Draft Rights to Calvin Garrett, the #3 pick in the 3 Round of the 1979 NBA Draft, were acquired by the Houston Rockets from the Chicago Bulls on June 10, 1980. Calvin Garrett signed a multi-year contract with the Houston Rockets on September 1, 1980.
He carried on with his impressive numbers as the Rockets, under new coach Del Harris, qualified for the playoffs in the final game of the 1980-81 season with a 40-42 record. Yet, they upset the Lakers in the first round then topped San Antonio and Kansas City to become the second team in history to reach the Finals despite a losing record, where they eventually fell to the Celtics 4-2.
Rockets 1980 - 1982
Malone, again named MVP in 1982, was traded to the Philadelphia Sixers. The move proved to be catastrophic in the short term as the Rockets had the worst record in the League but positive in the long run as Houston chose first in the 1983 and 1984 drafts. The franchise decided to draft two centers who quickly became the Twin Towers. 7-4 Ralph Sampson teamed up with 7-0 Hakeem Olajuwon. It took only two seasons together to bring the Rockets back to the Finals.
Before the 1982 draft, the Lakers (already guaranteed one of the top two picks) tried to engineer a blockbuster four-team deal with Utah, New York, and a mystery fourth team that would have sent Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the Knicks and Bill Cartwright to Utah and guaranteed the Lakers both sides of the coin flip (as well as whatever Micheal Ray Richardson netted from the mystery fourth team). Their intent? To team Sampson with Magic Johnson. When Sampson never applied for the draft, the deal fell apart.
Malone was the NBA MVP in 1978-79 and 1981-82, was a five-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA selection and an All-Defensive pick in 1978-79 for the Rockets. He was also fourth in the MVP voting in 1980-81.
He led the NBA in rebounding in 1978-79, 1980-81 and 1981-82, led the league in minutes per game in 1978-79 and 1981-82, finished second in scoring twice and fifth twice, was second in rebounding two times and third once and was second in minutes per game in 1980-81.
With the 76ers, Malone was the MVP in 1982-83 and the MVP of the 1983 Finals as Philadelphia captured the title. He was also a four-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection and an All-Defensive pick in 1982-83, leading the NBA in rebounding three times.
The Houston Rockets made it to the NBA Finals in 1981. Two years later, the Rockets were one of the worst teams in NBA history. How did the Rockets fall so hard, so fast? It started in the summer of 1982.
Elvin Hayes was an excellent power forward for the Washington Bullets in the 1970s. The 14-year veteran was a vital cog in the Bullets only NBA title in 1978. However in 1982-83, Hayes looked old and slow as his career was coming to a close. The University of Houston product did produce 12.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, but it was evident that Hayes could not keep up with the rest of the league anymore.
Artists Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez have been drawing and writing their popular comic book series Love and Rockets since 1982. They've followed the lives of their mostly Latina characters as they grow from restless teens to middle-aged women. To celebrate the 40th anniversary, their loyal publisher Fantagraphics has a new box collection of their classics.
"Los Bros Hernandez," as they're also known, recently reminisced while visiting Golden Apple Comics, the beloved L.A. indie shop filled with the kinds of comic books they grew up with: everything from underground comix to Marvel and DC superheroes to Dennis the Menace to The Archies. Jaime says he was drawn to The Archies in particular for its fashion and rock band that reflects the pop culture of its times. He says Betty and Veronica and his friends inspired him to create his main character Maggie and her friends as 1980s punk teens. "When we were in the punk scene, a lot of the young women were very spirited and very alive. And I just loved that about them," he says. "And I thought, 'my characters better dress, right? Or the real punks will make fun of them.'"
For Love and Rockets, Jaime says he threw in everything he loved: rockets, robots, horror and punk. He first made Maggie a rocket mechanic wearing 1940s clothes and living in a science fiction world. Then she became a 1980s punk teen, with friends like Hopey, her occasional lover.
Alan Mayer earned the nickname Kamikaze due to his fearless style of play, and was easily recognized by his trademark helmet. Mayer played for six indoor teams, spending the most time with the Kansas City Comets. He won two championship rings with the San Diego Sockers, winning a then-record 30 games in 1982-83, and the MISL MVP Award.
Tre'Shaun Fletcher, 2017-18 Nathan Boothe, 2015-16 Julius Brown, 2013-14, 2014-15Rian Pearson, 2012-13 Justin Ingram, 2006-07Keith Triplett, 2003-04Greg Stempin, 1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01Craig Thames, 1994-95, 1995-96Andy Fisher, 1988-89Ken Epperson, 1983-84, 1984-85Harvey Knuckles, 1980-81Jim Swaney, 1978-79, 1979-80Dick Miller, 1979-80Larry Cole, 1974-75, 1975-76Mike Parker, 1973-74Tom Kozelko, 1970-71, 1971-72, 1972-73Steve Mix, 1966-67, 1967-68, 1968-69Bob Aston, 1965-66Jim Cox, 1965-66Ray Wolford, 1962-63Larry Jones, 1961-62Jim Ray, 1954-55, 1955-56Phil Martin, 1951-52, 1952-53, 1953-54
Jaelan Sanford, 2017-18 Steve Taylor Jr., 2016-17 Rian Pearson, 2011-12, 2013-14 Tyrone Kent, 2008-09 Keonta Howell, 2006-07 Justin Ingram, 2005-06 Keith Triplett, 2004-05 Casey Shaw, 1996-97, 1997-98 Scoop Williams, 1994-95 Archie Fuller, 1993-94 Craig Thames, 1993-94 Scoop Williams, 1993-94 Tim Schirra, 1992-93 J.C. Harris, 1991-92 Craig Sutters, 1990-91 Blake Burnham, 1986-87 Ken Epperson, 1982-83 Mitch Adamek, 1981-82 Jay Lehman, 1980-81 Tim Selgo, 1979-80 Dick Miller, 1978-79 Ted Williams, 1976-77, 1977-78 Mike Larsen, 1975-76 Dave Speicher, 1975-76 Jim Brown, 1973-74 Mike Parker, 1972-73 Tim Harmon, 1971-72 Doug Hess, 1969-70 Mike Murnen, 1969-70 Will Babione, 1966-67 Bill Backensto, 1964-65, 1965-66, 1966-67 Jim Cox, 1962-63, 1963-64 Ray Wolford, 1961-62, 1962-63, 1963-64 Jerry Galicki, 1960-61 Larry Jones, 1960-61 John Papcun, 1959-60 George Patterson, 1959-60 John Pazdzior, 1953-54
Luke Knapke, 2016-17, 2017-18Nate Navigato, 2016-17Jaelan Sanford, 2016-17Jordan Lauf, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17Zach Garber, 2014-15, 2015-16Rian Pearson, 2011-12Jerrah Young, 2007-08Jonathan Amos, 2006-07Kashif Payne, 2005-06Greg Stempin, 1998-99Chad Kamstra, 1998-99, 1999-00Casey Shaw, 1996-97, 1997-98Kevin Baker, 1994-95, 1995-96John Defoe, 1994-95James Heck, 1993-94Kent Murphree, 1991-92Andy Fisher, 1986-87, 1987-88, 1988-89Jim Lange, 1984-85Bob Borcherdt, 1984-85, 1985-86Tim Reiser, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84Mitch Adamek, 1980-81, 1981-82, 1982-83Jay Lehman, 1980-81Mitch Seemann, 1980-81Tim Selgo, 1977-78, 1978-79, 1979-80Dick Miller, 1979-80Dave Speicher, 1975-76, 1976-77Jeff Seemann, 1976-77Stan Joplin, 1976-77Mike Larsen, 1973-74Mac Otten, 1970-71, 1971-72, 1972-73Tim Harman, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1971-72Doug Hess, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1969-70Don White, 1966-67, 1967-68Bill Backensto, 1965-66, 1966-67
As with most teams in the NBA, the Houston Rockets did not begin as the rockets. The franchise has always gone by the moniker Rockets, but they entered the league in 1967 as the San Diego Rockets. The Rockets moved to Houston in 1971 where they have been ever since.During the dark few seasons in the league, the Rockets were getting some of the first picks in the NBA draft. It was with their first pick in 1969 that they selected Elvin Hayes. Hayes is very important to the Rockets history because in his rookie season, he led the Rockets to their first ever trip to the playoffs. After a few very good seasons for the Rockets, Hayes was traded away.
The Philadelphia 76ers were close but could never get over the hump. They reached the NBA Finals three times in the last six seasons, losing each series in six games. That all changed when they signed veteran center Moses Malone before the 1982-83 season.
The 76ers were kings of the Eastern Conference but had nothing to show for it. They reached the championship round in 1977 but lost to the Portland Trail Blazers in six games. Philly went back in 1980 and 1982 and came up short against the Lakers both times.
Considering the circumstances -- Robertson retired in 1974, and Abdul-Jabbar wanted to live anywhere besides Milwaukee -- the Bucks actually did alright for themselves. Winters and Bridgeman became franchise icons and helped usher in a successful era in the 1980s. However, the Bucks have not returned to the Finals since losing Abdul-Jabbar.
This was a bit of a weird one. Cowens actually retired in 1980, but decided to make a comeback two years later. Boston still held his rights, however, and had since added Kevin McHale and Robert Parish, so Cowens requested a trade. He was eventually dealt to the Bucks. who at that time were a really solid playoff team. Cowens had a decent season for them but ended up getting hurt and missing the playoffs, where they were lost to the Celtics.
Led by Bird, Parish and McHale, the Celtics were one of the dominant teams of the 1980s and had won the title in 1981 and 1984. But after losing to their arch-rivals, the Lakers, in the 1985 Finals, they decided they needed some a boost. They found it in the form of Walton, who was nearing the end of his career and hampered by injuries. He stayed healthy in 1986, however, and won Sixth Man of the Year and Finals MVP as the Celtics reclaimed their throne. 2ff7e9595c
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