Houston Rockets

====1987–1992: Lean years====
In the next five seasons, the Rockets either failed to qualify for the playoffs or were eliminated in the first round.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1988.html |title=1988 NBA Playoff Summary |publisher=Basketball-Reference.com |access-date=February 19, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1989.html |title=1989 NBA Playoff Summary |publisher=Basketball-Reference.com |access-date=February 19, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1990.html |title=1990 NBA Playoff Summary |publisher=Basketball-Reference.com |access-date=February 19, 2009}}</ref> The first elimination in 1988 led to Fitch's dismissal, with [[Don Chaney]] replacing him as head coach.<ref name="chaneybio">{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/coachfile/don_chaney/ |title=Don Chaney Coach Info |work=NBA.com |access-date=February 19, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181013212239/http://www.nba.com/coachfile/don_chaney/ |archive-date=October 13, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Chaney, like Olajuwon, also played for the [[University of Houston|Houston Cougars]] under [[Guy Lewis]], having played along [[Elvin Hayes]] in the late 1960s. Chaney had his best season during [[1990–91 NBA season|1990–91]], where he was named the [[NBA Coach of the Year Award|Coach of the Year]] after leading the Rockets to a 52–30 record despite Olajuwon's absence due to injury for 25 games.<ref name="chaneybio" /><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RrADAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA50|magazine=[[Jet (magazine)|Jet]]|title=Houston's Don Chaney NBA Coach of the Year|date=June 17, 1991 |access-date=June 30, 2015}}</ref> Despite Olajuwon's usual strong numbers, the underwhelming roster could not be lifted out of mediocrity. However, the attempts to rebuild the team nucleus incorporated players that would later make an impact in the years to come, such as [[Kenny Smith]], [[Vernon Maxwell]], [[Robert Horry]], [[Mario Elie]], [[Sam Cassell]] and [[Otis Thorpe]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/rockets/history/history.html#17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071229020548/http://www.nba.com/rockets/history/history.html |archive-date=December 29, 2007 |title=Rockets History&nbsp;– 1990–92: Houston Struggles Without Hakeem |work=NBA.com |access-date=February 21, 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Rudy T Space and Missile Center Feb 26, 2009.jpg|thumb|upright|left|[[Rudy Tomjanovich]] spent all his playing career with the Rockets, and after becoming the team's head coach in 1992 led Houston to two straight championships.]]
Midway through the [[1991–92 NBA season|1991–92 season]], with the Rockets' record only 26–26, Chaney was fired and replaced by his assistant [[Rudy Tomjanovich]], a former Houston player himself.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/02/19/sports/sports-people-basketball-chaney-out-in-houston-rudy-t-takes-over.html|title=Sports People: Basketball – Chaney Out in Houston; Rudy T. Takes Over|work=The New York Times|date=February 19, 1992|access-date=February 19, 2009}}</ref> While the Rockets did not make the playoffs,<ref name="92year">{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/1992.html |title=1991–92 Houston Rockets Roster and Statistics |publisher=Basketball-Reference.com |access-date=February 19, 2009}}</ref> Tomjanovich's arrival was considered a step forward. In the next year, the Rockets improved their record by 13 games, getting the Midwest Division title, and winning their first playoff series in 6 years by defeating the [[Los Angeles Clippers]], before an elimination by the SuperSonics in a closely contested Game 7 overtime loss.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/rockets/history/history.html#18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071229020548/http://www.nba.com/rockets/history/history.html |archive-date=December 29, 2007 |title=Rockets History&nbsp;– 1992-93: "Rudy T" Sees Season End In OT |work=NBA.com |access-date=February 21, 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>