I've seen some quality posts about Steve's game, but they're often surrounded by a lot of venting or arguing. I'd like to structure a lot of the current discussion on Francis' game with some focused questions. Hopefully we can get a number of thoughtful posts representing different viewpoints without people feeling compelled to aggressively attack those viewpoints as that often causes threads to degenerate into heated name-calling. So in your opinion... 1) What are Steve's strengths and weaknesses? 2) What would Steve's role in an ideal Rockets offense be? 3) To execute such a role, what would Steve have to improve (if anything) or how would Steve have to change (if at all?) If inclined, you can also add what you feel is the likelihood of Steve making such changes or the extent you feel he is able to make such changes. However, I'd like the focus of discussion to be on your ideal offense for the Rockets and Steve's role within that offense. Let's not get sidetracked over the ability of Yao or any other player to execute this ideal offense as I want the focus to be on Steve's game. However you picture Yao in this offense is fine, but don't go overboard and turn Yao into Shaq. This is meant to be less fantasy and more about what you as coach of the current Rockets would do with Steve. Hopefully a laying out of assumptions and perspective will reduce a lot of the back-and-forth and allow for deeper and more satisfying discussion.
1) What are Steve's strengths and weaknesses? Strengths: drawing fouls, rebounding (for a guard) Weaknessess: ball handling, passing, shooting, defense 2) What would Steve's role in an ideal Rockets offense be? trade bait 3) To execute such a role, what would Steve have to improve (if anything) or how would Steve have to change (if at all?) I think he could function in that role right now. CD and Les just need to be prepared to accept temporary fan backlash now, followed by increased attendence when the team starts winning.
I think having Steve coming off of picks and being able to move around the court without the ball would really help the team out. Whether you want to draw comparisons or not, Steve's situation is too similar to AI's. I think the best bet for the Rockets would be to bring in a true PG and slide SF to the 2. Steve's defense has stepped up this year and we've all seen what he can do when his offensive game is on. I hope the Rockets don't throw away all that talent because they are making him play the wrong position.
Strengths- Leaping ability, ability to create space for himself, good ball handlng (but bad decision making) Average shooting touch, pretty good clutch player, Weaknesses- sub-par court vision, bad decision making, often dribbles the ball longer than he should be, slow in setting up the offense. inconsistent defender, sometimes gets into personal 1v1 matchups with opposing players All of his strengths fit the role of a scorer, not a set-up man. He would flourish with a tall PG and him as the SG. Not only would we be using steve to the best of his abilities but our offense as a whole would flow smoother and we could lessen some of our turnovers. I don't know if steve can ever flourish as the PG of this team. Hes been playing his type of game for 4 years and switching to a new role and new system on this team would be tough to do for any player. Unless a trade happens i dont see it working, lets hope he proves me wrong
Relativist, I like it best when Steve plays like a SG; i.e. uses the pick and roll for his shot. Or like C. Murphy likes to say, "the stop and pop" either on the fast break or pick and roll. The other parts of his game are: rebounding and clutch shots (he's not scared to miss). One part of his game that I see improving, but still needs more work, is the ablity to MOVE WITHOUT THE BALL, i.e. cutting and using screens for the catch and shoot. Mobley is actually better at this than Steve. Steve's weaknesses? Well, we all know those. Anything related to PG setup, decision making, passing, and "making his teammates better" by getting them easy shots. That's NOT his strenthg. Fast break is also NOT his strength. Some say that he's not a good shooter. But that's only half true. He's a BAD shooter when he puts himself in difficult postion to take the shot. What I mean is, that he has a tendency to make shots harder than they need to be (I think they call that the "I think I'm Jordan" syndrome). He's a GOOD shooter when he uses the pick and roll properly and when he shows patients within the system. Defensively? I'm still up in the air on that...Lets just say he's good AND bad on defense.
1. Steve's strengths are his athleticism, ability to finish strong and quickness. He is a great offensive talent who knows how to go to the basket hard and has mastered the pull-up midrange jump shot. His weaknesses are his passing, his lack of defensive intensity and his overall knowledge of the game. As a point guard, this is why he struggles at the position, and is able to succeed on just mere talent alone. He needs to have a killer mentality in order to be more than just an All-Star, but a superstar. 2. Steve's role in this offense is as the shooting guard. This way, he can exploit all of his talent and not forced to be restricted offensively while playing point guard. While he has improved vastly in that area, he is not a NATURAL, which would make it hard on any player to adjust the way they have been playing for so many years. 3. It's not really anything Steve can improve. Realistically, he is playing out of position, whether fans want to believe it or not. I think he is trying his hardest to be the PG that van Gundy wants him to be, and that is all you can ask for. However, he is arguably the most athletic and most talented player on the team, and to force him to play a position that requires ball movement and looking for others' shots is restricting him as a player.
Steve's strength is going to the hole. He should ideally be used as a cutter. He'd be most effective set on a high post delivering the ball off the dribble to Yao, where he can reverse and use a pick from Jackson for a jumper, come all the way around and cut hard down the middle as Yao drifts, or cut backdoor if Yao drifts out Left. Steve can also get a pick from Yao or just take most single coverage in the corner. He's not maximally effective out high on the perimeter. He'll get caught in the dribble cross game, not get the teammates involved in good position, and end with a bad shot. He's not maximally effective running to the middle and jumping in the air trying to pass off (no kidding). That doesn't set up options, and creates a wall at the basket. He's not maximally effective in the two-man game. He doesn't seem to be good at using the pick or reversing to hit the forward rolling to the hole. The defender only has to play one way, so the play isn't really as effective. Give Steve some big strong helpers in Yao and Jackson and let them create indecision in the defense. Send Steve cutting, and you should get good ball movement that let's him use his skills - decent short passes delivered high to guys in good spots, strong driving and leaping ability, and one on one jumpers.
Let me expand on this a little more. In that set, each player gets to use his strength. Cat and Taylor can iso or pick and roll on the left. Steve can cut. Yao can shoot over the top or the hook. Jackson has two good options to pass the ball or can swing it out over the top to Cat. Jackson can use his footballer body to pick Steve's man. He isn't asked to shoot. IF Cato is in with Cat, they play the two man- Cat iso, Cato sets the high pick, then cleans. That makes space for the reversal if it comes back through Yao up top. PLEASE move Yao out and let this team use it's strengths. Just for fun, one play I'd enjoy seeing is a reverse oop, with Steve cutting around Yao as he backs up and fires, and Steve elevating to hammer it home. Steve should be able to outjump any guard, Yao pulled out the big man, and if they stay home to watch the ball, they should get caught flat footed because they can't get a goal tend.
Interesting thread here... 1) What are Steve's strengths and weaknesses? Steve's strengths are the following: Great athleticism Above average one-on-one skills Phenomenal leaper Great rebounder for a guard Weaknesses include: Inconsistent outside shooting Mediocre defensively Poor court vision (this includes fast break opportunities) No sense or instinctual feel in running the point 2) What would Steve's role in an ideal Rockets offense be? As others have said, Steve is at his best when he doesn't have to worry about getting others involved. A ball handler like a Lamar Odom who could guard the tall 2's, leaving Steve guarding the 1's would work out best for the team. 3) To execute such a role, what would Steve have to improve (if anything) or how would Steve have to change (if at all?) The first thing would be that CD, Van Gundy, Les, etc would all need to sit down with him and have him realistically look at his game and understand that he is just not made to be a 1. There have been numerous discussions in the past about would Steve be receptive to switching to the 2 from the 1 and many feel that he would not. However, it is my opinion, that if he wants to win in Houston and help make the best team possible, he would make that move. Obviously, management has to go out and obtain a ball-handler like an Odom for this to work as well.
He just needs to be more effecient at running nd executing the offense. I don't care if he trows 5 asst, but don't throw the ball away 4 times. He has shown he is capable of running the offense effeciently time and time again. Stve's problem is he's like alot of young players in that they get mixed up in style instead of substance. If Jason Williams can go from to box to the most effecient pg in the league, steve should be able also. I still think after this season, there might be a realistic chace to trade Francis for Mcgrady. Watch what i tell you.
The strengths and weaknesses have been covered pretty well esp in Manny's post which has a very comprehensive list, so I will continue on to 2 and 3. I have noticed that JVG has tried Francis in a variety of roles on the offensive side of the ball this season. Steve giving up the ball early and running through screens, Steve initiating the offense with the high pnr, another player bringing the ball up and Steve working off the ball etc. Steve Francis has been most effective when he gets to run the high pnr consistently. Problem is, Rudy tried this all of last season, and the end result was many games where there was too much dribbling and bogging down on the offense side of the ball. There were games where Francis completely dominated (ie 41-10 against Lakers last yr), but also several others where he played like total crap prompting many folks to want to take the ball out of his hands. The way I see it, though, this is the only way Steve is successful (if he has the ball in his hands and he can create). JVG has tried to use Steve a lot more off the ball this season coming off picks (very similar stuff that was used with Allan Houston in the Knick offense), and it simply has not worked. I feel this is a large part of the reason Steve has struggled like crazy; Francis is simply not an off the ball player. Therefore, whether Steve is a "PG" or "SG" his method of being effective is what he did against LA last night. The question then is, can JVG help Steve become a good enough decision maker if they run the heck out of the high pnr? Steve didnt show good enough decision making ability on a CONSISTENT basis under Rudy T so he has to improve this in order to be able to run the only offense that works for him effectively. The next issue then is, can the team be effective in this type of offense with Steve running lots of high pnr? They can but only if Steve can make the type of reads he did last night on a CONSISTENT basis. If not, then it will be total up and down like last yr. The offensive identity with these players has to be a combination of post up and high pnr imo (very similar to the 93-94 Rockets team). JVG has attempted various other offensive strategies (ie bringing Francis/Mobley off multiple screens away from the ball, attempts to institute a semi motion offense where shooters receive the pass in rhythm and can score without much dribbling, etc), but this team does not have the personnel for that.
You guys might want to check out the article on the ESPN website that deals with Steve and how JVG is changing him.
Before I start on Stevie, I need to explain something. Seeing NBA games in person is no doubt a better experience than watching them on TV, it's a lot more real. I cannot claim to have seen too many live NBA games. When I was living in Houston I couldnot afford to go to too many games, and now that I can afford them I don't live in Houston and the Sonics are a rather plain team to spend money on. So with the disclaimer that I have only seen a few live NBA games and all of them were Rockets games, I will say that there are only two players I've seen that are truly and unreally amazing to watch live: Hakeem and Steve Francis. Every time I saw Dream it was just unbeliavable how much grace, fluidity and agility can a man that tall have. Steve is the other just unreal player I have seen. He is like a rubber ball, or more like that thing in the Harry Potter movies (the Snitch or the Stitch???). The one basketball thing that Steve absolutely must improve upon is his shot. Early last season he was hitting shots consistently and I was thinking that if he was able to keep it he would become one of the best guards in NBA history. Unfortunately he got into a shooting slump later last year that he still hasn't gotten out of. People who say that Steve Francis must improve his court vision and become a better playmaker are just silly. To me it sounds the same as saying that he should grow another foot to round up his game. Superior court vision is a very rare talent and only a few people in the NBA have it. If you have it, then you could be a short and geeky white guy like John Stockton and still play 20 years in the league. If it was something that one could learn, then I would be in the NBA as well. Steve has an OK court vision. He is not brilliant, but other guys that were not brilliant playmakers are: Kenny Smith, Sam Cassel, B.J.Armstrong, John Paxson, Steve Kerr, Derek Fisher, and Tony Parker, yet all of them were on championship teams. You don't need a genius playmaker to become a champion. The BIGGEST problem I have with Francis is not basketball related, it's more of a personality flaw. He is just too shallow and hot-headed. He is too impulsive. Steve can get caught into a play and get all geeked and excited about it and then miss the next 2 minutes of action and boom the other team is on an 8-0 run. He gets excited easily and gets frustrated easily. If his game is not on, he starts to press, take stupid shots and his game deteriotes. He MUST understand that becoming a champion is a Looooong process. Steve Francis must keep his head cool and FOKASS!!!! Remember, Dream was hot-headed in his youth as well. What changed Dream was Islam, once he redidacated himself he become truly great and led us to the trophies. Steve has to find something that will give him inner peace and cool his head off.
Wouldnt it be awsome if steve was the backcourt player during the finals. That probably would be better than Kobe and Shaq!
