itz NBAtalk so nothin big but itz got good points by NBAtalk columnist, Bob Prater Rebounding is an art. Offensive rebounding is a product of tenaciousness and pure desire. As you scour the list of offensive rebounding leaders, the usual names appear. Leading the league at 4.2 per game is Shaquille O’Neal. Trailing closely at 4 per contest is the Toronto Raptors’ Antonio Davis. No surprise on either count, but if you look closely at the list, you’re bound to start singing the old Sesame Street song, “One of these things is not like the other . . . “ Check this out. Shaq is 7’ 1” – 315 pounds. Antonio Davis? 6’9”. But take a look at the guy who’s tied with Dikembe Mutombo (7’2” – 260 lbs) for 19th on the list. He stands all of 6’3” and weighs 190 pounds. His name? Steve Francis of the Houston Rockets and he might just, pound for pound, be the toughest player in the league. Steve Francis belongs among the top offensive rebounders like Arnold Schwarzenegger belongs in the next Robert Altman film. Fearless to a fault, Francis isn’t afraid to do whatever the job description calls for. Need a bucket? He’s averaging nearly 19 a game. Need an assist? He’s over 6 per contest. Need a rebound? Well, you already know about that. Francis, at 6 per game, is averaging more than anyone else on the Rockets, with the exception of Hakeem Olajuwon, who is at 6.2. Steve Francis is outrebounding Maurice Taylor! Currently, Stevie is in the NBA Top 20 in four different statistical categories, but when it comes to intangibles like heart and fight, he’s second to none. ------------------ --TEX
