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I do remember that. In fact, I mentioned it earlier in this thread. I also know that the writing is on the wall that things are and will continue to be back to the way they were. Whether you like it or not, the Rockets have been and are a better franchise. More wins, more conference titles, more championships, more hall of famers, the list goes on. But keep on talking....
1 of Houston's best players of all time (McGrady who's probably around top 5. Maybe higher) never won a playoff series. Another (Ming) won a single playoff series. Houston has won a single playoff series since 1997. Let's face it: Houston had a great few years with Olajuwon, but that's about it. Other than that they've been pretty unremarkable (not bad, just unremarkable). Lots of .500ish seasons, a fair number below .500, missed the playoffs a fair bit, etc.
So it's pretty funny to see you get snooty with a Mavs fan, as is your idea that you guys are about to become basketball royalty. You've got 20+ mil/year going to Howard, who's had numerous major injuries + surgeries and is pushing 30. Yes he might give you 2 more years of stats approaching 20/10 + good interior D, but on the other hand another medical problem (related to his other problems) might further reduce his effectiveness. Either way, he's not close to the animal that he was in Orlando, so he's not looking like a franchise cornerstone worth 20-something mil right now (one of the big reasons I said I'd take Splitter over Howard straight up... and of course then Splitter went on to have a major injury of his own).