Stro' Show Finally Opens... In Previews

After weeks of calamitous test screenings and costly re-shoots, the long awaited Stro' Show opened to a preview screening Wednesday night against the Hornets.

With 26 points and 13 rebounds, Swift gave Rockets fans a little taste of what it might be like to live up to the hype. But matched up mainly with David West and Chris Anderson, it was still only a preview. Stro' still had that adorable lost puppy dog face for the duration.

And the Rockets lost, despite an additional 38 points from T-Mac. But they didn't lose from lack of want. They lost because... there's no one left on the roster who can shoot and teams aren't playing the Rockets so much as playing McGrady. Stro' tried to burn the Hornets for that but he would miss a chance to garnish his breakout performance with a shot to tie when his running baby hook fell short in the final seconds (a shot he says is easy for him) after a misdirection play drawn up with Mac as a decoy. To his credit, Mac didn't pull a Pippen. But this isn't the playoffs.

We tease Stro, but honestly, we want him to be his hype. We want him to live up to that 2nd pick in the draft. We even think he has the talent to be a star--we like Stro'... but give Mac the ball when the game's on the line. Double-teamed. Triple-teamed. Just get him the ball. Please.