The 2009–10 Houston Rockets season was the 43rd season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The news broke in the off-season when center Yao Ming would miss the upcoming season due to foot surgery. This injury would soon be considered career-threatening. Mid-season, All-Star Tracy McGrady, who was working his way back from knee surgery that kept him out of last season, was traded to the New York Knicks. Despite losing two All-Stars, the Rockets finished 42–40, but did not clinch a playoff spot.
Key dates June 25 – The 2009 NBA draft took place in New York City. July 8 – The free agency period started.
Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 2 32 Jermaine Taylor SG Central Florida 2 34 Sergio Llull PG Real Madrid (Spain)
Roster
Roster notes Center Yao Ming missed the entire season due to a left foot injury.
Pre-season 2009 Pre-season game log: 0–0–0 (Home: 0–0–0; Road: 0–0–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Recap 1 October 7 (in Hidalgo, Texas) Boston Celtics 90–96 Houston Rockets
Regular season
Standings
Game log
|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | October 27 | @ Portland | | Aaron Brooks (19) | Hayes, LandryAndersen (5) | Kyle Lowry (8) | Rose Garden20403 | 0–1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 2 | October 28 | @ Golden State | | Trevor Ariza (25) | Luis Scola (11) | Aaron Brooks (12) | Oracle Arena19596 | 1-1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 3 | October 31 | Portland | | Trevor Ariza (33) | Luis Scola (6) | Aaron Brooks (8) | Toyota Center18100 | 2–1
|- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 4 | November 2 | @ Utah | | Aaron Brooks (19) | Luis Scola (15) | Aaron Brooks (9) | EnergySolutions Arena19911 | 3–1 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | November 4 | LA Lakers | | Carl Landry (20) | Chuck Hayes (14) | Aaron Brooks (6) | Toyota Center18291 | 3–2 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 6 | November 6 | Oklahoma City | | Trevor Ariza (21) | Luis Scola (10) | Kyle Lowry (8) | Toyota Center14911 | 4–2 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 7 | November 10 | @ Dallas | | Aaron Brooks (22) | Chase Budinger (9) | Kyle Lowry (5) | American Airlines Center19720 | 4–3 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 8 | November 11 | Memphis | | Luis Scola (22) | Luis Scola (15) | Kyle Lowry (10) | Toyota Center17220 | 5–3 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 9 | November 13 | @ Sacramento | | Trevor Ariza (28) | Luis Scola (9) | Ariza, Brooks (5) | ARCO Arena11762 | 5–4 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 10 | November 15 | @ LA Lakers | | Aaron Brooks (33) | Landry, Scola (9) | Kyle Lowry (8) | Staples Center18977 | 6–4 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 11 | November 17 | Phoenix | | Carl Landry (27) | Carl Landry (9) | Aaron Brooks (13) | Toyota Center16396 | 6–5 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 12 | November 18 | @ Minnesota | | Luis Scola (20) | Luis Scola (16) | Shane Battier (5) | Target Center11137 | 7–5 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 13 | November 20 | @ Atlanta | | Luis Scola (17) | Luis Scola (10) | Kyle Lowry (7) | Philips Arena16674 | 7–6 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 14 | November 21 | Sacramento | | Luis Scola (22) | Luis Scola (12) | Kyle Lowry (8) | Toyota Center16202 | 8–6 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 15 | November 25 | Dallas | | Carl Landry (24) | Scola, Hayes (7) | Kyle Lowry (7) | Toyota Center18157 | 8–7 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 16 | November 27 | San Antonio | | Luis Scola (18) | Luis Scola (12) | Trevor Ariza (5) | Toyota Center18164 | 8-8 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 17 | November 29 | @ Oklahoma City | | Brooks, Landry (21) | Carl Landry (10) | Aaron Brooks (4) | Ford Center18203 | 9–8
|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 18 | December 2 | @ LA Clippers | | Aaron Brooks (22) | Luis Scola (7) | Aaron Brooks (5) | Staples Center13836 | 10–8 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 19 | December 3 | @ Golden State | | Aaron Brooks (25) | Luis Scola (13) | Aaron Brooks (7) | Oracle Arena16432 | 11–8 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 20 | December 5 | @ Portland | | Carl Landry (23) | Carl Landry (9) | Aaron Brooks (5) | Rose Garden20555 | 11–9 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 21 | December 9 | Cleveland | | Aaron Brooks (27) | Luis Scola (10) | Aaron Brooks (6) | Toyota Center18200 | 12–9 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 22 | December 11 | @ Philadelphia | | Carl Landry (20) | Trevor Ariza (12) | Trevor Ariza (3) | Wachovia Center13991 | 13–9 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 23 | December 13 | @ Toronto | | Carl Landry (25) | Luis Scola (15) | Aaron Brooks (4) | Air Canada Centre17111 | 13–10 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 24 | December 15 | Detroit | | Brooks, Scola (23) | Chase Budinger (12) | Aaron Brooks (10) | Toyota Center14899 | 14–10 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 25 | December 16 | @ Denver | | Aaron Brooks (23) | David Andersen (9) | Aaron Brooks (7) | Pepsi Center15753 | 14–11 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 26 | December 18 | @ Dallas | | Kyle Lowry (26) | Luis Scola (10) | Kyle Lowry (10) | American Airlines Center19890 | 15–11 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 27 | December 19 | Oklahoma City | | Trevor Ariza (31) | Chuck Hayes (15) | Trevor Ariza (6) | Toyota Center15095 | 16–11 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 28 | December 22 | LA Clippers | | Aaron Brooks (27) | Shane Battier (8) | Kyle Lowry (7) | Toyota Center17128 | 17–11 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 29 | December 23 | @ Orlando | | Carl Landry (20) | Trevor Ariza (7) | Brooks, Battier (4) | Amway Arena17461 | 17–12 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 30 | December 26 | @ New Jersey | | Carl Landry (26) | Trevor Ariza (11) | Trevor Ariza (8) | IZOD Center13374 | 18–12 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 31 | December 27 | @ Cleveland | | Aaron Brooks (23) | Carl Landry (6) | Battier, Ariza, Brooks, Lowry (3) | Quicken Loans Arena20562 | 18–13 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 32 | December 29 | New Orleans | | Aaron Brooks (27) | Luis Scola (12) | Kyle Lowry (7) | Toyota Center18187 | 19–13 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 33 | December 31 | Dallas | | Aaron Brooks (30) | Luis Scola (13) | Trevor Ariza (7) | Toyota Center18306 | 20–13
|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 34 | January 2 | @ New Orleans | | Trevor Ariza (19) | Chuck Hayes (13) | Kyle Lowry (6) | New Orleans Arena16020 | 20–14 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 35 | January 5 | @ LA Lakers | | Carl Landry (19) | Carl Landry (6) | Trevor Ariza (8) | Staples Center18997 | 20–15 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 36 | January 6 | @ Phoenix | | Aaron Brooks (34) | Carl Landry (10) | Kyle Lowry (6) | US Airways Center15811 | 20–16 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 37 | January 9 | NY Knicks | | Luis Scola (23) | Scola, Lowry (7) | Shane Battier (5) | Toyota Center15693 | 21–16 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 38 | January 12 | @ Charlotte | | Trevor Ariza (19) | Luis Scola (14) | Aaron Brooks (6) | Time Warner Cable Arena11463 | 21–17 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 39 | January 13 | Minnesota | | Aaron Brooks (43) | Chuck Hayes (17) | Trevor Ariza (7) | Toyota Center15175 | 22–17 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 40 | January 15 | Miami | | Budinger, Scola (17) | Battier, Ariza (6) | Aaron Brooks (5) | Toyota Center16720 | 22–18 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 41 | January 18 | Milwaukee | | Luis Scola (27) | Luis Scola (15) | Aaron Brooks (10) | Toyota Center17187 | 23–18 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 42 | January 22 | @ San Antonio | | Brooks, Lowry (23) | Luis Scola (9) | Kyle Lowry (9) | AT&T Center18581 | 24–18 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 43 | January 23 | Chicago | | Carl Landry (22) | Shane Battier (8) | Kyle Lowry (5) | Toyota Center18119 | 24–19 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 44 | January 25 | Atlanta | | Carl Landry (16) | Luis Scola (8) | Aaron Brooks (5) | Toyota Center14998 | 24–20 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 45 | January 27 | Denver | | Aaron Brooks (22) | Luis Scola (11) | Kyle Lowry (7) | Toyota Center16357 | 24–21 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 46 | January 29 | Portland | | Aaron Brooks (33) | Battier, Scola (8) | Aaron Brooks (7) | Toyota Center16129 | 25–21 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 47 | January 31 | Phoenix | | Aaron Brooks (24) | Shane Battier (11) | Aaron Brooks (6) | Toyota Center17165 | 25–22
|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 48 | February 2 | Golden State | | Brooks, Landry (24) | Chuck Hayes (13) | Aaron Brooks (6) | Toyota Center12845 | 26–22 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 49 | February 5 | @ Memphis | | Aaron Brooks (19) | Joey Dorsey (12) | Brooks, Lowry (4) | FedExForum14531 | 27–22 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 50 | February 6 | Philadelphia | | Aaron Brooks (34) | Carl Landry (10) | Ariza, Brooks (4) | Toyota Center17415 | 27–23 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 51 | February 9 | @ Miami | | Luis Scola (12) | Hayes, Budinger (12) | Battier, Scola (2) | American Airlines Arena18654 | 27–24 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 52 | February 16 | Utah | | Aaron Brooks (18) | Shane Battier (8) | Trevor Ariza (6) | Toyota Center14942 | 27–25 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 53 | February 17 | @ Milwaukee | | Trevor Ariza (22) | Shane Battier (10) | Aaron Brooks (12) | Bradley Center11685 | 28–25 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 54 | February 20 | Indiana | | Aaron Brooks (26) | Scola, Andersen (11) | Aaron Brooks (7) | Toyota Center16550 | 28–26 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 55 | February 21 | @ New Orleans | | Chase Budinger (18) | Luis Scola (11) | Brooks, Ariza (8) | New Orleans Arena14504 | 28–27 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 56 | February 24 | Orlando | | Aaron Brooks (24) | Shane Battier (9) | Aaron Brooks (8) | Toyota Center15749 | 28-28 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 57 | February 26 | San Antonio | | Kevin Martin (33) | Luis Scola (13) | Shane Battier (5) | Toyota Center18195 | 29–28 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 58 | February 27 | @ Utah | | Kevin Martin (32) | Budinger, Hayes (5) | Chuck Hayes (6) | EnergySolutions Arena19911 | 29–29
|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 59 | March 1 | Toronto | | Martin, Brooks (28) | Luis Scola (8) | Chuck Hayes (8) | Toyota Center13943 | 30–29 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 60 | March 3 | Sacramento | | Aaron Brooks (22) | Luis Scola (18) | Luis Scola (5) | Toyota Center15651 | 30-30 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 61 | March 6 | @ Minnesota | | Kevin Martin (30) | Luis Scola (21) | Aaron Brooks (9) | Target Center15587 | 31–30 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 62 | March 7 | @ Detroit | | Kevin Martin (27) | Luis Scola (15) | Aaron Brooks (7) | Palace of Auburn Hills18422 | 31-31 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 63 | March 9 | @ Washington | | Luis Scola (23) | Luis Scola (10) | Kyle Lowry (4) | Verizon Center10422 | 32–31 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 64 | March 13 | New Jersey | | Luis Scola (44) | Luis Scola (12) | Aaron Brooks (7) | Toyota Center16998 | 33–31 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 65 | March 15 | Denver
| Aaron Brooks (31) | Luis Scola (11) | Aaron Brooks (9) | Toyota Center16369 | 34–31 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 66 | March 17 | Memphis | | Aaron Brooks (33) | Jordan Hill (9) | Brooks, Battier, Lowry (4) | Toyota Center16142 | 35–31 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 67 | March 19 | Boston | | Scola, Martin (17) | Luis Scola (10) | Scola, Martin, Brooks, Lowry (3) | Toyota Center18198 | 35–32 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 68 | March 21 | @ NY Knicks | | Kevin Martin (28) | Trevor Ariza (7) | Trevor Ariza (6) | Madison Square Garden17242 | 36–32 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 69 | March 22 | @ Chicago | | Luis Scola (22) | Luis Scola (10) | Aaron Brooks (6) | United Center19834 | 36–33 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 70 | March 24 | @ Oklahoma City | | Luis Scola (25) | Mike Harris (8) | Aaron Brooks (7) | Ford Center18203 | 36–34 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 71 | March 25 | LA Clippers | | Brooks, Ariza (18) | Luis Scola (14) | Aaron Brooks (9) | Toyota Center15201 | 36–35 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 72 | March 27 | LA Lakers | | Luis Scola (28) | Luis Scola (10) | Aaron Brooks (7) | Toyota Center18583 | 36-36 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 73 | March 30 | Washington | | Chase Budinger (24) | Scola, Brooks (8) | Aaron Brooks (11) | Toyota Center14395 | 37–36 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 74 | March 31 | @ San Antonio | | Aaron Brooks (21) | Jermaine Taylor (10) | Kyle Lowry (5) | AT&T Center18581 | 37–37
|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 75 | April 2 | @ Boston | | Aaron Brooks (30) | Luis Scola (11) | Aaron Brooks (9) | TD Garden18624 | 38–37 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 76 | April 4 | @ Indiana | | Chase Budinger (17) | Luis Scola (6) | Aaron Brooks (5) | Conseco Fieldhouse14201 | 38-38 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 77 | April 6 | @ Memphis | | Kevin Martin (29) | Jared Jeffries (10)