WTF.....Bibby on USA Team....no Francis or Iverson

I also agree that if one spot is down to Marbury, Francis and Finley that Finley will get that spot. From all accounts the committee liked the effort Finley displayed on last summers team. Many say he was the ONLY guy to put forth 100% every night. The committee has not forgotten that. He is a good system player as mentioned above and because of last year has international experience. He seems like a good fit on the team.

However, You have to believe that 3 point guards will be chosen for this team. Kidd, Bibby and someone else. I doubt they go into the tournament with only 2. They could go with another veteran such as a Gary Payton here. I don't know. Francis would be an idea choice as he is versitle to play the 1 and the 2. But remember, even if Francis was chosen he probably wouldn't play all that much and would be out of the 8 man rotation that the committee wants to use.

Chris

 

Francis doesn't have much chance to get in Team USA.
He is a great player, but not a great PG. His Assit/TO
ratio is atrocious.

 

Didn't AI go to the Finals, I don't understand what people expect from Iverson, I guess he and Mutombo should have beaten Shaq and Kobe, that seems like a fair fight. He clearly must be a terrible team player since his team has never had any success.

 

I love it. It's time for Olympic team appointments to work the same way NBA championships do: Play as a team or you're out.

 

what are the chances of Weber geting convicted? From what I've read, it doesn't look good.

 

This is complete Bullsh*t...

I cannot believe Franchise is getting snubbed like this, although I would have first thought AI was a shoe in with LB coaching...

 

I bet USA basketball loved that team oriented play Kobe was showing when the Lakers were in the basement at the beginning of the season...

 

Which players belong to Team USA?

Extremely Talented: Kobe, Tmac, etc.
Team Players: Bibby, etc

Francis is not so talented as Kobe, and not a good
team player. As a PG, he is not good at creating easy
baskets for teammates and making good decisions
consistently. His Assist/TO ratio indicates his PG skills
is so-so. He is probably the best offensive PG, but
Team USA is no lack of good scorers with passing
ability better than Francis. So if you are in charge of
selecting Team USA, would you choose Francis?

Facts: Kobe has 6.5 assist 3.75 TOs per game
T-mac has 5 assist 2.05 TOs per game
Francis has 6 assist 4.04 TOs per game AS A PG

Either Francis improves his playmaking skills or
Rox is better off to move him to SG. He can averge
25 PPG easily.

 

You would think before making the Dream Team you'd first have to make the All-Star team!

What a joke.

Being selected to the Dream Team having never made the All-Star game.



HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

politics.

 

bibby has a better outside shot than francis and AI. between francis and AI, francis probably gets the nod not because he is a better player but because he has better image.

 

All you people who say Stevie doesn't play a good "team game" need to review the All Star game. Who was the best point guard on the floor that game? Ole Stevie Franchise did a wonderful job of feeding KG. He got all of his teammates involved, and even got himself involved when it was appropriate.

Mike Bibby, please. He had one good post season and suddenly everyone thinks he's better than sliced bread. I'd ask Gary Payton to rejoin the team before Iverson, Marbury or Bibby. And I'd definitely want Steve Francis on that team. Unbelievable.

 

Seriously........


I will take Mike Bibby over Steve Francis anyday (now) on my team. I do not see why many here are complaining other than the fact the Stevie is a Rocket. That said Mike Bibby is not that special but I still like his game.

Steve should wait for 2008 - by then Yao will be able to show him around his crib.

 

Bibby 3ptFg% 02-03 41.1%,
01-02 37%

Francis 02-03 40.5%
00-01 39.6 (Steve really didn't play much last year)

Bibby plays on a much better team than Francis. In 00-01, when the Rockets won 45 games, Bibby's Grizzlies won 29 games.

I think its clear who the better player is, there is no argument.

 

come on toast, francis played well in one meaningless all-star game while bibby played incredible in one playoff series against the Lakers. but, the point is the olympics team is not about getting the best players. it's about getting the best GROUP of players who possess skills that potentially work well together. bibby just has a better Jumper than francis.

why did they pick malone?? he's too old. get jermaine o'neill.

 

Are you joking????

The All Star Game is probably the WORST scenario imaginable to evaluate "team play." Defense is non-existent, cutters are left open, and there is no real "game plan" w/ respect to a system O. Don't get me wrong. I like Francis, mind you. But just b/c Francis made some nifty passes and got the assists that day doesn't make him an instant "gotta have'm team guy." Not to change this thread, but if SF was all that great a team player, how come he can't bring some of that team game, on a consistent basis to Houston?

Ironically, you answered your own question in your post. Bibby put up a remarkable SEASON to earn his props. You know the saying, "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush?" Well a season in the hand is worth two of anything at the All-Star game.

Bottom line: SF can play great on a team but he's not your consummate team player esp. when compared against so many other great players in the league.



theSAGE

 

pgabriel,

I agree with your quote

"I think its clear who the BETTER PLAYER is, there is no argument."

Steve is without the better player. More skilled and athletically gifted. But I think that Bibby is the better POINT GUARD. This may not be indicative in stats but if you watch the two play, Bibby plays much smarter and gets his team mates involved pretty well. He knows when to shoot and when to pass.

 

As a fan of the Rockets OF COURSE I'd like to see Steve play. It would make the games more fun to watch, at least for me, and I think Steve would play well. (it would be hard not to top the last squad, in the main) But from a "what's best for the Rockets" point of view I hope Steve doesn't. As some others have pointed out, he could use the time off. Just my opinion.

And, as much as I hate and despise him, Karla is a good choice. If he had been on the last squad, can you imagine the la-de-da attitude prevailing? I think not.

 

I whole-heartedly disagree. What is the Olympic team? It's basically an all star team. The same names mentioned in all star circles are pretty much the ones mentioned for the olympic team. All the outside fanfare going on during the all star weekend are similar to all the fanfare going on during the olympics. Since the forming of the first Dream Team, the olympics has been a showcase event for some of our superstars, just like the all star game. And I'm sorry, but with the exception of a couple of minutes during the second quarter of this past all star game, everyone was playing to win. It wasn't some sort of no-defense, no real-game environment. MJ wanted to win his last all star game, and the west didn't want to let that happen. Both sides played to win. Otherwise, guys like Walker, Pierce, Yao, etc. would have seen much more PT. And it wouldn't have been a fight at the end of the 4th and into overtime.

We've all seen that when Stevie has faith in his teammates, he's very adept at finding the open man. I think he would be a terrific piece of the olymic team. He had no quams about looking for his teammates when they were Tim Duncan, KG, et al.

 

I respect your opinion, but let me ask you two questions, Toast.

1) Which stakes are higher? the Olympics or the All-Star game?
2) If the Olympic team IS an All-Star team, how come we don't have the same starting figures from last week's All-Star game heading to the Olympics?

IMHO, the All-Star can not be possibly as competitive as any regular season season, much less, an Olympic game. Sure players play to win, even at the All-Star game, but c'mon... do you think those All-Star's put up a concerted defensive effort? Even though the Olympic team resembles an All-Star squad, the actual games aren't the equivalent to the NBA All-Star game.

Cases in point:
1) you see some serious FOULS in int'l sports. (when was the last time u saw a flagrant foul in the all-star game?)
2) int'l teams are proud to be playing for country pride
3) the int'l teams are fast narrowing their gap against US talent

All of this boils down to a real, competitive fight and not that poo poo showcase of selfishness called the All-Star game.



theSAGE