Moses Malone - MVP Seasons With The Houston Rockets

MVP Seasons With The Houston Rockets

Had Malone chosen to accept a scholarship at the University of Maryland, the 1978–79 season would have been his rookie campaign in the NBA. Instead, it was his fifth professional season (third with the Rockets) and one of the best of his career. Beginning the year at only age 23, Malone went on to win the NBA Most Valuable Player Award after averaging 24.8 points and a career-high 17.6 rebounds. Having gained 15 pounds in the offseason to weigh in at a robust 235, he led the league in rebounding and established the NBA's all-time record for offensive rebounds in a season, with 587.

Malone also finished fifth in the NBA in scoring and shot a career-best .540 from the field. He was named to the All-NBA First Team and the NBA All-Defensive Second Team and started at center for the East squad in the 1979 NBA All-Star Game.

The 6-foot-10 giant notched the best single-game rebounding performance of his career when he hauled in 37 boards against the New Orleans Jazz on February 9. Houston advanced to the NBA Playoffs but was swept in two opening-round games by the Atlanta Hawks. Malone totaled an impressive 49 points and 41 rebounds in the two games.

Malone continued to dominate the paint in his fourth NBA season. He averaged 25.8 points and 14.5 rebounds, ranking fifth in the league in scoring and second to Swen Nater (15.0 rpg) in rebounding. He made his third straight All-Star appearance—his second straight as a starter—and was named to the All-NBA Second Team at season's end.

Malone's indomitable spirit helped the Rockets defeat the San Antonio Spurs in a best-of-three first-round playoff series. He scored 37 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in the third and deciding game, leading Houston to a 141–120 victory. The Rockets were then swept by the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Malone returned to the top of the NBA's rebounding charts, beginning a record string of five consecutive seasons leading the league. He grabbed 14.8 rebounds per game in 80 appearances, earning his second straight berth on the All-NBA Second Team. An All-Star for the fourth consecutive season, Malone (27.8 ppg) also finished runner-up to Adrian Dantley (30.7) for the league's scoring title. He exploded for 51 points in a March 11 game against the Golden State Warriors, hitting 20 of 28 field goals and 11 of 12 free throws. It was the third-highest single-game effort in Rockets history up to that time, behind Calvin Murphy's 57 points and Elvin Hayes's 54.

Now in the Midwest Division, Houston finished tied with the Kansas City Kings for second place with a 40–42 record. The Rockets, energized by Malone's 26.8 points and 14.5 rebounds per game during the playoffs, advanced all the way to the NBA Finals. They lost in six games to the Boston Celtics, who were led by second-year forward Larry Bird.

Malone had another spectacular season, averaging 31.1 points and 14.7 rebounds and capturing his second of three NBA Most Valuable Player Awards. The perennial All-Star led the league in rebounding for a second straight season and finished runner-up to George Gervin (32.3 ppg) for the league's scoring title.

The ultimate workhorse, Malone led the NBA in minutes played (3,398, 42.0 per game) and offensive rebounds (558). At season's end, he was named to the All-NBA First Team for the second time in his six-year career. Malone's stratospheric scoring average would stand as a career high, as would the 53 points he scored against the San Diego Clippers on February 2. He also broke his own NBA record with 21 offensive rebounds in a game against the Seattle SuperSonics on February 11.

In Malone's last season in Houston, the Rockets followed an NBA Finals appearance in 1981 with a first-round playoff exit in 1982. Despite 24.0 points and 17.0 rebounds per game from Malone, Houston lost to Seattle in three games.