Wow you really did make a thread... I was waiting for you to reply on the other thread...but I do agree what Pippen did was wrong. I was just comparing what Max did in 95 to what Pippen did in 99. But Max was an important piece on the 1st title, so he does get a pass, ONLY because we won also in 95 If we didn't win in 95...I have a feeling we would be making this thread about Max and Pippen. But the Rockets shouldn't have never went after a 33 year old Pippen with back problems (missed 38 games in 98 and the back limited him the playoffs)...then on top of that they give him a long term contract for 75 million?? Bad judgement by CD...doesn't excuse Pippen, but should've never happened int he first place. A little fault goes to the Rockets...most of it goes to Pippen. But I did post in the other thread that I was glad that Pippen didn't win another title after leaving the Rockets. The only time I ever rooted for Shaq and Kobe in my life was in 2000 vs. Portland because of Pippen. I kinda know what yall mean though...when teh Titans made it to the super bowl, i was rooting for them cuz I was a huge McNair (RIP) and Eddie George fan, but my dad still hated the fact that Bud Adams took the team away from us...He wuoldn't root for them. I didn't make a big deal of it then, but now I understand what he meant.
Didn't Scottie lead us to our second championship? I seem to remember him doing great things for this city.
I remember telling my friends at the time the Rockets traded Pippen, I wished they could've gotten Jermaine O'Neal, who was stuck on the bench in Portland instead of Kelvin Cato. It would've been a nice move at the time but we probably wouldn't have Yao either.
I'm not going to make a poll, you can do that on who you the Rocket fans favored Maxwell or Pippen. These were your words. 1. He DID leave the team. Pippen he FORCED the Rockets to trade him after signing him to a monster contract. Maxwell knew he wouldn't get a contract extension so he left. Max knew that Clyde was his replacement. The Rockets didn't expect Pippen to leave, we had no backup plan to replace Pippen. 2. he didn't show up in the playoffs, he got destroyed by Kobe. Shane Battier would have laughed at Pippen's so called top 50 player defense. 3.At least Maxwell stayed long enough. you point one season for Maxwell when he played 5. Pippen only lasted one season. BlackKnight, Tell me when Pippen showed remorse for what he did to the Rockets. I already posted Maxwell's reaction.
Its fun debating with ya...I know I hit a lot of nerves when I brought up Pippen...probably a bad idea...I barely remembered that he was a Rocket...thats how little he's mentioned in Houston. But I do have to admit that I did enjoy him play with Michael in Chicago, loved how both of them could pressure full court and create turnover after turnover. His dunks were nice also...too bad he couldn't do any of that here. But I wouldn't have minded if you mentioned my name. Just part of the game...but I do appreciate your respect. Same goes to you Tmac_1
Exactly right, I believe Chuck fouled Shaq 80 feet from the basket to put him on the free throw line near the end of Game 1. Hack-a-Shaq worked as Shaq could only hit one of two. Then Pippen happened... from SI.com Hakeem Olajuwon's three-point play with 1:03 remaining gave the Rockets a 100-98 lead, and O'Neal cut the advantage in half by making a foul shot with 28.4 seconds left. The Rockets were running the shot clock down when Scottie Pippen lost his footing and control of the ball while guarded by Kobe Bryant. Fisher came racing in, pounced on the ball and called timeout with 7.6 seconds to play.
I never said Pippen was a class act...exactly why I was thrilled his portland teams never succeeded. Kobe and Glen Rice lit him up in the playoffs that is true, but he was a good defender from 90 to 97. He had a few great seasons but top 50 all time?? Dont think so, IMO. You do make good points, but Max left while his team was playing and they could've used another body, especially since Elie was the only 2/3 off the bench...not saying Max didn't do anything here (I always give him credit for the 1st title). I also admit tha Pippen was wrong in what he did. Both were wrong...I think what max did was worse, since we were the defending champs tryn to defend our title. But both were awful moments in Rockets histroy, I'll give you that. As far as Pippen's replacement...what was Shandon Anderson?? jk...another bad move by CD...hopefully Ariza turns out differently.
Rocket fans were so excited to get Pippen, I believe more so than when we got Tracy. His championship experience and what we saw with Michael. We were all fooled. I was watching the playoffs with Laker fans and they laughed at Pippen.
This is a forgiving society. Maxwell didn't create a dog fighting ring or bite someone's ear off or used steriods. The key is that he was remorseful and he didn't lose his friends on the team. Maxwell didn't have to apologize to me directly. I knew and we all knew he was an emotional guy (hence Mad Max) and I didn't immediately erase what he did for us for all those years cause he screwed up. Pippen on the other hand, never did a thing for us, never showed remorse and you don't see Barkley telling fond stories of him on TNT. I understand why some people are still mad at Maxwell, but he's NO PIPPEN. I know a certain percentage of Rocket fans feel this way about Maxwell <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3q0gqpOyx9o&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3q0gqpOyx9o&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
I see your point...but why can't you cut Tmac some slack as well? He's been a class citizen, and although he's said some stupid things, he's never done anythign harmful, and he's played for 5 years. He's had some low points (06 and 09), but he gave us some good moments too...just asking, thats all. I know talent wise he was more talented than Pippen adn Max, so he he should get more blame, but there seems to b a lot of dislike towards him on the board, even though he didn't do anything that bad except make a few stupid comments. He always showed up to play in the playoffs. But this is Pippen thread, so if you don't wanna answer taht, its all good.
I hope this is not about you trying to change my opinion on Tmac. I never mention Tmac's private life, except that I like his taste in steakhouses and party destinations. I'm tired of 'what if tmac'. I'm tired of 'when tmac gets healthy he'll be the mvp' i'm tired of 'kobe can't guard tmac' i'm tired of 'it's his teammates fault' As for his performance. it's been overrated too cause during all these playoff series you do see other games and how the other 'elite' players play and they clearly have an extra gear in them. Tmac isn't the answer to our championship aspirations. That's my opinion and my proof is what you've been seeing for all these years.
joe johnson has that "extra" gear? melo? KG? and a lot more that have gotten out of the first round. tracy does have an extra gear. look at how he freakin' ended the 07-08 season. even clutch thought tracy was dead in the water with how bad he played in the last month. then he averaged 27, 8, 7 v. the jazz in the playoffs. i'm not saying stats are everything, but tracy does have an extra gear. but then, he may have needed an extra gear above that to get out of the first round.
Give Trevor a break. The difference is you don't how good Ariza is going to get. He hasn't peaked yet.
we pay him to be that hero, but he hasn't lived up to that billing. that's just my opinion. I know there are other overpaid players in the league. again, I'm not the most vocal tracy critic, just the most popular one.
yes it's unfair. Pippen came in with championship rings and a 50 best player label on him, plus a massive contract. Trevor, he's not the savior of the Rockets.
that's a legit criticism. i feel tracy has played well in the playoffs for us. but given the money we pay him, he should have been jordan-like obviously. he didn't fufill that, outside of that mavs series.
Game 7 vs the Mavs was the one of the worst Rockets games of all time. I can't see a Michael Jordan play like that or let his team play like that in a playoff game 7. No excuses for Tmac either, he was the hero earlier in the series. It was JVG's fault to some point, but your best player should never let that happen. Not that gigantic of a loss in such a close series.
for how much tracy dominated the series up until then, it shouldn't have gone to 7 games. the depth of the mavs took over eventually and it did. tracy played like jordan on both ends for every game except game 7. he was the best player in the entire first round in both conferences. with that type of performance, it shouldn't have gone to 6 games even.
I'm almost always with you tin, but hard to criticize Tracy for this series. Aside from T-Mac and Yao, the other major "contributors" for the Rockets that game were: David Wesley, 41 minutes, 2-9 shooting Scott Padgett, 31 minutes, 1-6 shooting Bob Sura, 25 minutes, 0-2 shooting Mike James, 17 minutes, 2-7 shooting, thrown out of game Jon Barry, 26 minutes, 1-6 shooting Ryan Bowen, 12 minutes, 0-2 shooting This against a Mavs team that was one season away from a trip to the Finals. Seriously, look at those players: Wesley, Padgett, Sura, James, Barry and Bowen. Pippen, otoh, just saying the name is painful. let's not also forget that, while not the only reason, signing Pippen was a reason the team also didn't draft Rashard Lewis, didn't go after McDyess, etc.
