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The Houston Rockets have been one of the most successful franchises in NBA history in terms of regular-season win percentage (seventh all-time), and they have entered the NBA Playoffs in 13 seasons since 2000. Here, we will discuss the team's greatest starting 5 of the 21st century.
Houston Rockets' greatest starting 5 of the 21st century
The Rockets' 13 NBA Playoffs appearances since 2000 are the second-highest among teams without an NBA championship during that stretch (the Indiana Pacers have 15).
Of course, many players have been essential pieces of the Houston Rockets set-up since 2000, and that has been the method of regular-season success for the franchise. The Rockets have 13 straight seasons with a winning record, which is huge, considering the San Antonio Spurs hold the record with 22.
In this list, we will take a look at the five players who have helped the Rockets find regular-season success since 2000.
Without further ado, let us start.
Point Guard - Chris Paul
Chris Paul played just two years with the Houston Rockets but, with him on the squad, they were able to challenge the almighty Golden State Warriors team that had Kevin Durant.
CP3 averaged 17 points, eight assists and five rebounds for the Houston Rockets on 44% shooting from the field in 116 regular-season games. He helped the team achieve their only season with at least 60 wins in their history, with a league-best 65-17 record in the 2017-18 NBA season.
In the 2018 NBA Playoffs, Paul averaged 21-6-6 on 46% shooting and was the main reason why the Houston Rockets had a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference Finals against Golden State. However, a hamstring injury forced him to miss games six and seven, and Houston lost the series.
His short time at Houston was still huge for the team's NBA title aspirations, and an NBA Finals appearance was on the cards without his injuries.
Shooting Guard - James Harden
James Harden got traded to the Houston Rockets before the 2012-13 NBA season and has been the franchise player ever since.
Harden had started just seven of his 220 games for the OKC Thunder in his first three seasons but he became a superstar with the Houston Rockets.
Harden averages 30 points, eight assists, and six rebounds per game for Houston.
Moreover, he has led the NBA in scoring three times, once in assists, and earned an MVP, eight All-Star appearances and seven All-NBA selections; all after joining the Houston Rockets.
Small Forward - Tracy McGrady
Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady played 303 for the Houston Rockets between 2004 and 2010 and was stellar for the franchise.
McGrady formed a nice duo with Hall of Fame center Yao Ming and made the NBA Playoffs together in four of their five seasons. The duo helped ignite the Houston Rockets' largest winning streak (22 straight wins) in franchise history back in 2008.
T-Mac made three All-Star teams and three All-NBA teams with the Houston Rockets.
In his first season with the Houston Rockets, McGrady led the team in Win Shares, with 12 (seventh in the NBA) and in Value over Replacement with 6.9 (fourth in the NBA).
McGrady played in the Rockets' playoffs in three different years and averaged 28 points per game in 20 appearances. He also averaged seven rebounds and seven assists in the NBA Playoffs with the Houston Rockets.
Power Forward - Dwight Howard
Though he is one of the best defensive centers in NBA history and arguably a Top-10 center in the history of the league, Dwight Howard is at the power forward position in our list (he was listed as PF in his first two years).
Howard did not have explosive offensive seasons for the Houston Rockets in his three years with the team, but 16 points and 12 rebounds per game on 60% shooting is great by any standards (though he was expected to do more than that).
Howard helped the Houston Rockets reach their first Conference Finals since 1997 in the 2014-15 NBA season. He played 183 games for the Rockets and averaged two blocks a game.
The big man also made one All-Star team and received one All-NBA selection during his stint with the Houston Rockets.
In his first year at Houston, Howard led the team in rebounds, blocks, Defensive Rating and Defensive Win Shares.
Center - Yao Ming
Yao Ming was selected first by the Houston Rockets in the 2002 NBA Draft, and he was the best center of the franchise in the 21st century.
Though injures hindered his entire career, Yao played 486 games for the Houston Rockets between 2002 and 2011. He was an All-Star eight times and earned All-NBA recognition five times.
Yao averaged 19 points and nine rebounds per game in his NBA career (regular season. In the NBA Playoffs, he averaged 20 points and nine rebounds per game.
He helped Houston win a first-round matchup for the first time since 1997 back in 2009. In the second round, the team pushed Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers to seven games, but Yao missed four of those games due to a broken foot.
The Lakers eventually won the 2009 NBA title, and the Rockets were the only team to beat them more than twice in the playoffs.
