who did the houston rockets play in the playoffs
Houston Rockets During the 2017 off-season, the Rockets were purchased by Houston restaurant billionaire Tilman Fertitta for $2.2 billion,[147] breaking the record for the price to purchase an American professional sports team.[148] The team also acquired 8 time All-NBA player and 9 time All-Star Chris Paul in a trade from the Los Angeles Clippers, in exchange for seven players, cash considerations, and a top three protected 2018 first round draft pick.[149][150] Even if Paul missed many games due to a knee injury, he was a key addition to the Rockets.[151] The team finished the season with 65 wins, a record both league-leading and the best in franchise history.[152] During the playoffs, Houston easily beat the Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz before another confrontation with the Golden State Warriors.[153] In game 5 of the Conference Finals, the Rockets took a 3â€“2 lead in the series, but saw Paul leave with an injured hamstring. His absence was felt in the two remaining games, where Houston led by halftime only to suffer a comeback by Golden State.[154]
NBA playoffs The NBA playoffs are a best-of-seven elimination tournament annually held after the National Basketball Association's regular season to determine the league's champion.
Houston Rockets Their first permanent arena in Houston was the 10,000 seat Hofheinz Pavilion on the campus of the University of Houston, which they moved into starting in their second season. They played in the arena for four years, before occupying The Summit in 1975. The arena, which could hold 16,611 spectators,[143] was their home for the next 28 years. It was renamed the Compaq Center from 1998 to 2003.[7] Following the 1994 title, the Rockets had a sellout streak of 176 consecutive home games, including the playoffs, which lasted until 1999. However, the struggling 2000–01 and 2001–02 seasons saw Houston having the worst attendance average in the league, with less than 12,000 spectators each season.[144]
Tracy McGrady The Rockets struggled to begin the 2004–05 season, posting a losing record of 16–17 through their first 33 games.[31] In December, McGrady had one of the most memorable performances of his career, scoring 13 points in the final 35 seconds against the San Antonio Spurs to secure a comeback victory.[32] The sequence included four consecutive three pointers, one of which was part of a four-point play and the last of which was a game-winner in the final two seconds.[32] After the All-Star break, Houston rebounded from their slow start, finishing the season with 51 wins and the third-best record in the West.[31] McGrady's final averages were 25.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game.[1] In Game 2 of the first round of the postseason, he had another signature performance, completing a "thunderous" dunk over 7'6" Dallas Mavericks center Shawn Bradley and hitting a game-winner for a 113–111 victory.[33] The series would go to a decisive Game 7, where McGrady came out cold, missing his first seven shots en route to a 40-point loss.[34]