It is because he said Bullsh*t at Halftime when the Rockets played the Kings and now he is in the doghouse
Sounds a lot like OJT (on the job training). If Steve would nut up like a man, he could probably take advantage of the tired legs this stretch is going to create and carve a niche for himself.
From the interviews with Steve I saw after his signing, he seemed to think that he could come in and share the big spotlight with T-Mac and Yao. That he was being signed in order to turn the Big 2 into the Big 3. Of course, he was also saying things like, "I'll do whatever it takes to help the team," but at the same time he was intimating that he thought of himself as the equal of Yao and T-Mac on the present-day Rockets team. I wonder if benching him might be Adelman's way of breaking him down and changing that mindset. Maybe Adelman knows that Steve could really help the team in certain ways, but first wants to make sure he knows his place on the 2007 Rockets squad. I can also buy the idea that his skills are a bad fit in this offense. The concept that is ludicrous to me is that his game has slipped so much in a couple of seasons that he's now not even good enough to come off the bench on an NBA team. I watched him in a number of Knicks games last year, and even when he wasn't scoring, he didn't look significantly less agile -- he only looked lost in an offense that wasn't built to feature him as the first option.
For those saying that the poor PG play by James & Alston (really, the horrifying shooting) should mean Steve would get a chance unless Adelman is being unduly stubborn at the detriment of the team... Why shouldn't the first opportunity go to Aaron Brooks (as it appears it might)? Sends the right message to the team: earn your time Gives us a look at a guy that might be a worthwhile starter at the position I'm almost surprised that the "Steve is the answer" crowd is so big and the "Brooks is the future" crowd barely exists.... Evan
By default, SF gets the nod over AB because he's a proven veteran. But if there is fire behind the recent smoke signals, SF left the Rockets with no choice. Oh well. I never thought AB was our future starting PG. I think his upside is to be a dynamic rotation player. His size and defense make it hard for me to see him ever playing 30+ mins/game.
Especially, when Bobkittens were over the foul limit with 9 more minutes to go in the third quater yesterday, we need one more player to penetrate and punish them on the line. Don't forget Steve is a ~90% FT shooter.
It's hard to be realistic, when you just collected 30 million dollars for being a total dissappointment. ... I don't think Stevie want's it bad enough yet, to step up to the pro level of what it takes to excel in the NBA. The gymrat we used to all love is wallowing in his money, self-delusion and a victim mentality. Steve, choose to thrive, not survive. Adelman said he came in expected Steve to be his starter. The only person who has screwed this up is Steve. I'm hoping he doesn't take all year to get his head straight, like Bonzi, or that he doesn't keep his head in the clouds like VSpan. I expect more out of Steve ... but, maybe he really IS too old, and it's all over. If he doesn't succeed here, I think his career is over.
Absolutely. And we will dearly need him at some point during the season, guaranteed. Adelman needs to realize that asap. This is all politics.
We better be playing him soon or I think my worst nightmare might be realized. Steve Francis in a Dallas Mavericks uniform.
Thats the attitude that probably landed him on the bench. That being said, if Stevie is really in the doghouse and isn't working hard to get out of it, then he is heading down a road that will lead him to being cut from a championship caliber team. Three lottery teams shipped him off without even an after thought and he is on his way from being shipped off a contending team, this could very well be the last stop for francis if he doesnt get his act together.
Totally agree. He had the perfect situation - disillusionment by the team with prior the starter, a paved way to take the spot, and support from teammates. I thought he would start - period and end of story. There wasn't a debate in my mind because we haven't seen this "no-effort" Steve before. In his mind I guess he is forgetting the stats he has put up the last two years for whatever reason. It isn't like he lost the starting job to Rafer because he actually never had it with this team. No one owes Steve anything - except the money in his contract - period. The fact that he is screwing around the team and fans by not giving everything he has to give kills me. He has another letdown coming if he thinks there is any huge payday coming his way next year when he opts out. It may have been better for him if Portland hadn't bought him out, and he had to sit behind all those younger players in Portland. Adelman is playing him right where he needs to be, and hopefully it makes him a better player. Right now we don't need him. If one of our guards goes down and Adelman has to play him then he will get his chance to show whatever he has left. We will be better with an eager Francis on the team but we are better without him if he doesn't want to show the effort that it takes to play in the NBA. I only want his best - for us and him.
Honestly I think Rick just wants to get a month or more of games experience for the current line up to really get comfortable with his offense before he messes with line up changes. It takes time to get the offense flowing smoothly and his rotation players making the correct reads and cuts, which they clearly still have issues with. Obviously winning is important too, but we are winning. The fact that alot of the wins have been ugly just reinforces the idea that the rotation players need more work on the offense. Steve will get his chance if he keeps a good attitude, works hard and earns it. There is nothing but speculation at this point to say he is in the dog house. No one is making the same presumptions about Landry or Brooks or Novak or Snyder. There is a reason they are out of the rotation, but I doubt it is because coach doesn't "like them".
We are only going to find out the answer to this PG debate if either Skip or MJ miss a game or two because of illness or injury. At 6-1, Adelman isn't going to mess with the rotation for sake of messing with it. That's what the preseason was for. The fact that our bench is fighting for minutes is a great thing... Novak and Landry don't even dress, Deke and Snyder rarely see the court, and Francis and Brooks are options 3 and 4 at PG in no particular order. Remember this boards reaction when Snyder broke his hand last year vs. the Knicks?! What a difference between then and now...
You use the words perform on the court in defending Rafer over Steve. Please enlighten me with how you see Rafer outperforming anything that Steve could do on the court...WITH the starters. Can Steve shoot better than Rafer? Most Definately Could he hit the three at a better clip? Most definately Could he get more assits? He is a lifetime 6 per game man Can he outrebound Rafer? No Doubt Can he outdefend. Maybe Maybe not. At worst call it a wash. Can he get to the lane, draw fouls and HIT his free throws. Absolutely Can he make his defender play honest D and free up room for Yao and TMac? Yes Will Steve pound the ball? No more so than Mike James. And I doubt now in this system with this team he would pull this. Oh and in case you missed the numbers. Production On Court/Off Court Roland Player Min Own Opp Net On Off Net Rating Yao 78% 23.9 9.8 +14.2 +4.4 +4.6 -0.2 +10.0 Head 21% 12.2 10.8 +1.5 +26.1 -1.3 +27.3 +8.9 James 51% 21.0 14.3 +6.7 +2.0 +6.9 -4.9 +3.4 McGrady 80% 27.6 16.9 +10.7 +0.5 +20.5 -20.0 +2.0 Scola 38% 6.8 13.4 -6.6 +13.8 -1.3 +15.1 -0.4 Wells 43% 14.8 19.5 -4.7 +7.4 +2.1 +5.3 -1.8 Mutombo 8% 8.5 8.3 +0.2 -10.3 +5.6 -15.9 -4.4 Hayes 53% 12.8 16.9 -4.1 +1.9 +7.3 -5.4 -4.5 Battier 75% 9.2 15.3 -6.0 +1.9 +11.8 -9.9 -7.2 Alston 54% 10.9 20.6 -9.7 +3.4 +5.6 -2.3 -7.6 Then there is the fact that the offense actually runs better with Rafer off the court. Stat ON Court OFF Court Net Minutes 128 111 53% Offense: Pts per 100 Poss. 102.0 108.8 -6.8 Numbers courtesy of 82games.com
OH crap...updated numbers. Gets worse for Rafer. Production On Court/Off Court Roland Player Min Own Opp Net On Off Net Rating Yao 79% 29.6 9.3 +20.3 +7.1 +2.1 +5.0 +15.9 McGrady 79% 28.2 16.5 +11.8 +3.7 +14.6 -10.9 +5.3 Wells 45% 16.5 14.5 +1.9 +9.4 +3.2 +6.2 +3.1 James 50% 16.2 12.0 +4.3 +2.4 +9.7 -7.3 +1.0 Head 24% 9.7 17.0 -7.3 +19.8 +1.7 +18.1 -0.1 Battier 75% 10.5 15.7 -5.2 +6.0 +5.9 +0.1 -3.7 Hayes 53% 14.7 17.7 -3.0 +2.5 +10.0 -7.5 -4.3 Scola 35% 7.9 15.5 -7.6 +8.3 +4.8 +3.6 -4.4 Mutombo 6% 8.5 8.3 +0.2 -10.3 +7.0 -17.3 -4.8 Alston 54% 10.3 21.5 -11.2 +5.9 +6.1 -0.2 -8.0 Stat ON Court OFF Court Net Minutes 178 149 54% Offense: Pts per 100 Poss. 103.1 109.1 -6.1 More stats. Net 48-Minute Production by Position Position FGA eFG% FTA iFG Reb Ast T/O Blk PF Pts PER* PG -1.5 -0.136 -0.6 -11% +1.5 +0.0 +0.9 +0.0 -1.5 -6.2 -6.9 And the allmighty Hands Rating while Rafer is on the floor. Turnovers and Ball Handling Offensive Fouls Bad Passes Ball Handling Turnovers Other Turnovers 'Hands' Rating 0 1 0 0 -28.7
