Lots of LA newspaper articles on the Rox and the Series, but this was my favorite: http://www2.ocregister.com/ocrweb/o...PORTS&subsection=PRO&year=2004&month=4&day=25 Sunday, April 25, 2004 Francis: 'This is a good shooting team' By JEFF MILLER The Orange County Register HOUSTON – More than a couple Lakers - including Shaquille O'Neal - have referenced Houston making some lucky, circus shots en route to winning Game 3 on Friday, 102-91. Principally, Steve Francis converted a pair of late drives that nearly rivaled anything Kobe Bryant has produced this season. Asked about the Lakers' general assessment and O'Neal's thoughts, in particular, Francis refused to take Shaq to the hole in print. "I'm not going to get into he said she said," explained Francis, who, no, was not calling O'Neal a female. "He has three championship rings. How many do I have? (The answer is zero.) He can say anything he wants. All I'll say is it's in the books that we won Game 3." The Rockets won in part because they hit 9 of 16 three-point attempts, with Francis finishing 4 for 5. During the first two games of the series, Houston was 5 of 22 from outside the three-point line. "It's not like we were double-clutching from out there," Francis said. "Those were just regular jump shots. A lot of people don't realize this is a good shooting team." The Lakers have discovered that, if they didn't know it before this series began. Coach Phil Jackson said a key today in Game 4 will be the Lakers' inside players helping cut down on Houston's penetration. As for Francis' late-game carnival moments, Jackson was not surprised. "He gets that close to the basket, he's going to make those shots," Jackson said. "That's the sort of play we have to prevent from happening." NOTES Among the Rockets, none shows more on-court emotion than Francis. His coach was asked about such behavior. "Emotion and passion is good," Van Gundy said. "Being emotionally drunk is bad." ... Asked whether it was easier to go around the 340-pound O'Neal as opposed to through him, Rockets center Yao Ming said through an interpreter, "It seems so." ... Only once in six occasions has a Van Gundy-coached team failed to advance beyond the first round. ... Just two starting small forwards in the NBA have more than 10 years experience. They're both in this series: Jim Jackson and Rick Fox.
Just shows that they will always shift good things into lucky or things they should have made to make themselves look better. I like how Francis just was honest and said the truth. They want to sit there and play mind games. At least Jackson does. As far as O'neal is concerned he probably thought they were circus shots from the three point line cause he can't see anything with his cross eyed self.
