Well, let's hope that RickA's patience with Rafer will run out soon, and that Steve can make some sort of a real return.
Steve can be traded Dec. 15. I'd be surprised if he's here or Rafer's here much longer after that day. Personally, I'd trade Rafer and Head. They've both had a few years to show who they are and aren't helping us. Trade them for TE's,picks, or package with Battier for a real player, if it comes to that. I'd also dump Syder at the first opportunity. Dude is brainless. No wonder he's bounced around. We can do better making room for FA's or undrafted players like Harris. The guys we have now are just dead weight.
IMO, we've had 6 straight games where we haven't looked anything like we're going to need to if we want to be even a darkhorse contender. Last year before the injury, Yao learned how to impose his will - now he's regressed back to a number 2 option mindset. Shane and Hayes are doing fine, and Scola is starting to click now that he knows to just play and stop thinking. Bonzi's gone ice cold whenwe need him to step up - that should come around. We can only hope McGrady isn't going to be bothered to badly by the elbow - he was playing his best ball in Houston before getting hurt. Luther Head needs to take his game to the next level or move on. I think it's not going to happen with him, sadly. I like his shot. Both Rafer and Mike are screaming for a demotion. Bonzi or Scola should be our #3 scorer, not Sticky Fingers and his volume shooting that ices out the team. Rafer would be passable with his dimes and hustle if you forbade him from taking any 3s (46% inside the arc), but you can't have him out there in close games. I'd say knock them both down to just less than 20 mpg, with Mike getting a little more time at the 2. Steve and Aaron warrant looks at this point. Our backcourt is in such a bad place right now, it calls for a complete evaluation. Mike and Rafer couldn't translate their October play into the real games, so lets see if Steve or Brooks can give us something. I don't like sending the wrong message and rewarding Steve's **** attitude, but we can't pretend there's not a bad issue at the 1 position that needs to be addressed. Maybe this involves Morey. Evan
Good post. I have been disappointed with how Stevie handled things after he signed, but he did look pretty solid out there the other night, and I wish he'd get more playing time. I think Adleman sticks with a tight rotation for a different reason the JVG. JVG seemed to be afraid that someone else being in the lineup would make a mistake and he would jump on players when they would. Adleman seems to want to make sure players in the core rotation get plenty of minutes and know he's not going to bench them if they struggle a little bit. Adleman's probably looking at career numbers for Rafer and knows he'll bounce back from how he's playing right now, but I don't think it would hurt to give Francis some playing time. Rafer seems to respond well to a challenge and adversity as he showed during preseason, but he can struggle at other times. So I don't think it would hurt him to have his minutes cut. With Francis, I'm still not sure if he can run the offense including other players consistently without turnovers, but he played very smart the other night and played within the limitations of his abilities and conditioning. I was most impressed by the no turnovers in over 20 min. of play. I don't think reducing the minutes of Rafer or James is going to hurt their play nearly as much as Adleman thinks and may even help them to respond.
Another PR blunder on the Francis front. Plus, no mention of the contributions of Brooks and Synder. Here is the rewrite: "With Tracy's return, we will return to our regular rotation, but I want to commend Steve, Aaron, and Kirk for their significant contributions. Of course, we will continue to evaluate personnel and it is my intention to put the players on the floor who give us the best chance to win. Changes can always occur." Instead, his remarks have given fuel to the "Vendetta against Francis" Theory, and make him sound rigid and spiteful. "You thought I was going to change something, give in. Well, I'm not, nah, nah, nah, showed you."
In Francis' only game, he played as well as Skip did in any of his games this season. To say he can't contribute shows your lack of basketball intelligence. He runs the Pick and Roll with Yao better than any of the other point guards and can attack the rim to create plays better than them also.
You know just once I would love to have a season not filled with injuries and PT issues. Just make it work you jabronies.
I have heard this numerous times from a coach friend of mine and quite honestly I both agree and disagree at times with his statement but he claims that If a player is not getting into a game often or not at all it is because of practice habits and how the player is performing in practice. I agree somewhat with him but not completely. I too am baffled that francis is not even getting a chance to get into the flow of the game considering rafer's early season struggles.
Likely, the rockets are really trying to trade Rafer, by playing him on espn to let ppl know him a bit of more, otherwise I do not think Ricky A is that stupid. But Rafer is palying so bad, his trade is becoming less prosibble, so Ricky A must be supersmart. Either ways? Who knows.
If I'm Francis, and Rafer continues his pathetic play the next few games, without Francis seeing any minutes.....I'd ask for an opportunity to play somewhere else.
What did Yao and Adelman discuss in their conversation? Probably Yao asked if Adelman can play someone who can score so defense can't clamp on him who T-Mac's out. I really want to see Adelman makes a little change in the start lineup. The start line up really need 1 more scorer so defense can't clamp on T-Mac & Yao and the Rockets can get off a good start in games. Either replace Alston with Francis, or Battier with Wells/James, or Hayes with Scola.
Put it this way. Rafer has had ample time to show us all what he can do, and he has been miserable as a starter. There is no reason to wonder anymore. He's been doing this same thing for years now, and we know what you see is what you get. There is no progression throughout the season for him. Let Steve and Aaron get the same opportunities. Luther needs to be traded as well. He looks like a nervous wreck on the court. Reminds me of Reece Gaines.
Of course that is true and it's amazing people here don't realize it. It's like explaining to people that 1+1 = 2.
I have a feeling Francis wont be played against the Mavs ... or for a longgg time unless one of our guards has an injury. That's just going by the way Francis' career has gone since leaving us. Seems like nothing good ever happens for him. On another note, I watched an old game of Francis the other day (it was actually the first Yao vs Shaq matchup in which those 2 didn't do much but basically Francis > Kobe for that game) and I watched the game against the suns as well. I wanted to see Francis at his best compared to now I suppose. From what I've seen, Francis as his best was so quick and fast (and strong) that Kobe couldn't touch him at all. Kobe almost fouled out trying to stay with him. And I've never seen Kobe get crossed so many times since maybe the time he was playing Iverson in the finals. Having said that, the Francis of today has lost a fraction of a step. But he can still fly by pretty much any defender still. The thing I notice about Francis though, is that today he is much much calmer and I guess you can say patient, rather than the young Francis who was always running and gunning (his mind was always on fastforward). Comparing their playmaking ability ... Wow. Francis at his best like drew 3-4 defenders on every single drive. Against the suns he drew maybe one fewer defender but he still found his guys cutting to the hoop in both. Physically, Francis was much skinnier, and just plain quick in his prime, as compared to a bigger Francis of today. After all that ... I came to a conclusion that Francis is at his absolute best when the offence is more free rolling pick n roll. For him to try to adopt a role such as Rafer Alston (getting the ball to players to create for themselves) takes away from his ability to make a play and create for the players himself. In that game against the Lakers, basically all Francis did was drive to the hoop over and over and over again, drawing fouls on both the lakers stars constantly. And he got up again and again. So actually I'm not sure what I'm concluding ... Maybe that in this system, Francis isn't the best. Or maybe that Francis could be used as the leader of the second unit. Like I know TMac is the undisputed leader and all and I know Francis could probably do what Rafer does and get him in the ball to create, but Francis' could possibly do more. I'm just questioning ... If Steve Francis of his prime were in a big playoff game, under the same circumstances as TMac, would he have been more effective in just driving to the lane and getting foul calls? I'm not saying Steve is/was the better player or anything but what Francis brought was something no one could defend against. I know he'd older and has lost a step but I've seen that he still has the ability to do it, even if he himself doesn't think he can. All that ranting being said, Francis probably wont get the chance for anyone to find out.
Lets see if Rick makes adjustments to jason terry because Rafer is always a liablity on defense especially. Put some big guards in there and leave Luther Head on the bench.
We need to lose two more games with T-Mac in the lineup for thickheaded RA to make any changes. I predicted 5 game losing streak would do it. He pulled the trigger at 4 games to games to give SF some burn. If we lose to the Mavs and get blown out, then yes, I think SF gets a lot more burn
I think it would need a miracle to see Francis against Dallas if Adelman stick to his 8-9 man rotation. *Sigh*
what do you think about rafer of last year? what was the fate of rox in the playoff? do you think rafer is going to be better than last year? i don't really understand what ra is thinking about. the whole summer, we tried to get rid of rafer because we exactly know what he can bring to us. we are not satisfied. we need a pg who can penetrate and finish around the rim. now suddenly, we are ok with rafer because we were winning. c'mon, we were winning too in last year with rafer as our starting pg.
