The 1987–88 NBA season was the Rockets' 21st season in the NBA and 17th season in the city of Houston.[1] The Rockets finished fourth in the Midwest Division with a 46–36 record. Akeem Olajuwon was selected for the 1988 NBA All-Star Game. In the first round of the playoffs, the Rockets lost in four games to the Dallas Mavericks.
See main article: 1987 NBA draft.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College/Club team | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 35 | SG/SF | Purdue | |||
| 4 | 82 | Lewis | ||||
| 5 | 104 | Northeastern | ||||
| 6 | 129 | Tennessee | ||||
| 7 | 151 | Campbell |
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot
| 1987-88 NBA Records | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAC | SAS | SEA | UTA | WAS |
| — | 2–4 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 5–0 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | ||
| 4–2 | — | 3–3 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | ||
| 3–2 | 3–3 | — | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | ||
| 1–5 | 3–2 | 3–3 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 6–0 | ||
| 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 3–3 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | ||
| 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | — | 1–1 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | ||
| 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | ||
| 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 0–2 | — | 0–5 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 | ||
| Houston | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 5–0 | — | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | |
| 2–4 | 0–5 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | ||
| 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 1–1 | — | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 | ||
| L.A. Lakers | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | — | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | |
| 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | ||
| 0–5 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | — | 3–3 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–6 | ||
| 3–3 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | — | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | ||
| 0–6 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | ||
| 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 0–6 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 0–2 | ||
| 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 6–0 | — | 4–1 | 5–0 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 2–0 | ||
| 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–4 | — | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | ||
| 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 5–0 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 3–3 | — | 3–2 | 3–3 | 0–2 | ||
| 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–3 | — | 1–4 | 2–0 | ||
| 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | — | 2–0 | ||
| Washington | 3–3 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 6–0 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — | |
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 2|
9:30p.m. CST| @ L.A. Lakers| L 92–101| Olajuwon (26)| Olajuwon (11)| Conner,
Leavell (4)| The Forum
17,505| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 5|
7:30p.m. CST| Utah| W 101–93| Olajuwon (19)| Olajuwon (16)| Leavell,
Maxwell (3)| The Summit
16,614| 4–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 9|
6:30p.m. CST| @ Atlanta| L 94–104| Olajuwon (17)| Sampson (9)| Leavell,
McCray (7)| The Omni
16,451| 6–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 10|
7:00p.m. CST| Detroit| L 83–97| Olajuwon (21)| Olajuwon (15)| Short (5)| The Summit
16,611| 6–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 12|
8:30p.m. CST| @ Utah| L 96–118| Sampson (19)| Sampson (11)| Conner,
McCray (3)| Salt Palace
12,212| 7–5|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 18|
7:30p.m. CST| Utah| W 98–93| Leavell (20)| Olajuwon (14)| Leavell (8)| The Summit
16,611| 11–7|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 23|
7:30p.m. CST| Atlanta| W 122–103| Floyd (27)| McCray,
Olajuwon (13)| McCray (9)| The Summit
16,611| 12–11|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 24|
7:30p.m. CST| @ Dallas| L 100–105| Olajuwon (24)| Olajuwon (14)| Leavell (7)| Reunion Arena
17,007| 12–12|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 25|
6:30p.m. CST| @ Detroit| W 101–91| Carroll (25)| Olajuwon (14)| Floyd (6)| Pontiac Silverdome
26,498| 13–12|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 28|
7:30p.m. CST| Dallas| W 117–107| Olajuwon (31)| Olajuwon (11)| Floyd (11)| The Summit
16,611| 16–12|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 35|
4:00p.m. CST| @ L.A. Lakers| L 110–121| Olajuwon (24)| Olajuwon (9)| Floyd (7)| The Forum
17,505| 20–15|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 40|
7:30p.m. CST| @ Dallas| W 108–92| Olajuwon (29)| McCray (12)| Floyd (8)| Reunion Arena
17,007| 23–17|- align="center"|colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break|- style="background:#cfc;"|- bgcolor="#bbffbb"|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 43|
7:30p.m. CST| Boston| W 129–120| Olajuwon (30)| Olajuwon (16)| Floyd (7)| The Summit
16,611| 26–17|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 48|
7:30p.m. CST| L.A. Lakers| L 96–111| Olajuwon (20)| Olajuwon (20)| Floyd (6)| The Summit
16,611| 29–19|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 51|
7:30p.m. CST| Dallas| L 106–108| Floyd (22)| McCray (13)| Floyd (11)| The Summit
16,611| 31–20|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 54|
8:30p.m. CST| @ Utah| L 112–113| Olajuwon (27)| McCray (13)| Short (5)| Salt Palace
12,444| 32–22|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 56|
7:00p.m. CST| @ Dallas| L 110–118| Olajuwon,
Short (22)| Olajuwon (12)| Leavell,
Reid (7)| Reunion Arena
17,007| 33–23|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 64|
9:30p.m. CST| @ L.A. Lakers| L 95–117| Carroll (16)| Olajuwon (10)| Leavell (6)| The Forum
17,505| 38–26|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 68|
6:30p.m. CST| @ Boston| L 110–117| Johnson (18)| McCray (10)| Floyd,
Short (5)| Boston Garden
14,890| 40–28|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 72|
7:30p.m. CDT| Utah| W 113–107| Olajuwon (22)| Olajuwon (15)| Olajuwon (6)| The Summit
16,611| 42–30|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 78|
12Noon CDT| L.A. Lakers| W 127–119| Olajuwon (38)| Carroll (10)| Floyd (9)| The Summit
16,611| 45–33|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 79|
7:30p.m. CDT| Dallas| L 96–104| Olajuwon (33)| Olajuwon (9)| Floyd (8)| The Summit
16,611| 45–34|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 81|
8:30p.m. CDT| @ Utah| L 107–125| Carroll (24)| Olajuwon (12)| Floyd (7)| Salt Palace
12,444| 45–36
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1|
7:30p.m. CDT| @ Dallas| L 110–120| Olajuwon (34)| Olajuwon (14)| Floyd (11)| Reunion Arena
17,007| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2|
2:30p.m. CDT| @ Dallas| W 119–108| Floyd (42)| Olajuwon (26)| Floyd (9)| Reunion Arena
17,007| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 3|
7:30p.m. CDT| Dallas| L 92–93| Olajuwon (35)| Olajuwon (12)| Floyd (5)| The Summit
16,611| 1–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 4|
7:00p.m. CDT| Dallas| L 97–107| Olajuwon (40)| Olajuwon (15)| Floyd (9)| The Summit
16,611| 1–3|-