Stevie the fake "franchise and Cuttino the "cancer"

Unfortunately, that's the case with a lot of people here. They want to say they hate steve and cuttino, but then when those two do good in a game they want to say how great they are. I for one like all of the Rockets, win or lose, and I'm not gonna rip into anyone for losing a game. Because if you're gonna give the whole team credit when they win, you have to realize that they lose as a team too. A loss goes in the record books as a loss for the Houston Rockets, not as a loss for Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, Yao Ming, etc.

 

How come nobody mentioned that Yao took more shots than every other Rocket except Steve (they are tied at 19) last night?

 

SF took 19 2-pointers and 5 3-pointers. Cat took 15 2-pointers and 4 3-pointers.
Rice took 8 2-pointers and 4 3-pointers.

They were a combined 15 for 55 (27%).

 

I don't know if you were trying to be funny, but that is hilarious.

Did you see Fisher beat him to every ball?

Hickanuu?-Add DaD's piece to your signature!

 

I don't agree with that. I don't know if you remember, but when the Rockets were winning in OT or maybe we were about to take the lead in the fourth quarter(I too can't remember-too many beers). Steve jacked up a shot without going inside first. He missed and that shot basically took away the Rockets' momentum. All he had to do was throw it in the post. He instead tried to make a mark rather than win the game. It doesn't matter if the duo didn't jack as much. Steve jacked at the wrong time, when it counted.

 

When you're reading stats, the FGM-FGA line is overall and already includes the 3 pointers. Steve took a total of 19 shots last night, making 4, 2 for 2 points each (4pts), 2 for 3 pts each (6pts for a total of 10) and made 7 free throws for a total of 17 points. In either case, his shooting was bad.

This team has an attitude problem, and I don't expect it to change within the next year or two.

They have all the talent in the world, all the athleticism and skill, but their attitude precludes them from being good.

Did they pound the ball inside a lot last night? Yes. But even though that's what needs to be done, doing it alone won't get you there. You have to make an active effort to have an attitude such that you trust each and everyone of your teammates. Steve doesn't have that. Cuttino doesn't have that. Maybe they trust each other. And maybe Steve trusts that if he throws the ball knd of close to the basket when Cato is in the game running torwards the hoop, they'll probably get an alley-oop. But they don't trustyone else, and that is why this team fails.

For that reason, I saw more of the same last night from the team, not, as Will or others have pointed out, a good game that just got away from them:

Offensively, it took them too long to understand that the Lakers had absolutely zero inside presence last night. Is it any surprise that Taylor or Yao had good games. They were being guarded by Samaki Walker, Medvedenko, and Mark Madsen. They should have pounded the ball inside continually the entire game.

Next, the Rockets run the pick and roll worse than about any team in the entire league. Back to trust and attitude. To run a proper pick and roll, you need to first set up your man, so that he is more unbalanced then normal. Then, you have to wait till your picker gets set, run right by the shoulder, and pin your defender completely. At this point, you should have an open shot, or you're guarded by a bigman who can't hang with you. If that's the case, blow by him. Right after the pick, your picker sets a hard turn and either cuts to the basket, now guarded by a much smaller player, or, in cases, no one at all, or the picker sets fades out to an open spot on the floor. Of course, we all know this...why can't the Rockets figure it out? Because Francis and Mobley have the attitude that all they need is just a little bitty pick that their man just barely brushes off and they can do the rest on their own. Or they fail to trust that their rolling big (in most cases Yao, who is either wide open, or open enough at his height) will catch the ball for an easy two.

All too often the Rockets guards will just drive the lane with no idea of what to do. This is fine, as in the end, somebody has to use their own skill to score. But the Rockets jump to pass on about 25% of those plays. This % should be much much lower. With their athleticism, it can happen occasionally, but not nearly soo much. It is okay to drive the lane, get doubeld, and either pass, or keep dribbling. Just because you've managed to get 3/4 of the way to the hoop, it doesn't mean its time to use your amazing jumping abilities to soar past 4 defenders in an attempt to make a wild shot. Trust they system (Rudy, there is a system isn't there......Rudy?).

Finally, maybe the only main cog on the team who consistently passes out of double teams, regardless of what type of scoring position they think their in, is Yao. Taylor and his jump stops through two players (luck he was fouled, looked to me like he traveled) and Mobley and his drving by 3 people to shoto tough fade aways at critical times, has got to stop. It just has to. Please, please trust your teammates. You'll get yours and you'll get them easier and in larger quantities.

What about their defense? Same thing. Francis isn't necessarily a horrible defender. He just doesn't trust his teammates to do their job and all to often turns his back on his man, forcing himself to play sloppy close out defense when the ball is swung to his player. Mobley's man defense is better but not great, and, overall, as a unit, they don't have the necessary team defense attitude. They should all be forced to watch the Pistons play. Defense is a mindset, and team defense is a mindset and an attitude. I think the Rocket's understand the mindset, I really do. They've had solid defensive performances, but until they get it down as a team and progress, not go backwards, they're defense will be below par.

Sorry for the ramblings. I just find it hard to believe anyone could have watched that game and not saw what Dadakota sees night in and night out. Steve has way way too much talent and the team has way to much other talent surrounding it for him not to have 8+ assists per night average, especially on a night when he knows his shot isn't falling, is apparently trying to get others involved and plays 53 minutes.

The Rocket's are a team of me-first players, and regardless of how much they point to pounding the ball inside, and regardless of whether or not they publicly claim that they have to stop pointing fingers at others and start pointing them at themselves, they won't be a winning team until they change their attitude.

 

DaDa, actually I noticed that too, but you know those damn announcers are full of crap. he generally dives. I was suprised with what he did in that case. Steve in generally a heart player.

and to all of you who think you know me, or the other pre-yao-posters.

I think you are all off. The point is that the older posters are much more supportive of all the players. I think all of the older guys love Steve and Yao a lot. Most of them like Cuttino but are aware of his flaws.

If I were to lie and say I was not introduced to this team by Cuttino then what the hell would any post mean. You are biased. All of you are. I however am aware of my bias. I would like my boy Cuttino to get the respect he deserves. thats it. For anyone to call him a cancer is assinine. To assume that I am unaware of his poor decision making skills would also be assinine. If you watch 10games you will see the Cat tries the hardest out there most of the time. He may not be the most sucessfull Rocket, but he workes for what he gets.

So, in short, sod off

PEACE

 

Sorry about re-posting, but this is officially the first and therefore only time I have completely agreed with Will since joining the BBS a couple of years ago.

I still hate umbrellas though

 

So Stevie FRANCHISE, has an off game so hes not the franchise any more? Sounds like a load of crap to me. ALL great players have down times and up times, just give him a chance and ease up off stevie, hes still the franchise and will always be the franchise

 

Actually, this shows how smart Steve is and how good his memory is. He remembered what happened to Eddie's neck when Eddie challenged Fisher and dove for a loose ball in the last game vs. LA in Houston. Fisher's a sociopathic serial loose ball killer and will destroy any and all poor souls who stand between him and the loose ball. Eddie is one of the lucky few who has fallen victim to Fisher and lived to tell about it. Let's just be thankful Steve is still in one piece.

 

I think the rockets played smart last night through a terrible shooting night.

Mobes, Rice, and Stevie "Couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat". They had a terrible shooting night. And it happens. players aren't gods, and so they do foul up. and last night was stevie's turn...and Mobes has been in a slump since the alstar break.

Rice...isnt back together yet, but he did hit that dagger from beyond the arc last night.

hope to read about a much better shooting rocks tonight.

 

LOL. That's funny, moomoo.



To the old-timers: Please don't assume that anybody who joined after Yao's pick is a Yao-only fan.