Francis Ran Out of Rocket Fuel

The popular term is “street cred.”

That is, earning the approval and admiration of the hip-hop generation and all that it entails.

Shoe deals. Invitations to Rucker Park every summer. Hanging with popular rap artists.

Steve Francis has it. And he earned more Monday night in Los Angeles with a triple-double performance and triple axel-type hang time.

It was a great show. Exhilarating to watch. Real street credibility.

Even so, Francis just can’t win.

On the surface, he was everything he needed to be in Game 2, cutting down on turnovers, putting defenders on their heels with that Rucker crossover and turning up the production.

But like we said, he just couldn’t win.

That was the problem. And Monday’s was exactly the kind of performance that must drive the Rockets’ front office nuts. The kind they’ve seen before.

On the one hand, Francis put on display a kind of “anything Kobe Bryant can do I can do” bravado.

He made twisting drives, impressive pull-ups, fancy passes and added 10 rebounds for good measure.

But on the other hand, this was a second-half Rockets’ meltdown, a disturbingly prevalent feeling of resignation to the outcome down the stretch and a double-digit loss.

As much as Francis’ numbers were impressive, the lowlights came in the decisive moments and the subtle plays Francis did not make.

He protected the ball and put on a show with Bryant, sure. It was a battle that Kobe ultimately won with 36 points -- 17 in the third quarter -- and found Bryant laughing in Francis’ face at one point.

But in the fourth quarter, the Rockets had five turnovers, and Francis could not get his team into any kind of offensive flow.

As for the determined effort to try to get Yao Ming more involved and aggressive inside, Yao had an impact early on.

Even if his shooting touch was not quite all the way there, Yao scored and forced Shaquille O’Neal into foul trouble.

But despite second-half defensive adjustments by the Lakers, Francis and his teammates could not get Yao the ball much after the quick start.

At least three times by my count, Yao got strong low position in the lane, only to have an entry pass sail wide of its target, pulling Yao away from prime scoring position.

Such are the subtleties. Such are the little differences from perhaps getting O’Neal to pick up a fifth foul and Yao having to settle for a fadeaway shot from 12 feet.

So as these Rockets enter the most important game of their playoff lives Friday, the question they’re facing is the same one they’ve faced before.

Are they expecting too much from Francis? Or is this as good as it gets -- All-Star numbers but not playoff plays?