[Video] Steve Francis 44 pts 11assists vs. Lakers 01-17-2003

I wonder what happens if we kept Yao and Steve together? Perhaps things work out different and both end up staying healthy enough to still be playing today? I'm not saying we would be more successful but you never know, maybe the same freak injuries don't happen to Yao.

 

IIRC, wasn't Stevie blasted mercilessly 9 out of 10 times being a ballhog that never pass the ball to anybody except Cat?

 

lol, look at the bottom line towards the end:

"Marbury, 41 pts, 11 assists"

Talk about similar career paths.

 

Yes, he was criticized for it. People forget that Bob Sura got that SAME critique that he never passed the ball to Yao.

Really it mighta been best served for Yao's career that he NOT be the the focal point of the offense. Everyone wanted Yao to be a dominant force and international icon. But his health was too fragile to take all that on.

 

While we are at it, Yao could have still been playing if he were not made the focal point. But it is what it is.

 

Much of Yao's health issues were inevitable. Maybe instead of 4 season enders its "just" 2 for Yao. Like I mentioned in the previous post, maybe Francis and Mobley's ball stopping actually PRESERVES Yao more

I think Francis woulda definitely benefited from the stability of remaining in Houston. His personal situation seemingly worsened after leaving Houston. I think overall they'da been a TAD more ENTERTAINING than the era that followed. But if Daryl Morey was eventually getting hired, he'd probably dealt "inefficient" Francis away anyway.

I'm actually still a bit upset at Francis's failed comeback with the Rockets. Potential EPIC times that we never got

 

I don't mean to upset TMac fans, but I was thinking why the hell were we trading Stevie for TMac at the time despite the hype and all. To me, Stevie was the TRUE rockets. At least, Stevie would never have given up on the team.

 

What could have been...and not just that 02-04 team. I remember getting extremely hyped up when Francis signed with us in '07. The team did a cheesy puzzle video, Scola included, that had Francis be "the last piece of the puzzle." Watching him dunk on NO in preseason...damn.

<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1PI-e2-vAhM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Now imagine he panned out that year, became a starter for the '08 squad, and that TMac didn't destroy himself in the previous year.

Francis
McGrady
Artest
Scola
Yao

What could have been indeed.

 

Francis - all heart
McGrady - all skill
Artest - bull dog
Scola - all heart and bull dog
Yao - all heart

This was a championship team right there. I like. Only the timing wasn't right

 

<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DWoZ0J3DsmQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Too bad he fell off so quickly. His game relied on athleticism too much.

 

Francis reminds me a lot of Derrick Rose...

 

Well, Steve Francis is still one of my favourite players all time. It was sad watching his career 'vanish' due injuries. Hereby two of my favourite vids of Stevie (Rockets & Magic).

Steve Francis breathe in breathe out (by BWEYRE):
<object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QI5dOHMjdw4?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QI5dOHMjdw4?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="540" height="390"></object>

Orlando Magic Mix:
<object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/y-ikExgYnX4?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/y-ikExgYnX4?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="540" height="390"></object>

 

I remember this game being hyped so much that I knew people that didn't watch basketball at all were watching this game

So much memories of that game, it really did feel like we were watching a game 7 of the Western Conference finals

 

I went to the Rockets vs Spurs game in San Antonio after this game, and a good friend of mine runs their TV production, Mike Kickarillo, spoke with their radio guy before the game and they were worried about him in that game.

I told them I hoped he did, but that being on the road, he probably wouldn't....

Never liked Francis all that much, loved his heart and hustle, but he was always a player who got by on athleticism and seemed to make dumb plays, just not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

DD

 

The Steve Francis era is like the Flying Dildo pajamas jerseys era, I just blank it out of my mind as some sort of bad dream.

 

I still remember watching this game at my cousins house with a group of friends it was epic miss those days

 

I remember going to that game. Wow..

 

^This.

 

Steve Francis is the Brian Grant of point guards. A whole lotta wasted potential to was once predicted to be a promising NBA career. (the franchise nickname)