2003–04 Houston Rockets season

The 2003–04 NBA season was the Rockets' 37th season in the National Basketball Association, and their 33rd season in the city of Houston.^[1] The season saw the Rockets move their home games from Compaq Center to the new Toyota Center. During the offseason, the Rockets hired head coach Jeff Van Gundy, who is best known for his tenure with the New York Knicks, and signed free agent Jim Jackson. Midway through the season, they signed free agent point guard Mark Jackson. The Rockets finished fifth in the Midwest Division with a 45–37 record, and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 1999 as the number 7 seed in the Western Conference. Second-year star Yao Ming and Steve Francis were both selected for the 2004 NBA All-Star Game. However, the Rockets were eliminated from the first round of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Lakers, who added Karl Malone and Gary Payton to join Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, in five games. This also marked Francis' only playoff appearance in his career. Following the season, he was traded along with Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato to the Orlando Magic,^[2] and Mark Jackson retired.

2003–04 Houston Rockets season
Head coach	Jeff Van Gundy
Arena	Toyota Center
Results
Record	45–37 (.549)
Place	Division: 5th (Midwest) Conference: 7th (Western)
Playoff finish	First round (lost to Lakers 1–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	KNWS-51, KIAH
< 2002–03 2004–05 >

For the season, the team sported new uniforms and a new logo, they remained in used until 2019.

Offseason

NBA draft

Main article: 2003 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club
2	44	Malick Badiane	Forward	Senegal	Langen (Germany)

Roster

2003–04 Houston Rockets roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From F/C 13 Cato, Kelvin 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 275 lb (125 kg) Iowa State G 3 Francis, Steve 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Maryland G/F 7 Griffin, Adrian  6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 217 lb (98 kg) Seton Hall F 21 Jackson, Jim 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Ohio State G 31 Jackson, Mark 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) St. John's G/F 5 Mobley, Cuttino 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Rhode Island F 9 Nachbar, Boštjan 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 221 lb (100 kg) Slovenia F 35 Padgett, Scott 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Kentucky G/F 52 Piatkowski, Eric 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Nebraska F/C 2 Taylor, Maurice 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 265 lb (120 kg) Michigan F 30 Weatherspoon, Clarence 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Southern Miss G 29 Wilks, Mike 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Rice C 11 Yao Ming 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) 310 lb (141 kg) China

Head coach Jeff Van Gundy (Nazareth) Assistant coach(es) Tom Thibodeau (Salem State) Steve Clifford Patrick Ewing Andy Greer Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster

Regular season

Season standings

Midwest Division v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Minnesota Timberwolves	58	24	.707	–	31–10	27–14	14–10
x-San Antonio Spurs	57	25	.695	1	33–8	24–17	15–9
x-Dallas Mavericks	52	30	.634	6	36–5	16–25	14–10
x-Memphis Grizzlies	50	32	.610	8	31–10	19–22	12–12
x-Houston Rockets	45	37	.549	13	27–14	18–23	8–16
x-Denver Nuggets	43	39	.524	15	29–12	14–27	11–13
Utah Jazz	42	40	.512	16	28–13	14–27	10–14

#	Western Conference v t e
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	c-Minnesota Timberwolves	58	24	.707	–
2	y-Los Angeles Lakers	56	26	.683	2
3	x-San Antonio Spurs	57	25	.695	1
4	x-Sacramento Kings	55	27	.671	3
5	x-Dallas Mavericks	52	30	.634	6
6	x-Memphis Grizzlies	50	32	.610	8
7	x-Houston Rockets	45	37	.549	13
8	x-Denver Nuggets	43	39	.524	15
9	Utah Jazz	42	40	.512	16
10	Portland Trail Blazers	41	41	.500	17
11	Seattle SuperSonics	37	45	.451	21
12	Golden State Warriors	37	45	.451	21
13	Phoenix Suns	29	53	.354	29
14	Los Angeles Clippers	28	54	.341	30

Record vs. opponents

2003-04 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BOS	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	LAC	LAL	MEM	MIA	MIL	MIN	NJN	NOH	NYK	ORL	PHI	PHO	POR	SAC	SAS	SEA	TOR	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	—	3–1	3–1	1–3	2–0	2–0	1–3	0–2	0–2	0–4	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	2–2	1–1	1–3	2–2	0–3	1–3	1–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	0–2	2–2
Boston	1–3	—	1–2	3–1	1–1	2–0	0–3	2–0	1–1	1–3	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–2	1–3	1–1	2–2	0–4	1–3	3–1	3–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–1	1–1	3–1
Chicago	1–3	2–1	—	2–2	0–2	0–2	0–4	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–4	1–3	0–2	0–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	0–4	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	4–0	1–1	1–3
Cleveland	3–1	1–3	2–2	—	0–2	0–2	2–2	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–2	2–2	0–2	1–2	3–1	4–0	2–1	3–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–3	1–1	2–2
Dallas	0–2	1–1	2–0	2–0	—	2–2	1–1	3–1	3–1	0–2	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–1	2–2	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	3–1	3–1	3–1	3–1	3–1	1–1	2–2	1–1
Denver	0–2	0–2	2–0	2–0	2–2	—	0–2	3–1	2–2	0–2	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–1	2–0	1–3	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	4–0	4–0	2–2	1–3	2–2	0–2	3–1	2–0
Detroit	3–1	3–0	4–0	2–2	1–1	2–0	—	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–0	1–1	2–0	4–0	3–1	0–2	2–2	1–3	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–1	1–1	3–0
Golden State	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–3	1–3	1–1	—	2–2	0–2	2–2	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–1	2–2	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–1	2–2	1–1
Houston	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–3	2–2	1–1	2–2	—	1–1	4–0	2–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	2–2	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–3	3–1	0–4	0–4	1–3	1–1	2–2	2–0
Indiana	4–0	3–1	3–1	3–1	2–0	2–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	—	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–0	1–3	1–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	3–1	4–0	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	4–0	2–0	2–1
L.A. Clippers	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	2–2	0–4	0–2	—	1–3	0–4	0–2	2–0	0–4	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–2	0–4	1–3	0–4	1–1	1–3	0–2
L.A. Lakers	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–2	3–1	1–1	3–1	2–2	1–1	3–1	—	2–2	2–0	2–0	1–3	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–2	1–3	3–1	3–1	2–0	3–1	2–0
Memphis	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–2	2–2	0–2	3–1	3–1	1–1	4–0	2–2	—	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–2	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	2–0	1–3	2–0
Miami	3–1	2–2	4–0	2–2	1–1	1–1	0–4	1–1	1–1	0–3	2–0	0–2	1–1	—	1–2	0–2	3–2	3–1	1–3	4–0	1–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–1	1–1	4–0
Milwaukee	2–2	3–1	3–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–1	0–2	3–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–1	—	0–2	3–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	2–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	3–1	1–1	3–1
Minnesota	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–2	3–1	2–0	2–2	2–2	1–1	4–0	3–1	3–1	2–0	2–0	—	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	4–0	1–3	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	2–2	2–0
New Jersey	3–1	2–2	3–0	2–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–3	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–3	1–3	1–1	—	2–1	3–1	4–0	3–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	1–1	4–0
New Orleans	2–2	4–0	2–2	1–3	0–2	1–1	3–1	2–0	0–2	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	3–1	0–2	1–2	—	1–2	4–0	2–2	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–1	3–1
New York	3–0	3–1	2–2	0–4	0–2	1–1	1–3	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–1	2–2	1–1	1–3	2–1	—	3–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–1	0–2	4–0
Orlando	3–1	1–3	1–3	1–2	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–1	0–2	1–3	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–4	1–3	0–2	0–4	0–4	1–3	—	2–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–2	1–1	4–0
Philadelphia	2–1	1–3	4–0	1–3	1–1	0–2	2–2	1–1	0–2	0–4	1–1	1–1	0–2	3–1	1–2	1–1	1–3	2–2	1–3	2–2	—	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–1	1–3	0–2	2–2
Phoenix	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–3	0–4	0–2	2–2	3–1	0–2	1–3	1–3	2–2	1–1	1–1	0–4	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	—	2–2	1–3	0–4	2–2	0–2	1–3	1–1
Portland	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–3	0–4	0–2	2–2	1–3	1–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	—	3–1	0–4	2–2	1–1	2–2	1–1
Sacramento	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–3	2–2	2–0	2–2	4–0	2–0	4–0	3–1	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–3	—	2–2	3–1	2–0	3–1	1–1
San Antonio	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–3	3–1	1–1	2–2	4–0	1–1	3–1	1–3	1–3	2–0	1–1	2–2	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	4–0	4–0	2–2	—	4–0	2–0	4–0	2–0
Seattle	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–3	2–2	1–1	1–3	3–1	0–2	4–0	1–3	3–1	0–2	2–0	1–3	0–2	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	2–2	1–3	0–4	—	1–1	1–3	1–1
Toronto	3–1	1–3	0–4	3–1	1–1	2–0	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–4	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–2	1–3	0–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	2–1	3–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	—	1–1	1–3
Utah	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–3	1–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	3–1	1–3	3–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	3–1	2–2	1–3	0–4	3–1	1–1	—	1–1
Washington	2–2	1–3	3–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	0–3	1–1	0–2	1–2	2–0	0–2	0–2	0–4	1–3	0–2	0–4	1–3	0–4	0–4	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–1	1–1	—

Game log

Playoffs

2004 playoff game log
First Round: 1–4 (home: 1–1; road: 0–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 17 @ L.A. Lakers L 71–72 Steve Francis (18) Jim Jackson (12) Steve Francis (5) Staples Center 18,997 0–1 2 April 19 @ L.A. Lakers L 84–98 Yao Ming (21) Steve Francis (10) Steve Francis (12) Staples Center 18,997 0–2 3 April 23 L.A. Lakers W 102–91 Steve Francis (27) Jackson, Yao (10) Steve Francis (7) Toyota Center 18,226 1–2 4 April 25 L.A. Lakers L 88–92 (OT) Steve Francis (17) Jim Jackson (20) Steve Francis (9) Toyota Center 18,219 1–3 5 April 28 @ L.A. Lakers L 78–97 Jim Jackson (17) Kelvin Cato (12) Steve Francis (5) Staples Center 18,997 1–4
2004 schedule

Player statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game

Regular season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Torraye Braggs†	11	0	12.0	.464		.667	3.1	.5	.4	.2	3.1
Kelvin Cato	69	67	25.3	.447		.676	6.8	1.0	.8	1.4	6.1
Alton Ford	9	0	4.6	.545		.500	1.2	.3	.0	.1	1.7
Steve Francis	79	79	40.4	.403	.292	.775	5.5	6.2	1.8	.4	16.6
Adrian Griffin	19	1	7.0	.278	.500	.000	1.0	.5	.4	.1	.6
Jim Jackson	80	80	39.0	.424	.400	.843	6.1	2.8	1.1	.3	12.9
Mark Jackson	42	3	13.7	.340	.171	.718	1.7	2.8	.4	.0	2.5
Yao Ming	82	82	32.8	.522	.000	.809	9.0	1.5	.3	1.9	17.5
Cuttino Mobley	80	80	40.4	.426	.390	.811	4.5	3.2	1.3	.4	15.8
Boštjan Nachbar	45	3	11.5	.356	.365	.724	1.6	.7	.3	.3	3.1
Moochie Norris†	30	0	13.4	.310	.348	.750	1.0	1.6	.5	.1	2.7
Charles Oakley	7	0	3.6	.333		.833	.7	.3	.0	.0	1.3
Scott Padgett	58	5	9.4	.443	.431	.750	2.4	.4	.2	.2	3.4
Eric Piatkowski	49	0	14.3	.377	.352	.875	1.5	.5	.3	.1	4.1
Maurice Taylor	75	10	27.7	.480	.000	.736	5.1	1.4	.6	.6	11.5
Clarence Weatherspoon†	37	0	17.6	.503	.000	.660	4.2	.5	.6	.4	5.6
Mike Wilks	26	0	5.6	.472	.600	.833	.6	.7	.1	.0	1.9

Playoffs

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Kelvin Cato	5	5	29.6	.591		.429	6.8	.4	1.0	.8	5.8
Steve Francis	5	5	44.4	.429	.412	.725	8.4	7.6	1.4	.2	19.2
Jim Jackson	5	5	44.2	.397	.276	.667	10.4	2.0	1.0	.2	14.8
Mark Jackson	5	0	7.6	.167	.000		.6	1.0	.4	.0	.4
Yao Ming	5	5	37.0	.456		.765	7.4	1.8	.4	1.4	15.0
Cuttino Mobley	5	5	42.0	.387	.286	.800	4.8	2.8	.6	.6	14.4
Boštjan Nachbar	5	0	8.2	.444	.333	1.000	1.2	.4	.2	.0	2.8
Scott Padgett	4	0	3.5	.400	.333		.8	.0	.3	.3	1.3
Eric Piatkowski	1	0	4.0	.000			1.0	.0	.0	.0	.0
Maurice Taylor	5	0	23.0	.474		.765	3.2	1.0	.0	.2	9.8
Clarence Weatherspoon	2	0	11.0	.400		.500	2.0	.0	.0	.0	3.5
Mike Wilks	2	0	2.5				.0	.5	.0	.0	.0

• ^† Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Rockets only.

Awards and records

• Yao Ming, All-NBA Third Team

Transactions

References

1. 2003-04 Houston Rockets
2. "Exit T-mac, Enter Steve Francis . . .the 7-player Trade With Houston Is Final. Tracy McGrady Didn't Want To Leave Here". Orlando Sentinel. June 30, 2004. Retrieved August 29, 2017.

See also

• 2003–04 NBA season