Here's to Clyde! After seeing the main page go retro for Clyde, I just wanted to take a moment to pay tribute to Clyde for his career and what he did for this team. Please share your stories in this thread. Living in Houston, I first watched Clyde when he was at the University of Houston with Akeem and they were part of "Phi Slamma Jamma." Clyde entered the draft in 1983 and I wished the Rockets would have taken him with their second pick in the first round - the number three pick overall! However, they took Rodney McCray instead. He was good, but he was no Clyde! Portland took Drexler with the 14th pick - I think. When the Rockets acquired Drexler for OT in 1995, while excited, I did not know if Drexler was enough of an upgrade over Mad Max to offset the weakened front court. Well he was! The team did not gel until the first round of the playoffs after Mad Max left the team. That seems so surreal to me - a player leaving a team during the playoffs. That certainly justifies the nickname "MAD Max." (Well, that and charging into the stands after a fan!) After Mad Max took his leave, the Rockets became a different team. They looked more comfortable on the floor. They then proceeded to have one of the most, if not the most, amazing playoff runs in NBA history. The Rockets were the 6th seed in the West. They beat Utah on the road 3-2; came from behind to beat Phoenix on the road 4-3; dismissed San Antonio and the MVP, David Robinson, 4-2; and, of course, swept the Orlando Magic 4-0. Sorry Shaq. San Antonio, Utah and Phoenix had the three best records in the NBA. The Magic were tied with Seattle for the fourth best. The Rockets did not have the home court advantage in any series. So what did Clyde do? He averaged 20.5 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists during the playoffs! So here's to Clyde in honor of what he did for Houston and his role on that amazing team that brought the second NBA title home to Houston. Darn, I could have gone to Drexler's Bar-B-Que today!
Beautifully written... I was in college when the Rockets traded for Clyde. Initially, there was a hold-up to Clyde making his debut in Charlotte...I think it was a physical. Anyway, Clyde wasn't able to play until the second half. The Rockets destroyed the Hornets that night...and I ran down the dormitory halls yelling, "Order more rings, order more rings!!!" The Rockets winning the championship was a mere formality.
Cheers! every time I play at Hofeinz and I see the retired number's of Clyde and Hakeem I always get a little touched..
I love Clyde and his two-handed over-the-head shot. I love the way he kicks his legs when he shoots. Clyde is one of my favorite players of all time. If he would have been a Rocket longer, he would be my #1 favorite player all time, hands down.
Thanks. Great story. I was in law school at the time and remember hearing about it and rushing home to catch the news on ESPN. Boy, what a difference the internet has made! As far as a formality, wow! I wasn't so sure about it. I felt good about our chances, but Phoenix scared me. Especially since Charles was not mouthing off as much as he did the year before. Glad he got to eat crow though. More about Clyde... Clyde's skills were impressive. His ability to post up, "glide" to the basket and stroke the outside shot (although his shot did not have much arc to it - as opposed to Lew Lloyd that shot a rainbow) were just a fascinating combination.
There was that stretch where anyone but Dream doubted the trade. And when Dream missed games due to anemia, it was Clyde that carried the team night in and night out. Whether they won that many games (what happened to Sam Mack?), that was the period when the Rockets accepted the Glyde as one the their leaders and goto guys.
I was at U of H when Drexler and Dream were there, so most of my Clyde thrills (because I found him unbelievable). But I was at the game when he arrived in the Summit after halftime (having just got off the plane from Portland). I'd been debating the trade with many people all day and most people were negative about it, and I admittedly didn't know how the hell we were going to survive at the 4 with O.T. gone - I had very mixed emotions. But then Clyde came down the aisle next to mine and the Summit went from silence to a roar, chills went up my spine. And then it occurred to me, repeating as champs comes down to Dream anyway. If he feels like I do right now, we can do it. Of course I'd have felt really great that night if I knew Robert Horry, who didn't like playing the 4, was going to have the best playoffs of his career, I'd have really been happy.
That is awesome. Must have been a great night at the Summit. Were there 16, 016 in attendance, or had the renovations been done by then? And what Horry did playing the four that year during the playoffs, especially against Karl Malone, Charles Barkley and Dennis Rodman! Amazaing playoff run!
