The 2023–24 Houston Rockets season was the 57th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and 53rd season in the city of Houston.
On April 10, 2023, the Houston Rockets fired head coach Stephen Silas after three rebuilding seasons with the team. Two weeks later, the Rockets hired Ime Udoka as their new head coach, looking to contend for the playoffs. After starting out 0–3 in October, the Rockets had a six-game winning streak to start out November.
The Rockets entered the month of March with a 27–34 record and stood at 11th place in the Western Conference. Despite losing breakout player Alperen Şengün to injury, the Rockets won 13 of their next 14 games, including an 11-game winning streak buoyed by career-best performances from star Jalen Green alongside one-time all-star Fred VanVleet and rookie Amen Thompson, which allowed them to rise to contention for the play-in tournament. Their improved 38–35 record had them trail the Golden State Warriors by one game back from the #10-seed, but afterwards the Rockets fell into a five-game losing streak as the Warriors went on a winning streak of their own, resulting in their elimination from playoff contention for the fourth consecutive season following an overtime loss to the Dallas Mavericks on April 7. The Rockets would finish the season with a 41–41 record, finishing with a non-losing season for the first time in four years.
The Houston Rockets drew an average home attendance of 17,562 in 41 home games in the 2023-24 NBA season.
Draft
RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalityCollege / Club14Amen ThompsonPoint guardCity Reapers(Overtime Elite)120Cam WhitmoreSmall forwardVillanova () The Rockets entered the draft with two first-round picks, one of which was a pick swap acquired with the Los Angeles Clippers in a February 2023 trade. The swap was successfully exercised because the Oklahoma City Thunder made the 2023 NBA playoffs, landing outside the Top 6 protection range and eliminating their pick from the least favorable selection pool, leaving Los Angeles as Houston's only remaining trade partner. They had traded their second-round pick to the Indiana Pacers in 2021; because it fell within the top 2 selections of the second round, it was successfully conveyed.
For their first pick at four, the Rockets selected point guard Amen Thompson from Overtime Elite's City Reapers team, being the organization's first ever draft pick entering the NBA. With their pick at 20, Houston selected small forward Cam Whitmore, who won the Big East Conference's Freshman of the Year Award for his only season at Villanova University. Before the draft, Whitmore was widely regarded to be a lottery pick with some projections placing him as high as fourth overall.
Roster
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Standings
Division
Conference
Game log Preseason
|- style="background:#cfc" | 1 | October 10 | Indiana | | Alperen Şengün (15) | Amen Thompson (9) | Şengün, VanVleet (4) | Toyota Center12,680 | 1–0 |- style="background:#cfc" | 2 | October 12 | @ New Orleans | | Jabari Smith Jr. (22) | Jabari Smith Jr. (9) | Holiday, Şengün, Thompson, VanVleet (4) | Legacy Arena11,589 | 2–0 |- style="background:#cfc" | 3 | October 16 | @ San Antonio | | Thompson, Whitmore (15) | Holiday, Smith Jr. (9) | Aaron Holiday (6) | Frost Bank Center16,030 | 3–0 |- style="background:#fcc" | 4 | October 18 | @ San Antonio | | Jabari Smith Jr. (20) | Jeenathan Williams (8) | Amen Thompson (4) | Frost Bank Center17,236 | 3–1 |- style="background:#cfc" | 5 | October 20 | Miami | | Ja. Green, VanVleet (20) | Alperen Şengün (12) | Fred VanVleet (6) | Toyota Center18,055 | 4–1
Regular season
|- style="background:#fcc" | 1 | October 25 | @ Orlando | | Brooks, Şengün, VanVleet (14) | Alperen Şengün (8) | Alperen Şengün (6) | Amway Center18,846 | 0–1 |- style="background:#fcc" | 2 | October 27 | @ San Antonio | | Alperen Şengün (25) | Alperen Şengün (14) | Fred VanVleet (12) | Frost Bank Center18,354 | 0–2 |- style="background:#fcc" | 3 | October 29 | Golden State | | Jalen Green (21) | Jalen Green (9) | Alperen Şengün (7) | Toyota Center18,055 | 0–3
|- style="background:#cfc" | 4 | November 1 | Charlotte | | Jalen Green (23) | Alperen Şengün (7) | Fred VanVleet (11) | Toyota Center16,263 | 1–3 |- style="background:#cfc" | 5 | November 4 | Sacramento | | Dillon Brooks (26) | Jabari Smith Jr. (11) | Fred VanVleet (12) | Toyota Center18,055 | 2–3 |- style="background:#cfc" | 6 | November 6 | Sacramento | | Jalen Green (23) | Alperen Şengün (8) | Alperen Şengün (12) | Toyota Center15,130 | 3–3 |- style="background:#cfc" | 7 | November 8 | L.A. Lakers | | Jalen Green (28) | Tari Eason (9) | Fred VanVleet (10) | Toyota Center18,055 | 4–3 |- style="background:#cfc" | 8 | November 10 | New Orleans | | Jalen Green (25) | Eason, Şengün (8) | Fred VanVleet (8) | Toyota Center16,236 | 5–3 |- style="background:#cfc" | 9 | November 12 | Denver | | Fred VanVleet (26) | Ja. Green, Şengün (8) | Ja. Green, Şengün (5) | Toyota Center18,055 | 6–3 |- style="background:#fcc" | 10 | November 17 | @ L.A. Clippers | | Alperen Şengün (23) | Şengün, VanVleet (8) | Fred VanVleet (10) | Crypto.com Arena19,370 | 6–4 |- style="background:#fcc" | 11 | November 19 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Dillon Brooks (24) | Alperen Şengün (10) | Fred VanVleet (16) | Crypto.com Arena18,997 | 6–5 |- style="background:#fcc" | 12 | November 20 | @ Golden State | | Alperen Şengün (30) | Alperen Şengün (13) | Fred VanVleet (14) | Chase Center18,064 | 6–6 |- style="background:#cfc" | 13 | November 22 | Memphis | | Jalen Green (34) | Smith Jr., Tate (9) | Ja. Green, Tate, VanVleet (4) | Toyota Center18,055 | 7–6 |- style="background:#cfc" | 14 | November 24 | Denver | | Jalen Green (25) | Şengün, Smith Jr. (15) | Fred VanVleet (11) | Toyota Center18,055 | 8–6 |- style="background:#fcc" | 15 | November 28 | @ Dallas | | Alperen Şengün (31) | Şengün, Smith Jr. (9) | Fred VanVleet (12) | American Airlines Center20,103 | 8–7 |- style="background:#fcc" | 16 | November 29 | @ Denver | | Jalen Green (26) | Şengün, Smith Jr. (7) | Jalen Green (9) | Ball Arena19,590 | 8–8
|- style="background:#fcc" | 17 | December 2 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Fred VanVleet (22) | Alperen Şengün (13) | Fred VanVleet (7) | Crypto.com Arena18,997 | 8–9 |- style="background:#cfc" | 18 | December 6 | Oklahoma City | | Dillon Brooks (23) | Jabari Smith Jr. (18) | Fred VanVleet (9) | Toyota Center16,291 | 9–9 |- style="background:#cfc" | 19 | December 8 | @ Denver | | Fred VanVleet (26) | Şengün, Smith Jr. (10) | Alperen Şengün (7) | Ball Arena19,544 | 10–9 |- style="background:#cfc" | 20 | December 11 | San Antonio | | Tari Eason (18) | Tari Eason (14) | Smith Jr., VanVleet (5) | Toyota Center16,481 | 11–9 |- style="background:#cfc" | 21 | December 13 | Memphis | | Tari Eason (25) | Tari Eason (14) | Fred VanVleet (9) | Toyota Center16,813 | 12–9 |- style="background:#cfc" | 22 | December 15 | @ Memphis | | Dillon Brooks (26) | Jabari Smith Jr. (12) | Fred VanVleet (8) | FedExForum16,941 | 13–9 |- style="background:#fcc" | 23 | December 17 | @ Milwaukee | | Fred VanVleet (22) | Alperen Şengün (8) | Jalen Green (7) | Fiserv Forum17,341 | 13–10 |- style="background:#fcc" | 24 | December 18 | @ Cleveland | | Fred VanVleet (27) | Eason, Şengün, VanVleet (8) | Fred VanVleet (17) | Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse19,432 | 13–11 |- style="background:#fcc" | 25 | December 20 | Atlanta | | Jabari Smith Jr. (34) | Jabari Smith Jr. (13) | Fred VanVleet (15) | Toyota Center18,055 | 13–12 |- style="background:#cfc" | 26 | December 22 | Dallas | | Alperen Şengün (22) | Alperen Şengün (15) | Green, Thompson, VanVleet (4) | Toyota Center18,055 | 14–12 |- style="background:#cfc" | 27 | December 23 | @ New Orleans | | Alperen Şengün (37) | Şengün, Smith Jr. (11) | Alperen Şengün (6) | Smoothie King Center17,399 | 15–12 |- style="background:#fcc" | 28 | December 26 | Indiana | | Alperen Şengün (30) | Alperen Şengün (16) | Fred VanVleet (9) | Toyota Center18,055 | 15–13 |- style="background:#fcc" | 29 | December 27 | Phoenix | | Alperen Şengün (24) | three players (5) | Fred VanVleet (6) | Toyota Center18,055 | 15–14 |- style="background:#fcc" | 30 | December 29 | Philadelphia | | Fred VanVleet (33) | Tari Eason (11) | Fred VanVleet (10) | Toyota Center18,055 | 15–15
|- style="background:#cfc" | 31 | January 1 | Detroit | | Alperen Şengün (26) | Jabari Smith Jr. (6) | Alperen Şengün (9) | Toyota Center18,055 | 16–15 |- style="background:#cfc" | 32 | January 3 | Brooklyn | | Alperen Şengün (30) | Jabari Smith Jr. (12) | Fred VanVleet (10) | Toyota Center16,563 | 17–15 |- style="background:#fcc" | 33 | January 5 | Minnesota | | Jalen Green (20) | Jabari Smith Jr. (9) | Fred VanVleet (8) | Toyota Center18,055 | 17–16 |- style="background:#cfc" | 34 | January 6 | Milwaukee | | Alperen Şengün (21) | Jabari Smith Jr. (12) | Fred VanVleet (7) | Toyota Center18,055 | 18–16 |- style="background:#fcc" | 35 | January 8 | @ Miami | | Fred VanVleet (32) | Alperen Şengün (11) | Fred VanVleet (7) | Kaseya Center19,694 | 18–17 |- style="background:#fcc" | 36 | January 10 | @ Chicago | | Alperen Şengün (25) | Jabari Smith Jr. (15) | Fred VanVleet (10) | United Center21,149 | 18–18 |- style="background:#cfc" | 37 | January 12 | @ Detroit | | Alperen Şengün (29) | Jabari Smith Jr. (11) | Fred VanVleet (12) | Little Caesars Arena13,987 | 19–18 |- style="background:#fcc" | 38 | January 13 | @ Boston | | Cam Whitmore (22) | Şengün, Thompson (10) | Fred VanVleet (7) | TD Garden19,156 | 19–19 |- style="background:#fcc" | 39 | January 15 | @ Philadelphia | | Jalen Green (20) | Alperen Şengün (9) | Alperen Şengün (6) | Wells Fargo Center20,822 | 19–20 |- style="background:#fcc" | 40 | January 17 | @ New York | | Fred VanVleet (24) | Alperen Şengün (10) | Fred VanVleet (12) | Madison Square Garden19,439 | 19–21 |- style="background:#cfc" | 41 | January 20 | Utah | | Alperen Şengün (37) | Alperen Şengün (14) | Fred VanVleet (7) | Toyota Center16,618 | 20–21 |- style="background:#fcc" | 42 | January 21 | Boston | | Dillon Brooks (25) | Amen Thompson (14) | Alperen Şengün (10) | Toyota Center18,055 | 20–22 |- style="background:#fcc" | 43 | January 24 | Portland | | Alperen Şengün (30) | Alperen Şengün (10) | Alperen Şengün (8) | Toyota Center18,055 | 20–23 |- style="background:#cfc" | 44 | January 26 | @ Charlotte | | Jalen Green (36) | Cam Whitmore (11) | Amen Thompson (8) | Spectrum Center16,164 | 21–23 |- style="background:#fcc" | 45 | January 27 | @ Brooklyn | | Brooks, Ja. Green, Whitmore (19) | Alperen Şengün (11) | Fred VanVleet (8) | Barclays Center17,732 | 21–24 |- style="background:#cfc" | 46 | January 29 | L.A. Lakers | | Jalen Green (34) | Ja. Green, Şengün (12) | Fred VanVleet (14) | Toyota Center18,055 | 22–24 |- style="background:#fcc" | 47 | January 31 | New Orleans | | Jalen Green (31) | Alperen Şengün (10) | Şengün, VanVleet (5) | Toyota Center18,055 | 22–25
|- style="background:#cfc" | 48 | February 2 | Toronto | | Cam Whitmore (25) | Alperen Şengün (13) | Alperen Şengün (8) | Toyota Center18,055 | 23–25 |- style="background:#fcc" | 49 | February 4 | @ Minnesota | | Alperen Şengün (15) | Alperen Şengün (10) | Jalen Green (7) | Target Center18,024 | 23–26 |- style="background:#fcc" | 50 | February 6 | @ Indiana | | Jalen Green (30) | Amen Thompson (13) | Şengün, Thompson (6) | Gainbridge Fieldhouse15,571 | 23–27 |- style="background:#fcc" | 51 | February 9 | @ Toronto | | Dillon Brooks (20) | Jabari Smith Jr. (10) | Aaron Holiday (5) | Scotiabank Arena19,800 | 23–28 |- style="background:#fcc" | 52 | February 10 | @ Atlanta | | Jalen Green (26) | Jalen Green (14) | Jalen Green (10) | State Farm Arena17,503 | 23–29 |- style="background:#cfc" | 53 | February 12 | New York | | Dillon Brooks (23) | Amen Thompson (13) | Alperen Şengün (6) | Toyota Center16,790 | 24–29 |- style="background:#fcc" | 54 | February 14 | @ Memphis | | four players (19)