<P> In 1984 , the Rockets drafted future Hall - of - Famer Hakeem Olajuwon , who led them to the 1986 Finals in his second year , in which they lost again to Boston . In the next seven seasons , they lost in the first round of the playoffs five times . They did not win their first championship until 1994 , when Olajuwon led them to a franchise - best 58 wins , and the championship . The Rockets repeated the feat in 1995 , but have not advanced to the finals since . They missed the playoffs from 1999 to 2003 , and did not reach the playoffs until after they drafted Yao Ming in 2003 . They did not advance past the first round of the playoffs for 13 years , until the 2008 -- 09 NBA season . After the arrival of James Harden in 2012 and Dwight Howard the following year , the Rockets had their best seasons since the Olajuwon days , culminating in the Southwest Division title and a return to the Western Conference Finals in 2015 . The 2017 -- 18 Rockets made franchise history by becoming the first Houston team ever to win 60 or more games in a regular season , finishing at 65 -- 17 . </P>
<P> In 1984 , the Rockets drafted future Hall - of - Famer Hakeem Olajuwon , who led them to the 1986 Finals in his second year , in which they lost again to Boston . In the next seven seasons , they lost in the first round of the playoffs five times . They did not win their first championship until 1994 , when Olajuwon led them to a franchise - best 58 wins , and the championship . The Rockets repeated the feat in 1995 , but have not advanced to the finals since . They missed the playoffs from 1999 to 2003 , and did not reach the playoffs until after they drafted Yao Ming in 2003 . They did not advance past the first round of the playoffs for 13 years , until the 2008 -- 09 NBA season . After the arrival of James Harden in 2012 and Dwight Howard the following year , the Rockets had their best seasons since the Olajuwon days , culminating in the Southwest Division title and a return to the Western Conference Finals in 2015 . The 2017 -- 18 Rockets made franchise history by becoming the first Houston team ever to win 60 or more games in a regular season , finishing at 65 -- 17 . </P>
when was the last time houston rockets made the finals
when was the last time houston rockets made the finals
1995
1995