23 | November 28 | Phoenix | 116–110 | Elvin Hayes (30) | 5–18 | |
| 24 | November 30 | @ Buffalo | 115–101 | Lantz, Murphy (18) | 6–18 | |
| 25 | December 1 | 106–116 | Lantz, Murphy (24) | 6–19 | ||
| 26 | December 3 | @ Detroit | 112–113 | Elvin Hayes (35) | 6–20 | |
| 27 | December 4 | @ Boston | 107–117 | Elvin Hayes (28) | 6–21 | |
| 28 | December 8 | Los Angeles | 125–120 | Elvin Hayes (31) | 6–22 | |
| 29 | December 10 | 88–95 | Stu Lantz (28) | 7–22 | ||
| 30 | December 11 | @ Phoenix | 111–110 | Hayes, Murphy (24) | 8–22 | |
| 31 | December 12 | Seattle | 98–100 | Elvin Hayes (34) | 9–22 | |
| 32 | December 14 | @ Milwaukee | 98–106 | Cliff Meely (20) | 9–23 | |
| 33 | December 15 | @ Atlanta | 117–115 (OT) | Stu Lantz (30) | 10–23 | |
| 34 | December 17 | @ Chicago | 109–98 | Stu Lantz (31) | 11–23 | |
| 35 | December 18 | 126–116 | Elvin Hayes (29) | 12–23 | ||
| 36 | December 21 | @ Portland | 132–119 | Elvin Hayes (44) | 13–23 | |
| 37 | December 26 | @ Los Angeles | 115–137 | Elvin Hayes (33) | 13–24 | |
| 38 | December 29 | Phoenix | 124–106 | Stu Lantz (19) | 13–25 | |
| 39 | December 30 | Atlanta | 115–129 | Elvin Hayes (42) | 14–25 | |
| 40 | January 2 | Detroit | 109–107 | Elvin Hayes (26) | 14–26 | |
| 41 | January 4 | Seattle | 110–119 | Calvin Murphy (28) | 15–26 | |
| 42 | January 5 | Boston | 113–105 | Elvin Hayes (25) | 15–27 | |
| 43 | January 9 | Golden State | 113–112 | Calvin Murphy (25) | 15–28 | |
| 44 | January 11 | @ Seattle | 126–141 | Elvin Hayes (42) | 15–29 | |
| 45 | January 15 | Cleveland | 109–112 | Elvin Hayes (30) | 16–29 | |
| 46 | January 16 | New York | 109–108 | Elvin Hayes (24) | 16–30 | |
| 47 | January 20 | @ Cincinnati | 104–87 | Elvin Hayes (27) | 17–30 | |
| 48 | January 21 | @ Boston | 105–110 | Rudy Tomjanovich (25) | 17–31 | |
| 49 | January 22 | @ Chicago | 108–115 | Elvin Hayes (23) | 17–32 | |
| 50 | January 23 | @ Detroit | 109–107 | Stu Lantz (32) | 18–32 | |
| 51 | January 25 | Portland | 104–118 | Elvin Hayes (27) | 19–32 | |
| 52 | January 26 | N Chicago | 108–117 | Elvin Hayes (36) | 19–33 | |
| 53 | January 28 | @ Los Angeles | 105–118 | Elvin Hayes (33) | 19–34 | |
| 54 | February 2 | N Seattle | 88–111 | Greg Smith (23) | 20–34 | |
| 55 | February 4 | @ Portland | 113–114 | Elvin Hayes (28) | 20–35 | |
| 56 | February 5 | Milwaukee | 119–112 | Stu Lantz (30) | 20–36 | |
| 57 | February 6 | Atlanta | 113–120 | Calvin Murphy (27) | 21–36 | |
| 58 | February 8 | N Seattle | 127–119 | Elvin Hayes (31) | 21–37 | |
| 59 | February 11 | Baltimore | 95–116 | Calvin Murphy (28) | 22–37 | |
| 60 | February 13 | Cincinnati | 111–112 | Calvin Murphy (31) | 23–37 | |
| 61 | February 14 | @ Philadelphia | 130–116 | Elvin Hayes (28) | 24–37 | |
| 62 | February 15 | @ Baltimore | 98–113 | Elvin Hayes (31) | 24–38 | |
| 63 | February 16 | @ New York | 100–110 | Elvin Hayes (26) | 24–39 | |
| 64 | February 18 | @ Buffalo | 108–96 | Elvin Hayes (27) | 25–39 | |
| 65 | February 23 | N Los Angeles | 110–115 | Elvin Hayes (33) | 26–39 | |
| 66 | February 26 | Detroit | 106–122 | Elvin Hayes (36) | 27–39 | |
| 67 | February 27 | Golden State | 117–104 | Elvin Hayes (33) | 27–40 | |
| 68 | March 1 | N Cincinnati | 108–96 | Hayes, Lantz (26) | 28–40 | |
| 69 | March 3 | N Golden State | 107–108 | Rudy Tomjanovich (26) | 28–41 | |
| 70 | March 4 | Cleveland | 130–123 | Stu Lantz (31) | 28–42 | |
| 71 | March 5 | Chicago | 128–97 | Calvin Murphy (28) | 28–43 | |
| 72 | March 9 | N Portland | 111–114 | Rudy Tomjanovich (29) | 29–43 | |
| 73 | March 10 | Golden State | 119–116 | Calvin Murphy (35) | 29–44 | |
| 74 | March 11 | Buffalo | 100–121 | Stu Lantz (29) | 30–44 | |
| 75 | March 12 | Philadelphia | 112–121 | Rudy Tomjanovich (33) | 31–44 | |
| 76 | March 16 | New York | 103–102 | Elvin Hayes (37) | 31–45 | |
| 77 | March 18 | Milwaukee | 120–116 (OT) | Elvin Hayes (39) | 31–46 | |
| 78 | March 21 | @ Milwaukee | 94–111 | Calvin Murphy (21) | 31–47 | |
| 79 | March 22 | @ Atlanta | 106–107 | Stu Lantz (29) | 31–48 | |
| 80 | March 24 | @ Cleveland | 127–119 | Rudy Tomjanovich (35) | 32–48 | |
| 81 | March 25 | @ Baltimore | 106–85 | Calvin Murphy (27) | 33–48 | |
| 82 | March 26 | Portland | 109–131 | Elvin Hayes (30) | 34–48 |