as time passes, the place of 1993-95 Rockets in the history of the nba grows..the history of the world, the universe and time and space http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_6491255 Houston, Robert Horry benefited from failed trade BY RAMONA SHELBURNE Staff Writer Inside SOCAL Article Last Updated:07/28/2007 10:40:28 PM PDT Sometimes the best trades are the ones that aren't made. That was the case for Robert Horry. In 1994, the Houston Rockets traded Horry and Matt Bullard to the Detroit Pistons for veteran sharpshooter Sean Elliot. Horry was shocked, Bullard was angry and Elliott, well, he was about to flunk a physical because of kidney problems. When that happened, the trade was rescinded. Everyone got back on a plane, flew home and tried to pretend it never happened. Not Horry. "It probably saved my career," he said. "I came back knowing that the reason they traded me was for not shooting the basketball enough. "So once I came back, they were going to have to tell me to stop shooting." The rest is NBA history. "Big Shot Rob" has won seven NBA titles, one of only nine players in league history to do so and the only one of the nine who wasn't a member of the Boston Celtics in the 1960s. Three of those titles came with the Lakers. During that three-year championship run (2000-02), Horry made a clinching 3-pointer in four straight playoff series, beginning with the 2001 NBA Finals against Philadelphia. Without that failed trade to Detroit, would Horry have had the guts to take the 3-pointer at the end of Game 4 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals to beat Sacramento, or the poise to drain the shot that gave the Lakers a four-point lead with 47seconds left in Game 3 of the 2001 Finals? Without that failed trade to Detroit, would he have hit the 3-pointer at the end of overtime to give the Spurs a 96-95 victory over the Pistons in Game 6 of the 2005 NBA Finals? Without that trade, would he have passed the ball to Kobe Bryant instead? Would he have ended up as Big Shot Rob or just another Bob? Looking back on it all now, the ill-fated trade seems like one of those wrinkles in time that no one notices in the moment but ends up changing everything. "It was only my second year in the league, so I hadn't really set up roots in a city yet," Horry recalled. "But I didn't want to be traded because I thought Houston was a perfect fit for my athletic ability and skills. "But you had to look at it in a positive sense." One thing, at least, is positively certain. Horry got the better end of the deal.
Heh, I thought this was about a recent trade. Anyways, still good to hear about the glory days in Houston. But c'mon, Horry AND Bullard for Elliot? Good thing that never happened.
this was a recent article. like any profession, you learn from your environment. the heart of dream, the fire of maxwell, the toughness of mario, the brashness of sam, the workman of otis, the confidence of kenny, and the leadership of rudy t created this thing we call "BIG SHOT ROB". there's a reason why a church was built in greenway plaza. it is located on sacred land.
I treated myself to watching the 1995 Finals this weekend. Sweet. Horry drilled some HUGE 3s, especially the one at the end of game 3. He looked like a skinny rail compared to the pudgeball he is now. I remember AM610 interviewing Sean Elliot in his Houston hotel room after he arrived in town. He didn't sound very enthused about being here. Good thing for all he failed the physical.
IIRC, Rudy met Horry and Bull at the airport when they flew home, to underscore how much they needed, wanted them on the team. probably went a long way towards overcoming any ill-will they felt. so i wonder, when Big Shot Rob enters the hall, and he will, which uni will he wear?
Good question. Rockets fans hope it's Red/White. Lakers fans hope it's Purple/Gold (gay). Spurs fans hope it's Black/grey (gay, but cool colors).
I remember thinking it was a good trade for us at the time, although I hated to lose Horry. I also remember Elliott not being too happy about it. When it fell through, I thought the season was over because Horry wouldn't be the same player. I was half right, he wasn't the same player.
this is what the newbies and _OFs don't know about. the stories of legend, of uncertainty turning into confidence and glory. if you followed the rockets during the Dream years, you'd know it wasn't just a two years. lots of things lead up to the championship. every player on that team can step up and win games. that's what so amazing about the glory days. its not about Tmac and Yao and praying that the others step up. the francis coming back to houston could be a similar story of horry returning to the Rockets after a failed trade. francis can be the horry and propel himself to legendary Rocket status. i have hope.
Old story, Horry actually kept the Detroit jersey as a means to push himself harder. Sean Elliot is a little bit of a prick anyways. I dunno, he comes to tucson all the time and truth be told I've never been impressed every time I see him. He and Kerr just rub me the wrong way.
4 seasons with Rox, 2 Rings in a row. 1/2 season with Suns, threw towel in Danny's face, haha! 6 1/2 seasons with Lakers, 3 rings in a row. 4 seasons (maybe more) with Spurs, 2 rings. As big of a rox fan as I am, I think he's gonna go with Lakers IF he gets in da hall. Its not a for sure thing that he's gettin in Springfield in da first place. I hope he does but its not gonna be 1st ballot and there will be critics if it happens. As far as I'm concerned, he's the best role player in history and is up there with jordan, miller and west in clutch shots. He should be the one and only of his kind in the hall one day.
Keep dreaming. No way he is making it to the hall, unless you are talking about the hall in your house.
acutally i think Rockets can use a guy like Horry now, a versatile power foward who can rebound/block/shoot 3pt, but those kind guy are pretty rare, on top of my head i can only think of Horry and Rash Wallace.
Wow, Ya'll are talking about hall of fame for Robert HORRY I hope that ya'll aren't serious. Or better yet I hope ya'll are meaning some other type of hall. Horry doesn't belong in the Basketball hall of Fame. Plain and simple. Being inducted to the hall doesn't require championshiop rings. Some of his big game shots are worthy of hall of fame induction. But Big Bob was after all a big Blob. He only played well when it was a big game. He never ever put in the daily grind of the basketball season. He sleep walked his way through. ON the backs of Hakeem, Duncan, Shaq, Koke, etc. He contributed, but he could have been awsome. Poor Rob, he had the ability to be a shoe in to the Hall of Fame, but he was plain and simply way too Lazy. And I'm a huge Robert Horry fan.
