1980–81 Houston Rockets season
Game Date Team Score Location Attendance Record
25 December 3 Cleveland W 118-109 The Summit 12-13
26 December 5 @ Kansas City L 100-108 Kemper Arena 12-14
27 December 6 Denver W 111-108 The Summit 13-14
28 December 10 Los Angeles L 108-109 The Summit 13-15
29 December 12 @ Portland L 100-106 Memorial Coliseum 13-16
30 December 13 @ Golden State W 99-97 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena 14-16
31 December 17 San Antonio L 107-113 The Summit 14-17
32 December 19 @ Boston L 119-133 Boston Garden 14-18
33 December 20 @ Chicago L 109-133 Chicago Stadium 14-19
34 December 21 @ Milwaukee L 91-123 MECCA Arena 14-20
35 December 23 Golden State L 99-114 The Summit 14-21
36 December 26 @ Detroit W 114-94 Pontiac Silverdome 15-21
37 December 27 @ Washington L 97-115 Capital Centre 15-22
38 December 30 San Diego W 104-98 The Summit 16-22
The 1980-81 Houston Rockets season saw the Rockets lose the NBA Finals. The 1981 Rockets are the only team since the 1959 Minneapolis Lakers to make the NBA Finals with a losing record. In the playoffs, the Rockets defeated the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers in three games in the First Round, then defeated the San Antonio Spurs in seven games in the Semifinals, and the Kansas City Kings in five games in the Conference Finals, reaching the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history, only to fall to the Boston Celtics in six games in the NBA Finals.