2004–05 Houston Rockets Season
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2004–05 Houston Rockets Season
The 2004–05 NBA season was the Rockets' 38th season in the National Basketball Association, and their 34th season in the city of Houston. During the offseason, the Rockets acquired All-Star forward Tracy McGrady and Juwan Howard from the Orlando Magic, acquired All-Star center Dikembe Mutombo from the Chicago Bulls, who acquired him from the New York Knicks, and signed free agent Bob Sura. The Rockets struggled with a 6–11 start to the season, then played around .500 as they traded Jim Jackson to the New Orleans Hornets for David Wesley in late December. The Rockets would later on win eight straight games in February, as McGrady and Yao Ming were both selected to play in the 2005 NBA All-Star Game at Denver. At midseason, the team traded Maurice Taylor to the New York Knicks, and acquired Mike James from the Milwaukee Bucks. The Rockets won their final seven games finishing third in the Southwest Division with a 51–31 record, which was their first 50-win season since 1997. ...
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Jeff Van Gundy
Jeffrey William Van Gundy (born January 19, 1962) is an American commentator for ESPN and former basketball coach. He served as head coach of the New York Knicks and the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). During his tenure on the Knicks, he led the team to the 1999 NBA Finals, where they ultimately lost to the San Antonio Spurs. Early life Van Gundy was born in Hemet, California, and grew up in the town of Martinez, California. He is the son of a basketball coach, Bill Van Gundy, the former head coach at SUNY Brockport and at Genesee Community College. Jeff's elder brother, Stan, later became head coach of the NBA's Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, and the New Orleans Pelicans, and is the former head coach and director of basketball operations for the Detroit Pistons. As a high-school point guard, Van Gundy was a two-time All Greater Rochester selection in 1979 and 1980, leading Brockport Central to the Class AA finals. He continued his basketball playing ...
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2003–04 New York Knicks Season
The 2003–04 New York Knicks season was the 58th season for the Knicks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). During the offseason, the Knicks signed All-Star center Dikembe Mutombo in free agency. The Knicks started the season by losing seven of their first nine games as fans at the Garden chanted "Fire Layden", in reference to general manager Scott Layden. Knicks fans would get their wish as Layden was fired and replaced by former Detroit Pistons star Isiah Thomas. In January, the Knicks traded Antonio McDyess and Charlie Ward to the Phoenix Suns for All-Star guard Stephon Marbury and Penny Hardaway. Ward was released by the Suns, and later signed as a free agent with the San Antonio Spurs. At midseason, Thomas made more moves, trading Keith Van Horn to the Milwaukee Bucks for Tim Thomas. After a 15–24 start, the Knicks fired head coach Don Chaney, and played one game under assistant Herb Williams before signing Lenny Wilkens as their new coach. With a 39–43 record, ...
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2005 NBA Playoffs
The 2005 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs defeating the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. Tim Duncan was named Finals MVP. The NBA Finals marked the first time since 1987 that the two previous champions met in the Finals (the Spurs won in 2003, the Pistons in 2004). For the Spurs, it was their third title (they also won in the lockout-shortened season of 1998–99). The Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards ended long playoff droughts in 2005, meeting each other in the first round. For Washington it was their first playoff appearance since 1997 (and even more ironic their opponents for that postseason appearance were the Bulls who swept them on their way to their fifth NBA title), and only their second since 1988. Their 4–2 series victory over the Bulls was their first since 1982. Th ...
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1996–97 Houston Rockets Season
The 1996–97 NBA season was the Rockets' 30th season in the National Basketball Association, and 26th season in Houston. During the off-season, the Rockets acquired All-Star forward Charles Barkley from the Phoenix Suns, and signed free agents Kevin Willis, Brent Price, undrafted rookie guard Matt Maloney, and re-signed former Rockets forward and three-point specialist Matt Bullard, who was a member of the championship team from the 1994 NBA Finals. The Rockets began the season with a 21–2 start, but later on struggled posting a six-game losing streak between January and February, and held a 32–16 record at the All-Star break. At midseason, the team signed free agents Eddie Johnson and Sedale Threatt, as the Rockets won 14 of their final 17 games, finishing second in the Midwest Division with a 57–25 record. Hakeem Olajuwon averaged 23.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, NBA All-Defensive Second Team, and finished in sev ...
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2004–05 Milwaukee Bucks Season
The 2004–05 NBA season was the Bucks' 37th season in the National Basketball Association. During the offseason, the Bucks signed free agents Mike James and second-year guard Mo Williams, while acquiring Zaza Pachulia from the expansion Charlotte Bobcats. Injuries hampered the Bucks from the start as a second-year guard T.J. Ford was lost for the entire season due to a neck injury. The Bucks would get off to a sluggish start losing 16 of their first 22 games. At midseason, the team traded Keith Van Horn to the Dallas Mavericks, and dealt James to the Houston Rockets. They lost 15 of their final 18 games including an 8-game losing streak, finishing in last place in the Central Division with a 30–52 record. The only bright spot came from Michael Redd, who averaged a team-high of 23.0 points per game. Following the season, head coach Terry Porter was fired, and Pachulia signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Hawks. Draft picks The Bucks had no draft picks in 2004. Roster ...
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Mike James (basketball, Born 1975)
Michael Lamont James (born June 23, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player. A point guard, James played college basketball for Duquesne. James spent 13 seasons in the NBA and played for 11 different teams, winning an NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004. He averaged 20.3 points per game as a member of the Toronto Raptors during the 2005-2006 season. College career James played college basketball at Duquesne University. He finished his college career as Duquesne's all-time leader in steals (201) and was fifth in assists (348) and 10th in points (1,411). James was named to the all-Atlantic 10 Conference first team in his senior year at the university. James's number 13 was retired by Duquesne in a February 2017 ceremony. Professional career Career in Europe James was not drafted by an NBA team in 1998. He began his professional basketball career in Europe. James enjoyed several seasons as an integral player with both French and Austrian teams. ...
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2004–05 New York Knicks Season
The 2004–05 New York Knicks season was the 59th season for the team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). During the offseason, the Knicks acquired Jamal Crawford from the Chicago Bulls. Early in the season, the team released Shandon Anderson after he had played one game; Anderson later joined the Miami Heat as a free agent. The Knicks played around .500 with a 16–13 start, but then lost 16 of their next 18 games. Head coach Lenny Wilkens resigned after a 17–22 start, and was replaced by assistant Herb Williams for the remainder of the season. The Knicks then lost nine straight games between March and April, finishing fourth place in the Atlantic Division with a 33–49 record, and failing to qualify for the NBA Playoffs. In his first full season with the Knicks, Stephon Marbury led the team with 21.7 points, 8.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game, and Jamal Crawford finished second on the team in scoring, averaging 17.7 points per game. Following the season, Larry ...
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Maurice Taylor
Maurice De Shawn Taylor (born October 30, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player. He played power forward and center positions. Originally from Detroit, Taylor played college basketball at Michigan and was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers as the 14th overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft. Taylor played from 1997 to 2007 in the NBA for the Clippers, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, and Sacramento Kings. From 2009 to 2011, Taylor played internationally in Italy and China. College career Taylor attended the University of Michigan. The athletic forward, from Henry Ford High School in Detroit, burst onto the national scene during the 1994 Maui Invitational with fellow freshman Maceo Baston. He won Big Ten Freshman of the Year for the 1994–1995 season, averaging 12.4 points and 5.1 rebounds and playing in the NCAA Tournament. As a sophomore, he averaged 14 points and 7 rebounds and was picked 2nd Team All-Big Ten. Off the court that year, Taylor was involv ...
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Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the United States and the fifth most populous state capital. It is the principal city of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the first city of the Front Range Urban Corridor. Denver is located in the Western United States, in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Its downtown district is immediately east of the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River, approximately east of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It is named after James W. Denver, a governor of the Kansas Territory. It is nicknamed the ''Mile High City'' because its official elevation is exactly one mile () above sea level. The 105th meridian we ...
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2005 NBA All-Star Game
The 2005 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game which was played on February 20, 2005, at Pepsi Center in Denver, home of the Denver Nuggets. This game was the 54th edition of the North American National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game and was played during the 2004–05 NBA season. For the second time in the last six years, the East defeated the West 125–115, with Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers named the Most Valuable Player. Iverson scored 15 points, handed out 10 assists, and had 5 steals. Ray Allen led the West with 17, and 5-for-11 from three-point range. All-Star Game Coaches The coaches for the All-Star game were the head coaches who led the teams with the best winning percentages in their conference through the games of February 6, 2005. The coach for the Western Conference team was San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. The Spurs had a 41–12 record on February 20. The coach for the Eastern Conference team was Miami H ...
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Yao Ming
Yao Ming (; born September 12, 1980) is a Chinese basketball executive and former professional player. He played for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Yao was selected to start for the Western Conference in the NBA All-Star Game eight times, and was named to the All-NBA Team five times. During his final season, he was the tallest active player in the NBA, at . Yao, who was born in Shanghai, started playing for the Sharks as a teenager, and played on their senior team for five years in the CBA, winning a championship in his final year. After negotiating with the CBA and the Sharks to secure his release, Yao was selected by the Rockets as the first overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft. He reached the NBA playoffs four times, and the Rockets won the first-round series in the 2009 postseason, their first playoff series victory since 1997. In July 2011, Yao announced his retire ...
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David Wesley
David Barakau Wesley (born November 14, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is the current television color analyst for the New Orleans Pelicans. He is the cousin of former NBA player Michael Dickerson. Early life David graduated from Longview High School in Longview, Texas. He was classmates with former NFL player Bobby Taylor. College career Wesley played his freshman year at Temple Junior College, then transferred to Baylor University. Wesley averaged 17 points per game and 4.4 assists per game in 72 total games at Baylor, and left in 1992, 33 hours short of a degree in physical education. Professional career Wichita Falls Texans (1992-1993) When Wesley left Baylor University in 1992, many scouts considered him too small (at 6'1") to play as a shooting guard in the NBA, and doubted his ability to make the transition to point guard. As a result, Wesley was not selected in the 1992 NBA d ...
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