Steve Francis' headaches are getting better, thank you. Just don't ask him about them.

The former Maryland All-America guard is having a Most Valuable Player-caliber year in his fourth season with the Houston Rockets, due in large part to treatment he is receiving for an ailment that caused him to suffer debilitating migraine headaches last season.

Francis, who was also hampered by shoulder problems, posted his best scoring and rebounding numbers of his three NBA seasons, but missed 25 games and suffered in the process, frequently needing to sit in a totally darkened room because light would exacerbate his pain.

"I don't know [what triggers the headaches]," Francis said earlier this week, while en route to last night's game in Dallas. "If I knew, I would be able, hopefully, to cure it. I don't know what triggers it, but with as many appointments to doctors that I've been to, they suggested a low-salt, low-sodium diet."

The headaches persist, though not with the severity and regularity that they did last season. The new diet has helped, but Francis says talking about the headaches seems to bring them on, as it did the other night when a reporter asked about them.

"The more that people ask me about it, I start feeling bad. As we're talking about it, I've started feeling bad," Francis said.

On to other topics, then, such as tonight's first professional meeting with his former Maryland teammate, Juan Dixon, when the 6-4 Rockets play host to the Washington Wizards.

Though Dixon, who played behind Francis at College Park, isn't expected to see much, if any, playing time tonight, he is looking forward to the matchup, if it comes about.

"I just want to go out there and have fun," Dixon said. "We're both at the highest level of basketball. He's done well with his team, and I'm working hard, trying to make my team better. I want to go out there and have fun. Hopefully, we can sweep the Rockets this year and I can talk some trash in the summertime."

Francis, who says he talks with Dixon at least three times a week, sees big things ahead for the guard who succeeded him as a Terps All-American.

"He [Dixon] was always a good shooter," Francis said. "But there are a lot of things that he does that I still try to get. He's an NBA player on paper, but he has elevated his game. For a rookie, a year or two down the line, although he's not going to want to hear it, maybe next year, he'll be able to get the starting nod, or maybe even this year. He'll be able to be the go-to guy on this team."

Francis has cemented himself as Houston's go-to guy, with a breakout season that could garner him MVP consideration.

After scoring 22 points in last night's 103-90 loss to the unbeaten Mavericks, Francis, who shared the 1999-2000 Rookie of the Year award with Elton Brand, was averaging 26.5 points - fourth-best in the NBA - while shooting 47 percent from the field and 81 percent from the line, both on target to be career highs.

Francis, who averaged 6.4 rebounds during his first three years, is pulling down 7.1 this season. His 2.6 offensive rebounds a game are up a half rebound per game from 2001-02.

"It's not like I'm Dennis Rodman or anything, but I'm not scared to go in there and bump and get a board and kick it out and start us in transition," said Francis, 6 feet 3. "It's something that has always been there. It's like, all guards want to be forwards and forwards and big men want to be guards. Growing up, I always thought I could rebound, so I have kept with it."

The Rockets offense, fully armed with all its parts, now that forward Maurice Taylor is back from an Achilles' tendon injury that kept him out all last season and with Chinese center Yao Ming, the first overall pick in June's draft, developing slowly, has exploded.

But Francis, who leads the team in scoring and assists, won't take credit for the team's improved output.

"We have so many weapons on my team, and I'm not the only guy that we have on this team," Francis said. "We have eight or nine guys that can put up 20 points a night. The way we balance that is we try to get everybody involved to the point where everybody is comfortable. That makes you want to play hard."

All modesty aside, Francis, who received counsel in the offseason from Michael Jordan, Jerry West and John Lucas, is making his way onto the list of the NBA's top players, and probably needs only a trip to the playoffs and a first-round win to cement his place there.

"Whatever they [opinion makers] decide, but I am going to ball until I fall," Francis said. "I'm going to ball until I drop, regardless. I'm going to play hard, day and night. If that's what it amounts to, then that's good. If not and even if my name is not on that list, then I'm still going to play hard and be the same person. That's what I think a lot of people don't understand. You have to be a good person."

Wizards tonight

Opponent: Houston Rockets

Site: Compaq Center, Houston

Time: 8:30

TV/Radio: Comcast SportsNet/WTEM (980 AM)