While the Rockets players were looking ahead to the playoffs, Sunday was a day to remember the past at Compaq Center.

The organization introduced its Rockets' All-Time Team, a group of 10 players selected by the fans as being the greatest in franchise history, and retired the jersey number of one of the greatest Rockets of them all, Moses Malone.

Malone, who won two Most Valuable Player awards in Houston and also led the Rockets to their first trip to the NBA Finals in 1981, was there to watch his number hung next to Calvin Murphy's No. 23 and the No. 45 of Rudy Tomjanovich.

"It's been a long time," Malone said. "It's been 15 or 16 years (since Malone played in Houston), but now my number is up there next to Calvin Murphy and Rudy T. It makes me feel like I've been around a long time. It was 19 or 21 years (his playing career - 19 years in the NBA plus two in the old American Basketball Association). It's a good feeling just to come in here and see my number up there with two other great athletes."

There were a few other great athletes in attendance when the Rockets' All-Time Team was introduced at halftime of Sunday's 123-93 loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Ralph Sampson, who hit "The Shot" - the twisting, over-the-head buzzer-beater against the Los Angeles Lakers that sent the Rockets to their second Finals in 1986, was on hand. So was Elvin Hayes, a Hall of Famer whose scoring and rebounding helped establish the franchise in Houston after its move from San Diego in 1971.

Joining Malone, Sampson and Hayes on the Rockets' All-Time Team were Murphy, Tomjanovich, Sam Cassell, Mario Elie, Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley and Hakeem Olajuwon.

It was a special touch by an organization that hasn't done much to recognize its past.

"I think this is a very great first step, the Rockets retiring Moses Malone's jersey," Hayes said. "I think Moses meant so much to this city, to the Rockets and to basketball in general. And to have the top 10 Rockets out here today, I think that it was a great treat. It was a treat for me to be able to see some of these guys like Allen (Leavell), Tommy Henderson, with whom I won a championship in Washington (in 1978).

"But the guys on the floor - Moses Malone, Mario Elie, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Calvin Murphy, Rudy Tomjanovich. I played with all these guys except Hakeem, Clyde and Charles (and Elie). Today was a great day."

For everyone, from the players to the fans in attendance.

"This is long overdue," said Murphy of the ceremony to retire Malone's number. "Moses is one of the original pioneers when it comes to this franchise being successful. It was just a matter of time before they put his number up there in the rafters.

"And the timing was perfect, since they're honoring the all-time team. We're talking about history, and I'm about history. Being on this team gives me almost the same feeling as going into the Hall of Fame. It shows that people understand what you tried to do for the game."

Sampson, who has been in the public eye since his days as a high school star in Virginia, brought his son, Ralph Jr., with him to enjoy the occasion. For Sampson, the day only reminded him of how quickly the time passed.

"Yes, it has," he said. "When you come back here and see Tommy Henderson and Calvin Murphy, who I was in training camp (with), and then Elvin Hayes, whom I played with my first year, and then you look back and see that you now have an 8-year-old son, a 10-year-old daughter and a 5-year-old, you just say, `Where did the time go?'

"But it all goes by relatively quickly, so you had better enjoy it while you can and savor all the moments when you can. That's why I brought my son along - every moment of the time we're down here, I want him to enjoy everything about it."

As did Olajuwon, who was beaming afterward.

"I was in the right company," Olajuwon said. "Seeing Murph out there, Elvin and then Moses, those are all legends. It was a fantastic feeling."

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All-Time Team

Player Years # Charles Barkley 1996-present Sam Cassell 1993-96 Clyde Drexler 1995-present Mario Elie 1993-present Elvin Hayes 1968-72, 1981-84 Moses Malone 1976-82 Calvin Murphy 1970-83 Hakeem Olajuwon 1984-present Ralph Sampson 1983-87 Rudy Tomjanovich 1970-81 # - with Rockets

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