First off, I couldn't help but notice the "big men vs. small man" debate that was going on. Here's my take...I think that many people confuse the terms "big man" and "center" too often. A true "center" that can dominate games is, in my opinion, a rare find and should be treasured as such. Take a look at the great centers that won championships...Wilt, Russell, Kareem, Dream, Mikan...They all have a few things in common 1) They rarely set up more than 10 feet from the basket 2) They almost always shot or passed the ball within five seconds after receiving it Also, because a "center" is seven feet tall most of the time (Yeah, Hakeem is 6'11" on a good day, but work with me here), he knows how to use his size advantage on smaller guys when scoring and rebounding A great center is a gold mine because he will ALWAYS demand at least one defender because he never leaves the basket area, and will draw a double or triple team 75% of the time. With the double team drawn, the offense becomes much easier to run. The ball can easily be swung around to the weak side for a three point attempt, or somebody can cut to the basket for a layup with his defender not guarding him. That's why I can't stand big guys like Shawn Bradley. They don't demand the ball, therefore they just stand there and clog up the lanes and hamper the offensive production. If your center plays 30 minutes a game and doesn't average double digit figures in either points or rebounds or getting at least three swats a game, then he's not doing his job. Don't get me wrong, a good point guard is a HUGE asset on any NBA team, but a good center is worth his weight in gold. Now that THAT rant is over, on to Steve Francis. Dude is money, but the one thing he HAS to work on is that assist/turnover ratio of 1.7..That is probably the most important stat for a point guard, and anything under three just doesn't cut it. On the plus side, Francis's turnovers have gone down from four to about 3.7, so he is getting better as the season goes along. As for the dunk contest coming back, I personally have never liked the dunk contest, because people have been known to get injured doing that stuff. Especially for Francis, being only 6'3", he has to exert more energy than a Vince Carter or Kobe Bryant which increases the liklihood of him being injured. I hope that Stevie stays away from that at All Star weekend in Oakland... Finally, I saw the "ten greatest games" on NBA.com...EVERY SINGLE ONE of them had either Boston or LA. I am not lying...That's a worse call than your average Holyfield/Lewis fight I know this is a little biased, but I think that game 1 of the '95 finals between Houston and Orlando is one of the best games I've ever seen. In one game alone, Houston went ahead by 20 something points, Orlando made a second half comeback to take the lead, Kenny Smith made a buzzer beating three pointer to send it into overtime, AND Hakeem had the game winning tip in at the end of overtime...Then, of course, who can forget Nick "the brick" Anderson missing FOUR free throws at the end of the game, any one of which would have iced it for Orlando....truely an instant classic Oh well, glad I found the place... AV
Welcome A-Train ! Just to let you know what you are in for....Game 1 vs Orlando had the Magic up by 20..not the Rockets. The Rocks made a comeback..capped by Nick the Brick Anderson missing 4 straight free throws, and Kenny hitting the game tying 3 while ducking under Penny Hardaway. The game was sealed when Hakeem tapped in a missed shot in OT. Welcome to the BBS....and be prepared.. By the way..Great takes on the big vs Little comment. DaDakota
DAMMIT!! That's right, Orlando went up by twenty points...Houston went up by a bunch in game two of that series...Oh well, it WAS a long time ago...sigh... I also forgot a couple of takes in my first post... I always thought Rudy T was a damn good coach, but if he MUST be replaced, I think that Calvin Murphy would be a GREAT candidate for the job. That guy knows more about basketball than almost anyone. Plus, the Rockets would always be one of the best free throw shooting teams in the league!! Of course, I don't think he would give up that schweet broadcasting job and all those free cookies to coach an NBA team...I know I wouldn't Finally, we need the old unis back!! At least get rid of those fugly pinstrips on the current threads.... AV
Welcome A Train .... with a nick like that you must be a bluesman ???? Actually I have a couple of favorite games ... including that Magic playoff game. But they shined bright and played with heart and soul in the 2,3,4 and 5 games between the Rockets and the Celtics in 1981 (80-81 playoff finals).They finally lost 4-2 but they scared the Celtics and gained tons of national respect that year. If truth be known, I always felt that everything successful that happened since was predicated on that playoff season in 1981. Cheers and welcome to cc.net. [This message has been edited by popeye (edited January 02, 2000).]
Popeye, I think it was the rise from the Drug suspensions of Lewis Lloyd, Mitchell Wiggens, and John Lucas that got this team started. DaDakota
DaDakota Respectively disagree. That time was indeed a necessary trial that eventually made the Rockets stronger and more solidified as an organization. But as a team learning to win, and the breeding ground for a genuine championship spirit, this team got all that from the Celtics playoff series, IMHO.
Popeye, The only one connected with the Rockets at that time that is still with them today was Rudy T. All the rest of those guys were gone a few years after that series. I enjoyed it immensely, especially when Moses said he could take any 4 people from his hometown and whip the Celtics. However, I think the seeds of greatness started after the fall of the '86 team again against the Celtics. DaDakota
I agree with A-Train on the possibility of Calvin Murphy becomin coach. The man is already practically an assistant coach. He has been a player for a long time, he goes to Rocket's practices, he knows what they need to do(get out and run), he can coach Francis on how to be a great pg, he knows the players, he knows the Rockets' system. The man is pretty much an assistant coach already. Plus with his emphasis on free throws, less turnovers, and Mobley not being fancy with the dribble, I think the Rox can become much betta. But that's if Rudy is not coaching. I don't think any changes will happen soon. And I hope they dont!
