With Francis-Mobley combo , young , brash Rockets could really take off if rookie Griffin lives up to the hype.. If there is a poster-child team for what the NBA wants to promote as a challenger to the two-time champion Lakers , it is the Rockets. They are young and brash. They are young and fast. They are young and high-flying. They are young and improving. Yes , they are young. But led by the jet-fueled twosome of Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley --- in some estimations , already the best backcourt in the league---this is a team that will be making a sonic boom in the standings and the playoffs in the not-too distant future. Steve Francis , If there is a guard in the league who could eventually grow into a shot-for-shot , move-for-move , gift-for-gift match for Kobe Bryant , Francis is the one. He has all of the raw talents and is learning to show them more and more.. Cuttino Mobley , Mobley has great quickness, a tremendous first step going to the basket and is one of the main players responsible for the NBA changing the rules to outlaw isolation offenes. Mobley can also step back and hit the outside shot and has great ability and desire to hook up at the defensive end. He's good, he knows it and he'll tell you. Eddie Griffin , If there is a third corner to what the Rockets are hoping is the foundation for the franchise for the next decade , it was secured on draft night when they swapped three first-round draft picks to New Jersey and came away with 19-year-old power forward Eddie Griffin , who left Seton Hall after one season. "I'm amazed , astounted that we were able to get a player like this , with Eddie's pontential," says Tomjanovich. "This guy has the ability to play just about any position on the court except point guard. We love his aggressiveness down around the basket. We love his ability to put the ball on the floor and we love what he can do for us with his rebounding and his shot-blocking." projection 4th seed in the west Street & Smith's
