Missing the playoffs, Steve, Yao and a couple of other things (maybe even new things)

Its been a while, and I'm not an acclaimed writer like Doc or Clutch so if my lack of posting experience offends someone then just move onto the next thread.

We won't make the playoffs.

This team doesn't have what it takes to make the playoffs. They haven't learned how to win yet and that is embarrasing. I'm talking about everyone from YAO and Steve to Jim and Marc. Individually there are some players, CAT, Steve, Yao who can win a game, but the sum of the parts can't do it together. I personally think its time to rebuild around Yao. We thought we were going to build around Francis, but it has become clearer and clearer that he's not going to lead us to a championship. I wish him the best and hope that he doesn't have to pull a Gary Payton/Karl Malone to win a championship but I fear he might.

Ok let me state the obvious about steve.

He has to dribble to be effective
He's athletic
He can usually shoot around a 35-40% clip
He can't pass
He can dunk
He can't handle a press
He can get amazing highlights
He turns the ball over
He has a low basketball IQ
He hasn't really improved his game in 5 years
He hasn't led this team to the playoffs yet.
He hustles

He has to go. I was as big a fan as anybody until about 2 1/2 years ago. Then I started thinking, man I've screamed the exact same complaints about this guy for 2 years. Its not like he's changed much over his 5 years of play. He has million dollar physical ability with a 10 cent head. That's it. He shoots the ball way too much when he's ice cold. Sure some of his shots come at the end of the shot clock and are rushed, but when you go 3/15 you can't tell me that you took 5 shots because the clock was running down- but even worse, YOU'RE the PG. Its your job to move the ball around so that doesn't happen. I don't know what our plans are this off season, but if we move Francis we have to get either a 1 or a 4 in return. We need a PG who thinks pass first (preferrably to a Rocket this time) and a physical PF who can play D.

Yao hasn't come up big these last three games, and I've only seen one against phoenix, but is he the problem? We're 31-18 when Yao shoots 10+ times and we're 15-6 when he shoots 15+ times. I started to do the math with francis and realized that he's shot more than 10 times in all but 4 games that he's played in, and over 15 times in most of the games as well. When YAO shoots the ball more than 15 times in a game he shoots 53.5%. He can shoot freethrows and hey he's getting an attitude. Wait what was the big knock on him? Not physical enough, Isn't a big enough of a factor? Oh you mean we are actually seeing a HUGE difference one year in? I though we had to wait 6-7 years before we saw a change? Keep him.


I've never been his biggest fan, but now more than ever its time for stevie to go.


In fact I'd tank it this year if I was in charge and try to get higher draft pick. Its not like anybody could accuse us of tanking it... we've done it the last 4 years with nobody coming out and making a fuss.


Lets pray he has a great last 15 or so games of the year and we make the playoffs, or better yet lets pray he looks like a world beater the last 15 games, that it doesn't fool management and that we do miss the playoffs. Then maybe other GM's will overpay for him and we'll have a high draft choice to maybe even pawn off with francis for more value.




BTW.
Somebody should have "shhhed" steve before that little interview at half time.

 

Thanks Atrain

I'm Rocketmike and I approve this message lol...

 

We can argue which comes first the chicken or the egg all day. I mean does Yao shoot better when he gets more shots because he's involved in the offense? Because he's making the opponent work more? Because he gets in a rythm? Or does he get more shots when he shoots well because his teammates pass to him because they trust him?

I don't know how to look it up but it would be interesing to see a by quarter break down of those games. Then we could kind of tell wether they were late early or even.

As far as consistancy his good streaks are becoming longer and his bad streaks becoming shorter. Isn't that' what we're asking for?