Last Updated on June 23, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
League Search Page > NBA > Houston Rockets > Roster & Statistics
Here is the 1997–98 Houston Rockets roster and player statistics:
Roster
| NO | PLAYER NAME | POS | HT | WT | DOB | COLLEGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rodrick Rhodes | SF | 6-6 | 225 | September 24, 1973 | Kentucky, USC |
| 4 | Charles Barkley | PF | 6-6 | 252 | February 20, 1963 | Auburn |
| 8 | Eddie Johnson | SF | 6-7 | 215 | May 1, 1959 | Illinois |
| 12 | Matt Maloney | PG | 6-3 | 192 | December 6, 1971 | Vanderbilt, Penn |
| 15 | Emanual Davis | PG | 6-4 | 195 | August 27, 1968 | Delaware State University |
| 17 | Mario Elie | SF | 6-5 | 210 | November 26, 1963 | American International College |
| 20 | Brent Price | PG | 6-1 | 165 | December 9, 1968 | South Carolina, Oklahoma |
| 22 | Clyde Drexler | SG | 6-7 | 210 | June 22, 1962 | Houston |
| 27 | Charles Jones | PF | 6-9 | 215 | April 3, 1957 | Albany State University |
| 32 | Othella Harrington | PF | 6-9 | 235 | January 31, 1974 | Georgetown |
| 34 | Hakeem Olajuwon | C | 7-0 | 255 | January 21, 1963 | Houston |
| 41 | Joe Stephens | SF | 6-7 | 210 | January 28, 1973 | Colorado, Little Rock |
| 42 | Kevin Willis | PF | 7-0 | 220 | September 6, 1962 | Michigan State |
| 50 | Matt Bullard | SF | 6-10 | 215 | June 5, 1967 | Colorado, Iowa |
Regular Season Per Game
| PLAYER | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clyde Drexler | SG | 35 | 70 | 70 | 35.3 | 18.4 | 4.9 | 5.5 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 15.1 | 6.5 | .427 | 4.8 | 1.5 | .317 | 4.9 | 4.0 | .801 |
| Hakeem Olajuwon | C | 35 | 47 | 45 | 34.7 | 16.4 | 9.8 | 3.0 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 13.5 | 6.5 | .483 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 4.5 | 3.4 | .755 |
| Kevin Willis | PF | 35 | 81 | 74 | 31.2 | 16.1 | 8.4 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 12.9 | 6.6 | .510 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .143 | 3.8 | 3.0 | .793 |
| Charles Barkley | PF | 34 | 68 | 41 | 33.0 | 15.2 | 11.7 | 3.2 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 2.2 | 10.9 | 5.3 | .485 | 1.2 | 0.3 | .214 | 5.8 | 4.4 | .746 |
| Matt Maloney | PG | 26 | 78 | 78 | 28.4 | 8.6 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 7.5 | 3.1 | .408 | 4.4 | 1.6 | .364 | 1.0 | 0.8 | .833 |
| Mario Elie | SF | 34 | 73 | 59 | 27.2 | 8.4 | 2.1 | 3.0 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 6.2 | 2.8 | .452 | 2.6 | 0.8 | .291 | 2.4 | 2.0 | .833 |
| Eddie Johnson | SF | 38 | 75 | 1 | 19.9 | 8.4 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 7.3 | 3.0 | .417 | 2.6 | 0.9 | .333 | 1.8 | 1.5 | .831 |
| Matt Bullard | SF | 30 | 67 | 24 | 17.8 | 7.0 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 5.8 | 2.6 | .450 | 3.4 | 1.4 | .416 | 0.4 | 0.3 | .741 |
| Othella Harrington | PF | 24 | 58 | 3 | 15.6 | 6.0 | 3.6 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 4.6 | 2.2 | .485 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.1 | 1.6 | .754 |
| Rodrick Rhodes | SF | 24 | 58 | 13 | 18.4 | 5.8 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 5.3 | 1.9 | .367 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .250 | 3.1 | 1.9 | .617 |
| Brent Price | PG | 29 | 72 | 2 | 18.5 | 5.6 | 1.5 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 4.3 | 1.8 | .413 | 2.6 | 1.0 | .390 | 1.4 | 1.1 | .786 |
| Emanual Davis | PG | 29 | 45 | 0 | 13.3 | 4.1 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 3.2 | 1.4 | .444 | 1.6 | 0.6 | .375 | 0.8 | 0.7 | .838 |
| Joe Stephens | SF | 25 | 7 | 0 | 5.3 | 3.9 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 4.0 | 1.4 | .357 | 1.4 | 0.4 | .300 | 0.9 | 0.6 | .667 |
| Charles Jones | PF | 40 | 24 | 0 | 5.3 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.3 | .700 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .500 | |
| Team Totals | 82 | 82 | 241.8 | 98.8 | 40.7 | 21.9 | 8.4 | 3.6 | 15.8 | 79.4 | 35.9 | .452 | 20.4 | 7.0 | .343 | 25.9 | 19.9 | .771 |
Playoff Per Game
| PLAYER | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hakeem Olajuwon | C | 35 | 5 | 5 | 38.0 | 20.4 | 10.8 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 19.8 | 7.8 | .394 | 0.2 | 0.0 | .000 | 6.6 | 4.8 | .727 |
| Clyde Drexler | SG | 35 | 5 | 5 | 36.4 | 15.0 | 5.4 | 4.6 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 2.6 | 13.6 | 4.2 | .309 | 5.2 | 1.0 | .192 | 7.4 | 5.6 | .757 |
| Kevin Willis | PF | 35 | 5 | 5 | 33.6 | 11.2 | 10.6 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 11.0 | 4.4 | .400 | 0.2 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.2 | 2.4 | .750 |
| Charles Barkley | PF | 34 | 4 | 0 | 21.8 | 9.0 | 5.3 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 5.8 | 3.0 | .522 | 0.5 | 0.0 | .000 | 5.3 | 3.0 | .571 |
| Matt Maloney | PG | 26 | 5 | 5 | 33.0 | 6.6 | 1.6 | 3.6 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 6.0 | 2.0 | .333 | 4.0 | 1.0 | .250 | 1.8 | 1.6 | .889 |
| Mario Elie | SF | 34 | 5 | 1 | 26.6 | 6.6 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 5.4 | 2.4 | .444 | 1.8 | 0.6 | .333 | 1.8 | 1.2 | .667 |
| Eddie Johnson | SF | 38 | 5 | 0 | 17.8 | 5.6 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 5.4 | 1.8 | .333 | 2.0 | 0.6 | .300 | 1.6 | 1.4 | .875 |
| Othella Harrington | PF | 24 | 3 | 0 | 7.7 | 5.3 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | .500 | 0.3 | 0.0 | .000 | 1.7 | 1.3 | .800 |
| Brent Price | PG | 29 | 5 | 0 | 15.0 | 3.8 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 3.0 | 1.2 | .400 | 2.6 | 1.0 | .385 | 0.6 | 0.4 | .667 |
| Matt Bullard | SF | 30 | 5 | 4 | 14.0 | 3.4 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.6 | 1.2 | .333 | 2.0 | 0.6 | .300 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 1.000 |
| Rodrick Rhodes | SF | 24 | 3 | 0 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | .667 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 0.7 | .500 | |
| Charles Jones | PF | 40 | 4 | 0 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.000 | ||
| Team Totals | 5 | 5 | 240.0 | 84.6 | 42.4 | 16.2 | 7.2 | 5.0 | 13.0 | 75.4 | 29.0 | .385 | 18.6 | 4.8 | .258 | 29.8 | 21.8 | .732 |
Regular Season Per 36 Mins
| PLAYER | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Willis | PF | 35 | 81 | 74 | 2528 | 18.6 | 9.7 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 2.4 | 14.8 | 7.6 | .510 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .143 | 4.3 | 3.4 | .793 |
| Clyde Drexler | SG | 35 | 70 | 70 | 2473 | 18.7 | 5.0 | 5.6 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 2.8 | 15.4 | 6.6 | .427 | 4.9 | 1.5 | .317 | 5.0 | 4.0 | .801 |
| Charles Barkley | PF | 34 | 68 | 41 | 2243 | 16.6 | 12.7 | 3.5 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 11.9 | 5.8 | .485 | 1.3 | 0.3 | .214 | 6.4 | 4.8 | .746 |
| Matt Maloney | PG | 26 | 78 | 78 | 2217 | 10.9 | 2.3 | 3.6 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 1.7 | 9.5 | 3.9 | .408 | 5.6 | 2.0 | .364 | 1.3 | 1.1 | .833 |
| Mario Elie | SF | 34 | 73 | 59 | 1988 | 11.1 | 2.8 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 8.3 | 3.7 | .452 | 3.4 | 1.0 | .291 | 3.2 | 2.6 | .833 |
| Hakeem Olajuwon | C | 35 | 47 | 45 | 1633 | 17.0 | 10.1 | 3.2 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 2.8 | 14.0 | 6.7 | .483 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 4.7 | 3.5 | .755 |
| Eddie Johnson | SF | 38 | 75 | 1 | 1490 | 15.3 | 3.7 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 13.1 | 5.5 | .417 | 4.8 | 1.6 | .333 | 3.3 | 2.7 | .831 |
| Brent Price | PG | 29 | 72 | 2 | 1332 | 11.0 | 2.9 | 5.2 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 3.0 | 8.4 | 3.5 | .413 | 5.1 | 2.0 | .390 | 2.6 | 2.1 | .786 |
| Matt Bullard | SF | 30 | 67 | 24 | 1190 | 14.1 | 4.4 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 11.8 | 5.3 | .450 | 7.0 | 2.9 | .416 | 0.8 | 0.6 | .741 |
| Rodrick Rhodes | SF | 24 | 58 | 13 | 1070 | 11.3 | 2.4 | 3.7 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 3.3 | 10.3 | 3.8 | .367 | 0.3 | 0.1 | .250 | 6.1 | 3.7 | .617 |
| Othella Harrington | PF | 24 | 58 | 3 | 903 | 14.0 | 8.3 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 10.6 | 5.1 | .485 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 4.9 | 3.7 | .754 |
| Emanual Davis | PG | 29 | 45 | 0 | 599 | 11.1 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 3.1 | 8.5 | 3.8 | .444 | 4.3 | 1.6 | .375 | 2.2 | 1.9 | .838 |
| Charles Jones | PF | 40 | 24 | 0 | 127 | 4.3 | 6.8 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 2.0 | .700 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.3 | .500 | |
| Joe Stephens | SF | 25 | 7 | 0 | 37 | 26.3 | 5.8 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 27.2 | 9.7 | .357 | 9.7 | 2.9 | .300 | 5.8 | 3.9 | .667 |
Playoff Per 36 Mins
| PLAYER | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hakeem Olajuwon | C | 35 | 5 | 5 | 190 | 19.3 | 10.2 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 18.8 | 7.4 | .394 | 0.2 | 0.0 | .000 | 6.3 | 4.5 | .727 |
| Clyde Drexler | SG | 35 | 5 | 5 | 182 | 14.8 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 2.6 | 13.5 | 4.2 | .309 | 5.1 | 1.0 | .192 | 7.3 | 5.5 | .757 |
| Kevin Willis | PF | 35 | 5 | 5 | 168 | 12.0 | 11.4 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 2.6 | 11.8 | 4.7 | .400 | 0.2 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.4 | 2.6 | .750 |
| Charles Barkley | PF | 34 | 4 | 0 | 87 | 14.9 | 8.7 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 9.5 | 5.0 | .522 | 0.8 | 0.0 | .000 | 8.7 | 5.0 | .571 |
| Matt Maloney | PG | 26 | 5 | 5 | 165 | 7.2 | 1.7 | 3.9 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 6.5 | 2.2 | .333 | 4.4 | 1.1 | .250 | 2.0 | 1.7 | .889 |
| Mario Elie | SF | 34 | 5 | 1 | 133 | 8.9 | 3.5 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 7.3 | 3.2 | .444 | 2.4 | 0.8 | .333 | 2.4 | 1.6 | .667 |
| Eddie Johnson | SF | 38 | 5 | 0 | 89 | 11.3 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 10.9 | 3.6 | .333 | 4.0 | 1.2 | .300 | 3.2 | 2.8 | .875 |
| Brent Price | PG | 29 | 5 | 0 | 75 | 9.1 | 4.3 | 2.9 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 2.9 | 7.2 | 2.9 | .400 | 6.2 | 2.4 | .385 | 1.4 | 1.0 | .667 |
| Matt Bullard | SF | 30 | 5 | 4 | 70 | 8.7 | 4.1 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9.3 | 3.1 | .333 | 5.1 | 1.5 | .300 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.000 |
| Othella Harrington | PF | 24 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 25.0 | 11.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 18.8 | 9.4 | .500 | 1.6 | 0.0 | .000 | 7.8 | 6.3 | .800 |
| Charles Jones | PF | 40 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 6.5 | 9.8 | 3.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 1.000 | ||
| Rodrick Rhodes | SF | 24 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 30.9 | 5.1 | 0.0 | 5.1 | 0.0 | 5.1 | 15.4 | 10.3 | .667 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 20.6 | 10.3 | .500 |
Regular Season Totals
| PLAYER | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Willis | PF | 35 | 81 | 74 | 2528 | 1305 | 679 | 78 | 55 | 38 | 170 | 1041 | 531 | .510 | 7 | 1 | .143 | 305 | 242 | .793 |
| Clyde Drexler | SG | 35 | 70 | 70 | 2473 | 1287 | 346 | 382 | 126 | 42 | 189 | 1059 | 452 | .427 | 334 | 106 | .317 | 346 | 277 | .801 |
| Charles Barkley | PF | 34 | 68 | 41 | 2243 | 1036 | 794 | 217 | 71 | 28 | 147 | 744 | 361 | .485 | 84 | 18 | .214 | 397 | 296 | .746 |
| Hakeem Olajuwon | C | 35 | 47 | 45 | 1633 | 772 | 460 | 143 | 84 | 96 | 126 | 633 | 306 | .483 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 212 | 160 | .755 |
| Matt Maloney | PG | 26 | 78 | 78 | 2217 | 669 | 142 | 219 | 62 | 5 | 107 | 586 | 239 | .408 | 346 | 126 | .364 | 78 | 65 | .833 |
| Eddie Johnson | SF | 38 | 75 | 1 | 1490 | 633 | 153 | 88 | 32 | 3 | 62 | 544 | 227 | .417 | 198 | 66 | .333 | 136 | 113 | .831 |
| Mario Elie | SF | 34 | 73 | 59 | 1988 | 612 | 156 | 221 | 81 | 8 | 100 | 456 | 206 | .452 | 189 | 55 | .291 | 174 | 145 | .833 |
| Matt Bullard | SF | 30 | 67 | 24 | 1190 | 466 | 146 | 60 | 31 | 24 | 39 | 389 | 175 | .450 | 231 | 96 | .416 | 27 | 20 | .741 |
| Brent Price | PG | 29 | 72 | 2 | 1332 | 406 | 107 | 192 | 52 | 4 | 111 | 310 | 128 | .413 | 187 | 73 | .390 | 98 | 77 | .786 |
| Othella Harrington | PF | 24 | 58 | 3 | 903 | 350 | 207 | 24 | 10 | 27 | 47 | 266 | 129 | .485 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 122 | 92 | .754 |
| Rodrick Rhodes | SF | 24 | 58 | 13 | 1070 | 337 | 70 | 110 | 62 | 10 | 97 | 305 | 112 | .367 | 8 | 2 | .250 | 180 | 111 | .617 |
| Emanual Davis | PG | 29 | 45 | 0 | 599 | 184 | 47 | 59 | 17 | 3 | 52 | 142 | 63 | .444 | 72 | 27 | .375 | 37 | 31 | .838 |
| Joe Stephens | SF | 25 | 7 | 0 | 37 | 27 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 10 | .357 | 10 | 3 | .300 | 6 | 4 | .667 |
| Charles Jones | PF | 40 | 24 | 0 | 127 | 15 | 24 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 7 | .700 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .500 | |
| Team Totals | 82 | 82 | 19830 | 8099 | 3337 | 1799 | 686 | 294 | 1253 | 6513 | 2946 | .452 | 1670 | 573 | .343 | 2120 | 1634 | .771 |
Playoff Totals
| PLAYER | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hakeem Olajuwon | C | 35 | 5 | 5 | 190 | 102 | 54 | 12 | 5 | 16 | 13 | 99 | 39 | .394 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 33 | 24 | .727 |
| Clyde Drexler | SG | 35 | 5 | 5 | 182 | 75 | 27 | 23 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 68 | 21 | .309 | 26 | 5 | .192 | 37 | 28 | .757 |
| Kevin Willis | PF | 35 | 5 | 5 | 168 | 56 | 53 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 12 | 55 | 22 | .400 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 16 | 12 | .750 |
| Charles Barkley | PF | 34 | 4 | 0 | 87 | 36 | 21 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 23 | 12 | .522 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 21 | 12 | .571 |
| Matt Maloney | PG | 26 | 5 | 5 | 165 | 33 | 8 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 30 | 10 | .333 | 20 | 5 | .250 | 9 | 8 | .889 |
| Mario Elie | SF | 34 | 5 | 1 | 133 | 33 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 27 | 12 | .444 | 9 | 3 | .333 | 9 | 6 | .667 |
| Eddie Johnson | SF | 38 | 5 | 0 | 89 | 28 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 27 | 9 | .333 | 10 | 3 | .300 | 8 | 7 | .875 |
| Brent Price | PG | 29 | 5 | 0 | 75 | 19 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 6 | .400 | 13 | 5 | .385 | 3 | 2 | .667 |
| Matt Bullard | SF | 30 | 5 | 4 | 70 | 17 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 6 | .333 | 10 | 3 | .300 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 |
| Othella Harrington | PF | 24 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 16 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 6 | .500 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 5 | 4 | .800 |
| Rodrick Rhodes | SF | 24 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | .500 | |
| Charles Jones | PF | 40 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 | ||
| Team Totals | 5 | 5 | 1200 | 423 | 212 | 81 | 36 | 25 | 63 | 377 | 145 | .385 | 93 | 24 | .258 | 149 | 109 | .732 |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Regular Season Team Impact Spotlight
| Player Name | Role Tier | MPG | Usage Tier | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | Impact Index | Notes | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Barkley | Starter/Star | 33.0 | High | 15.2 | 11.7 | 3.2 | 1.4 | 82.10 | Working as Houston’s emotional tone-setter, Barkley controlled the glass and punished smaller defenders inside. Even with reduced scoring volume, his rebounding and ability to start fast breaks remained central to the Rockets’ attack. | NBA 50th Anniversary Team (1996), All-Star (1998), Hall of Fame |
| Hakeem Olajuwon | Starter/Star | 34.7 | High | 16.4 | 9.8 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 87.65 | Anchoring the middle on both ends, Olajuwon blended post scoring with elite rim protection. His 2.0 blocks and 1.8 steals per game showed that he was still one of the league’s most disruptive defensive centers despite entering his mid-30s. | All-NBA Third Team (1998), All-Star (1998), NBA Champion (1994), NBA Champion (1995), Hall of Fame |
| Clyde Drexler | Starter/Star | 35.3 | High | 18.4 | 4.9 | 5.5 | 2.4 | 82.37 | Functioning as Houston’s primary perimeter creator, Drexler attacked downhill, facilitated offense and defended passing lanes. His blend of scoring and playmaking gave the veteran roster a needed source of backcourt versatility. | All-Star (1998), NBA Champion (1995), Hall of Fame |
| Kevin Willis | Starter/Star | 31.2 | High | 16.1 | 8.4 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 70.75 | Filling a major frontcourt role after joining Houston, Willis supplied efficient interior scoring and rugged rebounding. His physical style complemented the Rockets’ veteran stars and helped stabilize the rotation. | NBA Champion (2003) |
| Mario Elie | Key Contributor | 27.2 | Medium | 8.4 | 2.1 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 33.96 | Serving as a defensive-minded wing, Elie handled difficult perimeter assignments while spacing the floor. His toughness and basketball IQ continued to make him a trusted playoff-tested veteran. | NBA Champion (1994), NBA Champion (1995), NBA Champion (1999) |
| Eddie Johnson | Key Contributor | 19.9 | Medium | 8.4 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 27.72 | Coming off the bench as a microwave scorer, Johnson provided instant offense and perimeter shot-making. Houston often turned to him when second units needed a quick scoring burst. | NBA Sixth Man of the Year (1989), NBA All-Star (1981) |
| Matt Maloney | Starter/Star | 28.4 | Medium | 8.6 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 0.9 | 34.97 | Operating mostly as a spot-up guard next to Houston’s stars, Maloney stretched defenses with reliable three-point shooting. His low-turnover approach helped keep possessions organized around higher-usage teammates. | NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1997) |
| Othella Harrington | Key Contributor | 15.6 | Low | 6.0 | 3.6 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 22.47 | Bringing energy off the bench, Harrington carved out minutes through efficient finishing and active rebounding. His physical interior play gave Houston productive depth behind its veteran frontcourt. | NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1997) |
| Matt Bullard | Key Contributor | 17.8 | Low | 7.0 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 23.10 | As one of the roster’s primary floor spacers, Bullard stretched opposing defenses with 41.6% three-point shooting. His ability to pull big men away from the paint opened room for Houston’s stars. | NBA Champion (1994), NBA Champion (1995) |
| Brent Price | Key Contributor | 18.5 | Low | 5.6 | 1.5 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 22.05 | Running reserve lineups, Price balanced ball movement with efficient outside shooting. His steady decision-making helped maintain offensive structure when starters rested. | — |
| Rodrick Rhodes | Key Contributor | 18.4 | Low | 5.8 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 21.42 | Used as an athletic wing defender, Rhodes contributed more through hustle plays and perimeter defense than raw scoring. His length and activity fit Houston’s veteran-heavy rotation. | — |
| Emanual Davis | Bench | 13.3 | Low | 4.1 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 13.80 | Playing a limited guard role, Davis focused on perimeter defense and spot-up shooting. His efficient three-point accuracy helped him earn minutes off the bench. | — |
| Joe Stephens | Bench | 5.3 | Low | 3.9 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 10.40 | In a small sample of appearances, Stephens played as an energetic reserve wing who looked to score quickly when opportunities appeared. | — |
| Charles Jones | Bench | 5.3 | Low | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 4.20 | The 40-year-old veteran was used almost exclusively for depth and interior defense, providing experience and size in short stints. | NBA Champion (1995) |
| Team Totals | — | 241.8 | — | 98.8 | 40.7 | 21.9 | 12.0 | — | Houston leaned heavily on an experienced core featuring Olajuwon, Drexler and Barkley. The Rockets combined veteran shot creation, strong rebounding and interior defense to finish 41-41 and remain a playoff-caliber team in a highly competitive Western Conference. | 1998 NBA Playoff Team |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Playoff Team Impact Spotlight
| Player Name | Role Tier | MPG | Usage Tier | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | Impact Index | Notes | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hakeem Olajuwon | Starter/Star | 38.0 | High | 20.4 | 10.8 | 2.4 | 4.2 | 99.26 | Operating as Houston’s offensive and defensive centerpiece, Olajuwon carried a massive workload against Utah. The shooting efficiency dipped, but his rim protection, rebounding and ability to generate offense from the post remained the Rockets’ most reliable source of impact. | All-NBA Third Team (1998), NBA All-Star (1998), NBA Champion (1994), NBA Champion (1995), Hall of Fame |
| Clyde Drexler | Starter/Star | 36.4 | High | 15.0 | 5.4 | 4.6 | 2.2 | 71.28 | Playing as the lead perimeter creator, Drexler attacked off the dribble and handled key playmaking duties throughout the series. His jumper was inconsistent, yet his passing, transition play and defensive activity still showed up in important stretches. | NBA All-Star (1998), NBA Champion (1995), Hall of Fame |
| Kevin Willis | Starter/Star | 33.6 | Medium | 11.2 | 10.6 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 60.50 | Filling a blue-collar frontcourt role, Willis battled on the glass and gave Houston a second interior presence next to Olajuwon. His rebounding was especially important in a series where extra possessions were difficult to find. | NBA Champion (2003) |
| Charles Barkley | Key Contributor | 21.8 | Medium | 9.0 | 5.3 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 38.76 | Coming off the bench because of injury concerns, Barkley still supplied physical rebounding and veteran shot creation. Houston often leaned on his strength around the basket when searching for a spark. | NBA 50th Anniversary Team (1996), NBA All-Star (1998), Hall of Fame |
| Matt Maloney | Starter/Star | 33.0 | Medium | 6.6 | 1.6 | 3.6 | 0.8 | 30.73 | Functioning mainly as a floor-spacing point guard, Maloney worked to keep the offense organized around Houston’s stars. His outside shooting never fully clicked, but his ball security and passing helped stabilize possessions. | NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1997) |
| Mario Elie | Key Contributor | 26.6 | Low | 6.6 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 22.68 | Taking on a complementary wing role, Elie focused on perimeter defense, toughness and timely shooting. His value came more from matchup work and experience than box-score production. | NBA Champion (1994), NBA Champion (1995), NBA Champion (1999) |
| Othella Harrington | Bench | 7.7 | Low | 5.3 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 15.80 | Providing energy in limited minutes, Harrington finished efficiently around the rim and brought physicality to Houston’s second unit. His role was small, but he made productive use of his touches. | NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1997) |
| Eddie Johnson | Bench | 17.8 | Low | 5.6 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 14.80 | Used as an instant-offense option off the bench, Johnson hunted perimeter shots and scoring opportunities whenever Houston needed extra spacing. The volume was there, even if the efficiency varied. | NBA Sixth Man of the Year (1989), NBA All-Star (1981) |
| Brent Price | Bench | 15.0 | Low | 3.8 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 15.20 | Running reserve backcourt minutes, Price mixed ball movement with three-point shooting. His ability to stretch the floor helped Houston maintain offensive balance when starters rested. | — |
| Matt Bullard | Key Contributor | 14.0 | Low | 3.4 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 13.02 | Serving as a stretch forward, Bullard’s primary job was to pull defenders away from the paint. Houston valued his floor spacing alongside its post-oriented stars. | NBA Champion (1994), NBA Champion (1995) |
| Rodrick Rhodes | Bench | 2.3 | Low | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 5.20 | Appearing briefly in the rotation, Rhodes provided athletic wing depth and defensive energy in short bursts. | — |
| Charles Jones | Bench | 2.8 | Low | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 3.20 | The veteran big man was used situationally for interior defense and experience, with most of his contributions coming away from the stat sheet. | NBA Champion (1995) |
| Team Totals | — | 240.0 | — | 84.6 | 42.4 | 16.2 | 12.2 | — | Houston’s veteran core struggled to score efficiently in this playoff series, shooting 38.5% from the field as a team. Olajuwon carried the largest burden on both ends, while Drexler and Willis supplied secondary production, but offensive consistency proved difficult against a disciplined Utah defense. | 1998 NBA Playoff Team |