Home>News Center>Sports
         
 

Francis steals show as Magic rout Rockets
(Houston Chronicle)
Updated: 2004-10-25 09:57

Maybe if he did that hang-on-the-rim, finger-point thing. Perhaps Steve Francis could have done that hop-skip back down the court or let out one of those screams, maybe then it would have meant Francis was angrily seeking vengeance for the Rockets' decision to trade him.


Houston Rockets guard Tyronn Lue, right, puts up a shot as Orlando Magic guard Steve Francis defends during the first quarter Saturday, Oct. 23, 2004, in Orlando, Fla. [AP]
But before Magic fans could clear the Tracy McGrady boos from their throats, before McGrady could offer his first shot of the day at Magic general manager John Weisbrod, Francis made a different point.

This was not for show. This was for real.

Francis stepped in front of a Yao Ming pass on the Rockets' first trip down the court, flew to a breakaway slam and demonstrated how he felt.

With a spectacular start, Francis sent his new team to a 95-72 romp over his former team Saturday, the biggest Magic rout of a preseason game since Grant Hill played his first game against his former team.

While McGrady sat out the game to allow Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy to check out his bench, Francis rolled through an intense first-quarter ambush of Yao and the Rockets' bench.

"I think Steve and Cat (Cuttino Mobley) like that," Rockets forward Maurice Taylor said. "They're into the drama and get-backs, that type of thing. That's the type of guys they are. Obviously, Steve came out and wanted to prove a point. That's the type of guys they are. They're into those types of things."

Francis offered few verbal hints that he was moved for the first meeting with the Rockets since the trade. But he did say he would not have been as agreeable about sitting out as was McGrady and got in one sideways swipe at the Rockets' feeble performance.

"That's him, that's their organization and their decision," Francis said. "But I know ... I would have played in the game, regardless.

"It was great to see the guys I haven't seen in a while. Hopefully, they'll get better."

Francis knocked down seven of his first eight shots, going on a personal 7-0 run before taking a steal to a no-look, over the head pass back to Mobley for a slam and a 12-point Magic lead.

Francis had 16 points, two steals, two rebounds and a blocked shot in the first quarter.

"I knew he was going to do that," Mobley said. " ... He was geeked up."

He could not approach that torrid play the rest of the night, scoring just one more point and getting one more assist. But in a mismatch of a game, Francis set the pace and the Magic had little difficulty maintaining it. Still, Francis insisted he bore no hard feelings about the trade.

"It was just time for a change of scenery for both parties," Francis said. "I'm not mad at them. The things I really, truly miss are the city, the fans and my house. Basketball-wise, I couldn't be any happier.

"I don't want to prove to Houston, I want to prove to myself I'm still capable of playing good basketball. Of course, I have friends throughout the NBA. Some of my best friends play for other teams. It's good to have that summertime talk, hey, we beat your (butt). I play basketball with 25, 30 pros in the summer. Everybody sits around and talks about who beat who."

The January meetings of the teams will dominate the summer trash talk. But if Saturday's game demonstrated anything, it might have served as evidence of how satisfied Francis.

"I couldn't be happier being here playing in the program, a system, that suits my game 250 percent better than what I played in last year," Francis said. "Not saying that Houston's system wasn't good. It just wasn't a perfect system for me.

"My first four years in the NBA were probably my best years. I played great basketball. I averaged nearly a triple double.

"I'm right back in that caliber here in Orlando. My teammates are very, very respectful of what I bring to the table. It's far from just scoring points for me. I think I'm getting better, helping my team get better every night."

Unlike McGrady, Francis did not want to be traded and expressed his initial shock and disappointment, but he had a hard time working up animus for Rockets management while insisting how happy he is in Orlando.

"I definitely wouldn't say anything about the organization, about anybody there," Francis said. "I still have friends who play on that team. It's not personal. It's just the nature of the game of basketball.

"They traded the best player they ever had in Hakeem Olajuwon. I'm no exception, not having won a championship, not having won a playoff series. New coach, new era, maybe that's the position the management and coaching staff felt."



 
  Today's Top News     Top Sports News
 

1.46b people by 2030s may hinder development

 

   
 

Mother-to-child HIV transmission tackled

 

   
 

Mine death toll rises to 86, hopes slim

 

   
 

Clinton helping Kerry turn out his voters

 

   
 

New efforts needed to cool economy down

 

   
 

Property law secures ownership

 

   
  Montoya beats Raikkonen to Brazilian victory
   
  Sacramento Kings release Liu Wei
   
  China shows soccer hooligans yellow card
   
  Francis steals show as Magic rout Rockets
   
  Red Devils end Arsenal's proud fun
   
  FIFA demand six-month Mutu ban
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 久久久久久九九99精品| 国产精品99久久久久久猫咪| 国产亚洲精久久久久久无码| 亚洲av无码久久精品蜜桃| 色屁屁www影院免费观看视频| 好吊妞视频这里有精品| 久久久久久AV无码免费网站下载| 最近2019中文字幕mv免费看| 亚洲无人区视频大全| 热99精品视频| 免费乱理伦在线播放| 红楼遗梦成人h文完整版| 国产精品欧美久久久久无广告| www.av视频在线| 成人三级精品视频在线观看| 亚洲伦理一区二区| 毛片a级毛片免费观看品善网| 免费a级毛片在线播放| 精品欧美同性videosbest| 国产一区二区精品久久| 韩国太太的告白韩国电影| 国产手机在线αⅴ片无码观看| **性色生活片久久毛片| 国模冰冰双人炮gogo| 久久av高潮av无码av喷吹| 欧美精品专区第1页| 伊人免费视频二| 精品一区二区三区东京热| 国产寡妇树林野战在线播放| 搡女人免费免费视频观看| 国内精品久久久久国产盗摄| av天堂午夜精品一区二区三区| 日本三级免费观看| 久久精品无码一区二区日韩av | 国产精品久久久福利| 一级片网站在线观看| 揄拍成人国产精品视频| 久久se精品一区二区国产| 日日干日日操日日射| 久久久久亚洲av无码专区蜜芽| 日本伊人色综合网|