Puedlfor: So the migraines, character issues and horrid assist/turnover ratio don't bother you at all? I wish I could say the same. Do you think guys like Griffin and Ming would play better with a pure ball distributor as opposed to a guard with a shoot first-pass second mentality?
Miller Francis...Francis Miller.... they play the same position but that's where the similarities end. If you want a PG that has a PG mentality to pass and penetrate and look for an open man: Miller If you want a PG that can take anyone off the dribble and can be a 25 scoring threat every night: Francis If you want a PG that can AND will dunk on anybody anytime: Francis If you want a PG that runs the fast break and make layups: Miller these guys have their pros and cons. and whomever said that Francis has proven that he can lead a team to win.....what pick do we have in the draft again? honestly, neither of these players have led their team to anything. Francis needs a team that has big bodies that does the intangibles (rebound, block, make occasional baskets) a la Baron Davis. If Steve has Davis' teammates, he'd be as successful as Baron is. Miller needs a team that has a legitimate threat--the go to guy when Miller's shots aren't falling a la Stockton/Malone. I'm not going to say that Miller is a team player and Francis is not or that Francis is more athletic and Miller is not. You just have to look at who you have on your team and try to find the best PG to lead that team.
Not as much as Miller's big stats on teams that don't win, insistence that he be paid the max despite not winning, and his statement through his agent that he wouldn't resign in Cleveland - if we were Cleveland fans, we'd kill to have to only worry about migraines and assist-to-turnover ratios. No, I think until those two become acclimated to the NBA, they'll need some people to carry the bulk of the offense, and draw the focus of the defense - those people are Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley.
Yeah, I'm sure they'll acclimatize just fine standing around at the top of the key while Steve and Cuttino do their little ISO thing. Actually, I don't mind Cuttino so much. He's a SG; he does his job. Francis however, as the team's point guard, is supposed to distribute the ball. steddinotayto: That was the best post I have ever read on this topic. Unbiased and insightful. Congrats. Who do you think is the best PG to lead this team?
the vancouver incident has NOTHING to do with francis as a basketball player. isn't this the same steve who for 2 years we pleaded with to take more shots and be more selfish. last season he gets an ever-changing cast with no room to develop a feel for the team, so he decides to take things in his own hands. now he gets bashed for it and labeled selfish, marbury part 2. puedlfor is right, alot of people see miller and think he's god's gift but put him under the same microscope as steve and you'll see his flaws as well.
First off, we rarely run the ISO, we only ran it late in games, or as a crutch when half the team was injured. Frankly, I think Francis' distribution ability is unfairly maligned on this board - two years ago(when he had a healthy team) he distributed the ball just fine, especially when we went away from the ISO, in fact, I can remember people complaining that Francis was passing the ball too much - heck, even national columnists were saying that they wished Francis shot the ball more . . . And in the space of one year, an injury filled one at that, he became a selfish, me-first player? Balderdash. I just don't see how Miller makes this ball club better - he hasn't proven he can make a team better, despite how many assists he racks up hitting Wesley Person or Lamond Murray coming off of screens - he hasn't done it in Cleveland, I fail to see how he would do it here.
Let's just wait 'til the end of this season.......much better evaluation of the entire Rockets team. Much better questions: -Will the Rockets learn that little thing called Defense? -Will we learn how to run offensive sets.....other than ISOs? *Will we have a low post presence..... *Will Ming, Taylor, Griffin default to just shooting jumpers? *Will Cato earn some of his money? -Will Glen Rice earn any of his money?
The Rockets have an offense that has been collecting dust on the shelf because of injuries. I think it was the trapazoid offense. I say we wait and see what happens with a healthy team and a revamped offense before we blame everything on Francis. Let's not forget that the person who calls the plays on this team is Rudy. Remember the game winner Stevie hit against Utah? That was on of the few times in his career that Steve has waived off Rudy's play and it worked. Who is this team built around? Francis, and it will be that way for the next 7 years. This team is centered around a scoring, penetrating PG, what's wrong with that? Isiah Thomas anyone? Gary Payton? Did they call Payton the glove after his 3rd year? No. People forget that half of an assist is up to the player making his shot. Who did we have out there that just spots up and shoots? Cat is gonna take people off the dribble, Mo is gonna dribble to find a better shot, KT is gonna charge into the lane for layups, Langhi is going to brick, and Collier is going to brick. Who did Steve look to for catch and shoot plays? Rice, he was hurt and it messed up his shooting and he missed most of the season. Morris, man, he looked like Doug Brickstie almost every time he shot. Griffin, at times he shot better from the 3pt line than he did inside the arc. Cato, half the time he was catching passes for dunks or ally oops, the other half of the time, those balls were bouncing off his hands and into the rafters. I bet Steve will avg 8 assists with a healthy Rice, Ming, and Nachbar next year.
No way!! No trade. We already have a great group of young talent : Stevie, Cat, Eddie and Mo. Plus, we may add to that talent with Ming and there is a good chance we will get a decent SF this draft with the 15th pick. Give the young guys some time!! Personally, I rather watch Stevie play than Miller.
I picked Miller because Rockets have all the missing pieces except at 3 (sf). We don need someone like Francis with everyone we have in this team right now. I like Francis alot.. but for Rockets as a team, Miller is better fit than Francis. Look at NewJersey.. If you put Marbury in that team, would you say they will have same impact as did last season?
If you put Kidd on Cleveland, they make the playoffs. With Miller, they didn't. Steve is a tripple doublt threat, how can people not love to have a tripple double threat on this team?
