Well friends, who is going to be ROY? With roughly 9 games or so left in the season, and Stevie being named Rookie of the Month for March, who do you think is Rookie of the year? Clearly it is between Brand and Francis. Odom has kind of fallen out as of late. Here are some rookie comparisons and awards each have won....you decide! Steve Francis: Stat Total Rank ------------------------ MPG 35.5 3rd PPG 17.6 2nd RPG 5.1 6th APG 6.5 1st SPG 1.56 3rd BPG .35 8th FG% .440 8th 3PT% .330 4th 15 Double doubles - 3rd among rookies NBA Player of the week for Jan. 17-23, 2000 NBA Rookie of the month for December and March. Elton Brand: Stat Total Rank ----------------------- MPG 36.8 1st PPG 19.6 1st RPG 9.9 1st APG 1.8 13th SPG .85 11th BPG 1.63 1st FG% .478 4th 3PT% N/A N/A 36 Double-doubles - 1st among rookies Schick Rookie Challenge MVP Rookie of the Month for February Tight race.....on paper Brand may look better in statistical categories, but the Rockets have a better record. Any thoughts? ------------------ HOOP-T Hey Shaq, Acme called, and they want their bricks back!
You seem to think the ROM honors is a sign that ROY honors are coming up. It looks to me like a consolation prize. Brand will win the ROY ultimately, so lets hype up the other guy so we can have two hyped up guys. Personally, I think Brand deserves it anyway; Francis' assists have been low for a PG, especially lately. ------------------
How is it that I seemed to think ROM honors mean ROY honors are coming up?? I was merely pointing out that each had won some form of award during the regular season. ------------------ HOOP-T Hey Shaq, Acme called, and they want their bricks back!
I don't agree w/the arguement that Stevie deserves the award because his team has won more games. He has more talent to play with. Rather, Stevie should win because Brand has been a beneficiary of the "Clipper effect"- defined as the proping up of stats in the absence of other remotely decent players. It's not very hard to find a number of players who put up quite a few points for the Clips, got nice free agent contracts, then didn't do anything for other teams. The bottom line is, SOMEBODY has to be taking the shots, and scoring points (primarily in garbage time), and Brand has been the beneficiary of this. The Rockets have more options (and a SG who's a near blackhole on offense), and have played in less garbage time. Stevie wins the award, because he's PLAYED better. ------------------
I agree with you haven, BUT think that Brand will get more votes simply because he plays with the Bulls. He'd probably even win if Steve had all around better stats. ------------------ [This message has been edited by Houston Rocks (edited April 04, 2000).]
Just to clarify, I made no ARGUMENT that Stevie should win due to the Rockets record. I was merely citing the fact that the Bulls are perhaps the 2nd worst team in the league, and their record shows.....thus bringing me to Haven's point of the Clipper Effect. Brand is basically the only one on the team with good offensive ability. I should have explained myself better. I am not sure who wins the ROY race. Even with only 9 games left, it is a tight race. Could we have another Co-ROY on our hands like the Hill-Kidd year? I would hope not. I think Stevie has been a bigger impact to the Rockets than Brand has been for the Bulls, however. ------------------ HOOP-T Hey Shaq, Acme called, and they want their bricks back!
Hoop-T, I apologize for jumping to conclusions. I made an inference from your post, that apparently is not (necessarily) true. However, my main point was that the ROM is a consolation prize for Francis. ------------------
Is it possible that they could be co-rookie of the year? I think this happened the year Jason Kidd was a rookie. Not sure who the co-winner was that year. I want to say Jamal Mashburn but I am not sure. In any case I think they are both deserving of the honor! ------------------ "There is Francis backpedaling at full speed to guard Seattle All-Star Gary Payton on a fast break and then leaping as if off a springboard to make a spectacular fingertip block on what appeared to be a sure layup."
Dream34, It was Jason Kidd and Grant Hill that won co-rookie....read my last post. ------------------ HOOP-T Hey Shaq, Acme called, and they want their bricks back!
Wow. You guys seem really intent on Francis getting ROY instead of Brand. Why do you care? What worth is the ROY anyway? Maybe I could see yall getting all worked up over MVP, like when Olajuwon got slighted. But cmon, ROY? Clearly Francis is the better player. Clearly Brand has the better numbers. Brand will be a good PF. Francis will be the best pg in the NBA. ROY is a meaningless award, as is ROM. Big deal. ------------------ Is it any coincidence that the Wizard has a NBA team named after him? Or that that team is owned by evil incarnate Jordan? I don't think so ...
Well, while we're at it, defensive player of the year is meaningless, scoring leader, rebounding leader, 6th man, shot blocking leader.....hell, let's just get rid of awards all together. Meaningless..... ------------------ HOOP-T Hey Shaq, Acme called, and they want their bricks back! [This message has been edited by HOOP-T (edited April 04, 2000).]
Thats a good idea HoopT. There is only one trophy worth a damn anyways. That is what Francis needs to win. Why do NBA players need statistical awards anyways? Dont they get enuff meaningless trophies in high school? Isnt being the leader in the record books award enuff? ------------------ Wiz 3:16 says Walt is da man!!!
Hypothetically, what kind of stats do you think Francis would have right now if he had been picked by the Bulls? I'm guessing 23ppg, 7 boards, 5 assists (nobody to pass to), 4.2TO (has to do everything on his own). ------------------ [This message has been edited by haven (edited April 04, 2000).]
I wanted to add a little something that appears to be overlooked on a number of posts/threads on this subject. The ROY and The NBA League Office Connection Interestingly, Brand and Francis have both been asked to join David Stern for an informal "chat and lunch" recently. Officially it was to discuss an increase on league focus on these two guys (along with the already ordained Kobe,VC,etc...)in the coming seasons. Historically the league office endorses those players that seem to have come to the forefront of the game and possess the attributes (NOT the irritating, self-serving, loudmouthed attitudes of some very capable but unendorsed talents) that the league wishes to appear to be the "ideal" player to represent the NBA.(In short, the player(s) that fit the league's vision of a player. The end tresult of these meetings was Steve Francis is now slated to be involved in a great number of very visible NBA sponsored marketing campaigns this summer and this coming season.He will be representing the NBA not the Rockets. The interesting point that pretains to this discussion of ROY is that: 1.This is used almost as an endorsement for consideration in the annual ROY (as well as other annual awards) voting. It places the "backslap and OK" by the league on the candidates. Ask Vince, Tim Duncan, Kidd, etc... they all had to have it prior to being considered for their respective awards. 2. Some insiders feel the "chat and lunch" is even more important than what appears on the surface. Some say the leagues "informal" session really leads to an official endorsement for a single player in the ROY (and MVP) race. And that this endorsement is forwarded to the powers that be, for "strong comment, league endorsenment and league office agreement" from the NBA President. Thought you might enjoy this perspective. Cheers. ------------------
As usual, great insight and great info Pops. Hopefully it will come to fruition, but deep down, I think Brand will win the ROY. (But I keep praying Francis will... ) ------------------ <this space for rent>
"Praying" Francis will win a ROY award?? I think we need some perspective in here about what matters in life and death. The only thing worth praying over are championships, not simply any ordinary sports award . ------------------
LOL Yeah let's keep some perspective here. ROY is NOT life or death. There are national disasters out there (Charles going down), teams starving for some recognition food (Golden State), franchises (Celtics)plagued by locusts (Pitino), and players (D.Coleman, D.Rodman,) suffering from incurable diseases like bonhead trashemia punkitis killus careerovera. Now getting into the next playoff round .... now that's life or death. ------------------
As I stated in an earlier post, Schick wants Brand to win because he is one of their rookie spokesmen and Francis isn't. The NBA wants Francis to win because he is more exciting.(and talented) ------------------
Yeah, but first things first... I think we're preeeeetty much out of the running for the championship this year. So why not pray for ROY? Next prayer meeting will be over the Lottery, then when the next season starts, the prayers will be shifted towards a championship... LOL! ------------------ <this space for rent>
One other thing to consider: competition. Brand plays in a very PF-weak Conference. Name 3 other really good PFs . . . Camby, um . . . I know there are a number who are "good", but none who are really franchise players Francis plays in an extremely competitive PG Conference There isn't a team in the West that has a really bad PG. . . there are mediocre ones (lakers), but no one is pathetic . . . and to name some of the greats: Payton, Stockton, Brandon, Kidd, etc. . . Food for thought ------------------
