Francis has to go for this team to win consistently

I've always sang the praises of Bibby and Steve Nash. Some folks consider Bibby to be a lesser guard in the league. I think he does his job very well. He's a damn good shooter, and he's an adequate passer. He can't dunk, so I guess that's why some folks think badly of his play on the court.

 

I think Yao had Bibby on the brain syndrome. Bibby seemed to always be around the corner ready to pick Yao's pocket if he put the ball on the ground to make a move. I think this can be improved by communications by the point guard whether it is Mark or Steve. Have them yell out or something to inform Yao that Bibby is lurking around Yao.

 

SF is all about flash... He doesn't do the simple things right so he goes acrobatic and makes a simple game more complex. He is soooooooo aware of the cameras and the fans that he forgets he's on the floor playing BB. He needs to keep it simple, period. Maybe things will change after the All-star game and the pressure of having to show off wanes.

 

In fact, CATO as PF is a cancer at both offense and defense sides. For some games where the opponents' PF likes low-post shots, CATO's defense is OK. But for most of cases, CATO's defense sucks. CATO do nothing at the offense end.

 

I know Francis is having a rough time now, but I think that'll pass...Remember, he's being asked for the first time in his career to change what he's always done, which is score and play no D...

Francis is a great, athletic player, but just is hitting a rough patch that will pass...I expect MJackson to help mentor and tutor him into the player he needs to be...

Go Rox!!!

 

NewsFlash!!! I actually felt sorry for Francis last night. No one should have to undergo such humilation. He looked like a lost child, so out of place, so awkward. Enough is enough, either play to his strengths or trade him. It is too horrible to watch. You call this an adjustment; I call it a disaster. The zone defense and JVG's system are destroying Francis' game. He is completely out of his comfort zone, he is in the wrong role. Maybe there is not a role for him on this team. Let's move on, but don't just destroy the guy.

You say that he got 13 assists last night, isn't he now the playmaker that we always wanted? You or I could have had a boat-load of assists last night from just passing the ball to JJ, who was on fire. Francis is not a playmaker, he is not a traditional point guard, he is not a great outside shooter. Bench player Bobby Jackson would likely beat Francis in a 3-pt. shoot out ten times out of ten, but in a one-on-one, my money is on Francis. Find another place for Francis on this team or trade him to an Eastern team who wants another A.I., but stop the pain!

 

I've been a SF fan since he first came here and still hold high regard for him as a player. However, how different is this situation compared to the situation with Stephon Marbury and the Suns? Have in mind, Marbury was putting all All-Star stats at the time of the trade, but they figured he just wasn't their guy for the future and wanted to rebuild with Amare and Marion. The question is is Houston ready and willing to go through a similar rebuilding undertaking as the Suns?

 

No way, Suns is done for this season, that is why the owner made the decision to save money and ship out Marbury and Penny.

On the other hand, we are in good standing in the playoff race and make some noise in the NBA.

I said I don't like SF's game, but no way can Yao carry the team on his shoulder right now. We need SF plays well with Yao and other teammates to make the playoff.

Just don't give up on him.

 

True. I'm sick of watching him do his crossover, get the defender to commit in one direction, and then pull back and keep dribbling. That serves absolutely no purpose. At that point, he either needs to drive to the basket or shoot the jumper. Doing nothing only wastes time on the shotclock and risks yet another 24-second violation.

As far as Bibby leaving him wide open, that was truly pathetic. The Kings' defensive strategy late in the 4th was simple. Back off of Steve and let him cost his team the victory. They dared him to shoot the jumper like he was Kelvin Cato. And when he drove into the paint, they knew he'd throw up a wild shot in order to draw a foul instead of simply laying the ball in the basket. When the opposing team is sagging off a guy who's about to start his 3rd consecutive All-Star Game, you know dude is having a crappy year.

The Suns were in last place in the West when they made that trade. The Rockets are currently in 6th(and presumably wouldn't be much worse at season's end). If the team dealt Steve in the offseason, they wouldn't be rebuilding like Phoenix. They'd be retooling. Believe me, if Steve were traded, the Rockets would accept nothing less than an All-Star caliber player in return. The Suns willingly took a bunch of scrubs or washed up players in exchange for Marbury because they wanted cap flexibility and draft picks.

 

Noone should be carrying the team. That's the problem with this team. The Kings have greater talent spread down the roster. If the Rockets trade Steve for a good small forward and a competent point guard, is that better for the team in the zone defense era? Yes it is.

 

Actually, only four of Steve's 13 assists were to Jackson, so the whole, "he only got assists because Jim Jackson was on fire" theory is vanquishished. Believe it or not, he actually made crisp passes all evening long, something NOBODY else on the team could do consistently, including everybody's saviour Mark Jackson

I love it how people can so simply blame just one person for a loss.

Win as a team, lose as a team...

 

amen....coudnt agree more.

yeah francis needs to go. the guy is just not cutting it out there.

 

I thought Antwan Walker was the most overrated player in the league for the last few, but our own Steve Francis takes that crown. He has sucked bad for the last few games.

He has been inconsistant the last 4 years, and its getting old. I'd have to agree with DD on this one.

Jamison is worth the max, he can score consistently.

 

The guy is so confused. Last year he has always thinking shoot first and often ran the plays wrong. This year, he's always thinking "pass first" and whenever he shoots, it is very awkward, like he's unsure if he should be taking the shot.

Most of his shots seem to be either with the shot clock running out, or at the end of quarters, or from broken plays. He needs to look for his shot more within the confines of the offense.

 

No... I think his point is that a team leader should have a better efficiency rating than that (what were the Kings numbers again?)...

And the big one - I think he's saying that Yao was taking TOO LONG to make a move. When you start out one-on-one, shouldn't you go quickly to your move instead of waiting until "one-thousand-four" and a double team to show up?

Dominance can be based on smarts and strength, but it can also be built on quickness. Yao doesn't seem to have the quickness.... and Steve doesn't seem to have the smarts.

Anybody who says to trade Mobley at this point is a fool.

And to whoever said to trade Cato because he's terrible, don't be stupid. His technical was dumb, yes... but he was the first guy to buy into the system, has shown great improvement, and is a solid role player right now. The team needs role players, not more superstars.

 

Wow, I actually agree with A-Train on this one. Steve has been on a shooting slump, but he is not the only one to blame. Yao showed last night that he is not quite ready, other than a couple flashes of greatness, he isn't playing to his full ability.

 

DaDa,

I actually thought the "panic under pressure" applied to the whole team in the fourth quarter, which is nothing new. Steve was not good, yes...

But it's not like I saw any semblance of an offense out there in the final nine minutes. It was terrible. It was "run around, drive to middle, kick out to someone else who's got two defenders on him, and shoot" basketball.

Even JJ did that. At one point he drove into the paint where ALL FIVE defenders were waiting. It was crazy. He was hot, but in the fourth quarter I thought he, too, was pressing.

MoT needs to learn to box out (yes, I know he got 14 rebs, but again, the fourth quarter is when everything smart goes out the window with these guys). He's fooling Rockets fans again into thinking he's the answer at SF. He gets his points, but he's not a long-term solution.

The team was so hyped about the game they forgot defense. They were happy to score. Remember, the Kings AVERAGE this many points per game, the Rox do not. They were lucky to be in the game. This was an aberration.

 

that is exactly what I think. I dont believe that he has lost his stroke on the jumper or in a slump. I just think that he is the player that gets to shoot all of the last second shots and desperation shots. That is the only reason his % is down. ANd thus he has lost his confidence.
But he is going to be OK and wont be traded.

PLEASE stop bashing SF after every loss for goddness sakes.

 

Trade SF or Cat for Bibby, if SAC doesn't take the bite, trade both of them for Bibby.

 

I think we need to trade all the Rudy players. All of them.

Steve
Cat
Mo
Cato

None of them are really good to play with Yao. If you want to win it all, you need starters that work together, and that make your star (read - "Yao") dominate. Your star has to beat their star. None of the Rudy guys make Yao better. Yao is the only keeper in the bunch. All the others are expendable. Be done with it. Make it so. Let's get better pieces.

A smart pg.
A deadeye shooter that can pass
A big strong 3 that can shoot or feed the post
A power forward that can score and pass

The time has come for the cultural revolution. Begin the purge.

I don't have faith in any one of the Rudy guys. No one. I want them all gone.