# 2006–07 Houston Rockets season

The 2006–07 Houston Rockets season was the 40th season of the Houston Rockets franchise in the NBA. The team ended the regular season with a 52–30 record and a 3rd-place finish in the Southwest. The Rockets faced the Utah Jazz in the playoffs, losing the series in seven games. The Rockets had the third best team defensive rating in the NBA.
With the playoff loss, the Rockets made the decision to fire head coach Jeff Van Gundy on May 18, 2007. Five days later, former San Diego Rockets (now the Houston Rockets) player Rick Adelman was hired in Van Gundy's position.
Like the previous two seasons, Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming once again were selected to play in the 2007 NBA All-Star Game in Las Vegas. However, McGrady was the only team representative as Yao did not play due to an injury. It was Yao's fifth All-Star appearance and the last of seven All-Star appearances for McGrady as later injuries began to slow him down and eventually limit his playing time.

## Pre-season
### NBA draft

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club |
| 1 | 8 | Rudy Gay (traded to Memphis) | Forward | United States | Connecticut |
| 2 | 32 | Steve Novak | Forward | United States | Marquette |

## Roster
### Roster notes

* Jake Tsakalidis was born in the Republic of Georgia, but he represented Greece internationally.
* Bob Sura missed the entire season with a knee injury.

## Regular season
### Standings

| Southwest Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| z-Dallas Mavericks | 67 | 15 | .817 | - | 36–5 | 31–10 | 14–2 |
| x-San Antonio Spurs | 58 | 24 | .707 | 9 | 31–10 | 27–14 | 10–6 |
| x-Houston Rockets | 52 | 30 | .634 | 15 | 28–13 | 24–17 | 8–8 |
| New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets | 39 | 43 | .476 | 28 | 24–17 | 15–26 | 6–10 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 22 | 60 | .268 | 45 | 14–27 | 8–33 | 2–14 |
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Dallas Mavericks | 67 | 15 | .817 | - |
| 2 | y-Phoenix Suns | 61 | 21 | .744 | 6 |
| 3 | x-San Antonio Spurs | 58 | 24 | .707 | 9 |
| 4 | y-Utah Jazz | 51 | 31 | .634 | 16 |
| 5 | x-Houston Rockets | 52 | 30 | .634 | 15 |
| 6 | x-Denver Nuggets | 45 | 37 | .549 | 22 |
| 7 | x-Los Angeles Lakers | 42 | 40 | .512 | 25 |
| 8 | x-Golden State Warriors | 42 | 40 | .512 | 25 |
| 9 | Los Angeles Clippers | 40 | 42 | .488 | 27 |
| 10 | New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets | 39 | 43 | .476 | 28 |
| 11 | Sacramento Kings | 33 | 49 | .402 | 34 |
| 12 | Portland Trail Blazers | 32 | 50 | .390 | 35 |
| 13 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 32 | 50 | .390 | 35 |
| 14 | Seattle SuperSonics | 31 | 51 | .378 | 36 |
| 15 | Memphis Grizzlies | 22 | 60 | .268 | 45 |

### Record vs. opponents

2006-07 NBA Records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHA | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN | NJN | NOK | NYK | ORL | PHI | PHO | POR | SAC | SAS | SEA | TOR | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | — | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 |
| Boston | 1–3 | — | 2–2 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–3 |
| Charlotte | 3–1 | 2–2 | — | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Chicago | 4–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | — | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 |
| Cleveland | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| Dallas | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 |
| Denver | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | — | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| Detroit | 2–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 |
| Golden State | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | — | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Houston | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | — | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 |
| Indiana | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–3 |
| L.A. Clippers | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | — | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| L.A. Lakers | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | — | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 |
| Memphis | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 2–2 | — | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| Miami | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 |
| Milwaukee | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | — | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 |
| Minnesota | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| New Jersey | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | — | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 |
| New Orleans/Oklahoma City | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 |
| New York | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–2 | — | 2–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Orlando | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | — | 2–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 2–2 |
| Philadelphia | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–3 |
| Phoenix | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| Portland | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | — | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 |
| Sacramento | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | — | 0–4 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 |
| San Antonio | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 4–0 | — | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 |
| Seattle | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–4 | — | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 |
| Toronto | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — | 0–2 | 3–1 |
| Utah | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 |
| Washington | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | — |

## Playoffs

2007 playoff game log :
First Round: 3–4 (home: 3–1; road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 21
Utah
W 84–75
Yao Ming (28)
Yao Ming (13)
Rafer Alston (8)
Toyota Center 18,195
1–0
2
April 23
Utah
W 98–90
Tracy McGrady (31)
Chuck Hayes (12)
Alston, McGrady (5)
Toyota Center 18,206
2–0
3
April 26
@ Utah
L 67–81
Yao Ming (26)
Yao Ming (14)
Rafer Alston (5)
EnergySolutions Arena 19,911
2–1
4
April 28
@ Utah
L 85–98
Yao Ming (20)
Alston, Yao (9)
Rafer Alston (6)
EnergySolutions Arena 19,911
2–2
5
April 30
Utah
W 96–82
Tracy McGrady (26)
Yao Ming (15)
Tracy McGrady (16)
Toyota Center 18,314
3–2
6
May 3
@ Utah
L 82–94
Tracy McGrady (26)
Tracy McGrady (10)
Shane Battier (4)
EnergySolutions Arena 19,911
3–3
7
May 5
Utah
L 99–103
McGrady, Yao (29)
Juwan Howard (7)
Tracy McGrady (13)
Toyota Center 18,307
3–4 :
2007 schedule :

## Player statistics
### Regular season

Houston Rockets statistics :
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Rafer Alston | 82 | 82 | 37.1 | .375 | .363 | .734 | 3.4 | 5.4 | 1.6 | .1 | 13.3 |
| Shane Battier | 82 | 82 | 36.4 | .446 | .421 | .779 | 4.1 | 2.1 | 1.0 | .7 | 10.1 |
| Chuck Hayes | 78 | 43 | 22.0 | .573 | . | .618 | 6.7 | .6 | .9 | .2 | 5.6 |
| Luther Head | 80 | 10 | 27.6 | .437 | .441 | .790 | 3.2 | 2.4 | 1.0 | .1 | 10.9 |
| Juwan Howard | 80 | 38 | 26.5 | .465 | . | .824 | 5.9 | 1.6 | .4 | .1 | 9.7 |
| John Lucas III | 47 | 0 | 8.1 | .397 | .254 | .789 | .8 | .7 | .4 | .0 | 3.3 |
| Tracy McGrady | 71 | 71 | 35.8 | .431 | .331 | .707 | 5.3 | 6.5 | 1.3 | .5 | 24.6 |
| Yao Ming | 48 | 48 | 33.8 | .516 | .000 | .862 | 9.4 | 2.0 | .4 | 2.0 | 25.0 |
| Dikembe Mutombo | 75 | 33 | 17.2 | .556 | . | .690 | 6.5 | .2 | .3 | 1.0 | 3.1 |
| Steve Novak | 35 | 1 | 5.5 | .360 | .333 | 1.000 | .7 | .2 | .1 | .0 | 1.5 |
| Scott Padgett | 24 | 0 | 8.3 | .306 | .276 | .545 | 1.9 | .3 | .2 | .1 | 1.8 |
| Kirk Snyder | 39 | 1 | 14.4 | .452 | .250 | .653 | 2.1 | 1.0 | .3 | .3 | 4.9 |
| Vassilis Spanoulis | 31 | 0 | 8.8 | .319 | .172 | .810 | .7 | .9 | .2 | .0 | 2.7 |
| Jake Tsakalidis | 13 | 0 | 10.2 | .409 | . | .800 | 3.1 | .2 | .1 | .1 | 2.3 |
| Bonzi Wells | 28 | 1 | 21.1 | .411 | .143 | .561 | 4.3 | 1.1 | .9 | .5 | 7.8 |

### Playoffs

Houston Rockets statistics :
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Rafer Alston | 7 | 7 | 44.1 | .338 | .320 | .769 | 6.9 | 5.0 | 1.9 | .4 | 10.9 |
| Shane Battier | 7 | 7 | 38.9 | .451 | .442 | .875 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 10.3 |
| Chuck Hayes | 7 | 7 | 28.1 | .706 | .000 | .400 | 6.4 | .4 | 1.3 | .4 | 3.7 |
| Luther Head | 7 | 0 | 20.1 | .306 | .261 | .500 | 2.7 | 1.1 | .4 | .3 | 4.6 |
| Juwan Howard | 7 | 0 | 22.4 | .400 | . | .636 | 4.4 | 1.0 | .7 | .0 | 5.0 |
| John Lucas III | 2 | 0 | 4.0 | .000 | .000 | . | .0 | .0 | .5 | .0 | .0 |
| Tracy McGrady | 7 | 7 | 40.0 | .394 | .250 | .737 | 5.9 | 7.3 | .7 | .9 | 25.3 |
| Yao Ming | 7 | 7 | 37.1 | .440 | . | .880 | 10.3 | .9 | .1 | .7 | 25.1 |
| Dikembe Mutombo | 7 | 0 | 5.7 | 1.000 | . | 1.000 | 1.6 | .1 | .0 | .4 | 1.3 |
| Kirk Snyder | 3 | 0 | 3.0 | .333 | .000 | . | .3 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .7 |
| Vassilis Spanoulis | 1 | 0 | 3.0 | .500 | . | 1.000 | 1.0 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | 4.0 |
| Jake Tsakalidis | 1 | 0 | 3.0 | . | . | 1.000 | 4.0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 2.0 |

## Awards

* Yao Ming, All-NBA Second Team
* Tracy McGrady, All-NBA Second Team