3 Reasons it never gets old seeing the Houston Rockets beat the Jazz

Houston Rockets Hakeem Olajuwon (Photo by DOUG COLLIER / AFP) (Photo credit should read DOUG COLLIER/AFP via Getty Images)
Houston Rockets Hakeem Olajuwon (Photo by DOUG COLLIER / AFP) (Photo credit should read DOUG COLLIER/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Karl Malone Mandatory Credit: Ronald Martinez/Allsport /

2. Karl Malone

Yes, Karl Malone was a huge part of the 1990s rivalry, but he deserves to be in a category of his own. While he retired as one of the greatest power forwards ever to play the game, both his on-court and off-the-court antics left little to be desired.

On the court, Malone was never one to shy away from playing dirty, often using his elbows as his weapon of choice to inflict damage on unsuspecting opponents. His elbow to David Robinson, in particular, was inexcusable and could’ve led to a career-ending injury.

To a lesser extent, his role in the pick and roll was often questionable with his illegal screens and holding. Let’s be honest, this is a clear hold of Clyde Drexler to set up the Stockton three.

Off the court, allegations of Malone’s inappropriate relationships while he attended Lousiana Tech have been prevalent for decades, which are so disturbing that they tarnish his legacy in many people’s eyes.

Then, there was the incident in 2004 in which Kobe Bryant publicly called out Malone for making inappropriate comments to his wife, Vanessa. In the ESPN story, Vanessa reportedly asked Malone what he was hunting, in reference to his attire of a cowboy hat and boots. “I’m hunting for little Mexican girls,” responded Karl.

Malone is just one of those guys it’s extremely hard to root for in general.

Next: Reason No. 1