Your championships have been sandwiched between two Michael Jordan three-peats. Do you suppose these Rockets groups have gotten their correct due for what they completed? Kenny Smith: You’ll be able to’t erase historical past. I don’t know in the event you get correct due, however you possibly can’t erase historical past. Everybody all the time says, “Nicely, Michael was out.” No, he wasn’t — he was sporting 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 12 months. He had 55 factors towards the Knicks, who have been arguably the very best defensive crew in basketball at the moment. No, he was Michael Jordan. (The Bulls) simply weren’t pretty much as good a basketball crew. The crew they misplaced to, the Orlando Magic, we swept. I by no means have a look at it as getting respect. You’ll be able to’t erase historical past. And we’re right here to remain. He did play that 12 months, so there was just one 12 months he wasn’t there. He did play (in the course of the second title run). He was there, and we simply didn’t get a chance to fulfill them. -via Houston Chronicle / August 14, 2024
