Your championships have been sandwiched between two Michael Jordan three-peats. Do you assume these Rockets groups have gotten their correct due for what they completed? Kenny Smith: You possibly can’t erase historical past. I don’t know should you get correct due, however you possibly can’t erase historical past. Everybody all the time says, “Effectively, Michael was out.” No, he wasn’t — he was carrying No. 45 (in 1995). And everyone seems to be saying, “Oh, he was rusty.” Nobody was saying he was rusty when he had 55 factors at Madison Sq. Backyard that very same yr. He had 55 factors in opposition to the Knicks, who have been arguably the most effective defensive crew in basketball at the moment. No, he was Michael Jordan. (The Bulls) simply weren’t nearly as good a basketball crew. The crew they misplaced to, the Orlando Magic, we swept. I by no means take a look at it as getting respect. You possibly can’t erase historical past. And we’re right here to remain. He did play that yr, so there was just one yr he wasn’t there. He did play (throughout the second title run). He was there, and we simply didn’t get a possibility to satisfy them. -via Houston Chronicle / August 14, 2024
