We all love Steve and Cat, but unfortunately, it's simply not gonna work long-term. Steve Francis is NOT, and I repeat, NOT a point guard. He needs to move to the shooting guard and Rockets need to somehow find a playmaker to run this offense. They are trying ever so hard to work Yao into the mix, but it ain't working nearly as well as it should be. I was at the game tonight against the Mavs and I recall at least 10 times where Francis/Mobley/Moochie dribbled the ball with no one to pass to/wasting the shot clock like airheads. We are in dire need of a true point guard and until that happens, the Rockets are clearly in disarray. Francis' game is not tailored for that of a point guard so ultimately, I think it means Mobley has to move elsewhere cause Mobley is too small to play the 3. Guess we have to wait until the offseason to address this need. Goodnight and may the rockets recover from their miserable play.
I agree, Steve just isn't a pont guard. I thought the Rockets showed marked improvement today in the passing game. But Steve is the same. Steve and Rudy in a few years will realize that Francis is a #2 or #3. Making him the "Franchise" is a complete joke and disaster.
How many players, when healthy, can put up 19 points, 7 assists, 7 boards and 5 steals, let alone with a bad back? Steve had a good game, given the circumstances. Cat went 6 for 13 (2 for 4 from 3pt land), only got one assist, but made up for it with 6 boards. So what about tonight's game has you guys up in arms. I'm only speculating, but calling out these two after the loss looks like you are blaming them for what happened. I'm just curious why that is? If you ask me, we got screwed by the refs who let Dallas beat the crap out of Ming.
I have not seen Steve Francis put up that stat line. As far as what I saw tonight, I believe I saw Steve Francis SEVERAL times come down the court, pass the ball to NOBODY and shoot an outside shot. This was in the 3rd quarter when the game was reasonably close. Same old Steve.
I watched the game at home, but I noticed the same thing. Steve dribbled the ball way too much and wasted too much time before passing and shooting. He is a good shooter, but not a good person in charge of distributing the ball.
Alright, so Steve put up that stat line. Does that make him a franchise player who can lead us to the promised land?
Yeah, what does Rudy know? I'm surprised Les and CD haven't hired you to coach this team. I don't know how anybody could think that your years of couch coaching don't make you more experienced than this clown who has been coaching for 11 years and has been a player and a scout in his 32 seasons as a member of this orginization. Oh, lets not forget all the idiots in the media, the coaches of all the other NBA teams, and the other players, including HOF like Oscar Robertson who obviously can't see that Francis isn't a good player at all. 2nd or 3rd option, please, he should be in the NBDL.
It's better and easier if your point guard isn't the 1st option though. It's very very difficult to balance the scoring and passing and requires a lot of basketball intelligence. I am not bashing Steve but even you have to admit that he apparently has difficulty to master this trick.
Honestly I like Cat and Francis in the back court but I think we need a point forward ala Odom without the drug issues. Anyone know any we can steal. I'm not saying get Odom but a player similar to his skills in ball handling and his ability to set the court.... If there isn't one then I really think we should be lookng to get Odom.
It's not steve or mobley. You know what the problem is direction. Nobody has any clue of what to do, and nobody knows how to set and use a pick. There is no control or discipline on this team and who needs to enforce that..........Rudy damnit. I'm getting sick and tired of his stupid "positive environment" he's tryin to create. This is a man's game. Millions of dollars are paid to these guys. Start yelling and enforce. Enough of this player's coach crap. Rudy needs to take control, and if he doesn't, i won't be sad he's gone. Oh, by the way, how the hell can you blame steve. He is doing everything a 6'3 player can do. If you blame him, then you're really stupid or have no knowledge of the game.
i don't know about y'all but i'm anxiously awaiting Mr. Clutch's next response to himself. this could be a very interesting debate.
I don't see why not, Payton and Kidd seem to be able to do it. Of course it took them a while to get it right, I just think Steve needs time. Kidd and Payton weren't the players that they are today in thier 4th seasons. If Steve can improve the way they did after their 4th years, and you look how far ahead he is in some aspects already, the skys the limit for this guy. My complaint about what's going on this thread is that it seems you guys are giving up on him based on the Dallas game. I just don't see how you can use this game, a game where he played good all around despite the sore back, (and if you've ever had a sore back you should be wondering how in the hell this guy played pro basketball in his condition) as the final straw. Sometimes I get the impression that people have an unrealistic view of how this team should play. What are the common phrases going around, "Ming should be the focus" and "inside out." That's all fine and good, but Ming is still a Rookie. He has flaws in his game as well, flaws that will require time to work out. You can't put the entire game on Ming's shoulders, and you shouldn't ever have to when he has talented players around him as well. Sometimes I think people's vision of Ming being the focus of the offense is Steve bringing the ball up court, giving the ball to Ming, then letting Ming do his thing, then Ming kicking it out at the last second if he can't get anything (sounds familiar). I don't know if that works with the zone defense. You have to run plays for Steve and Cat. To not utilize their talent would be stupid. If all they did was pass the ball to Ming and shoot 3 pointers, would that make everybody happy. I don't think it's as much as the mistakes they make, as much as it the fact that they don't have favored status here these days, so they get unfairly criticized. I mean, if Andre Miller and Brent Barry took their places, I still think we would be in the same position record wise, yet I doubt they would recieve the same criticism. That means poor Rudy would be the one taking the brunt of it around here.
No thanks to Odom. Cat and Steve are already players who need the ball in their hands and create off the dribble. We don't need another ballhandler, we need an off-the-ball shooter in the Glen Rice mold. I can't believe that some people still don't get it. Like putting 5 scorers who all need the ball on the same floor is a good thing.
I was not blaming Francis for the loss. And I was not basing my judgement on that Dallas game. Plus where did I say that we should never run plays for Francis and Mobley? We want a blanced inside outside attack. That's the way to go and they way basketball should be played. And you can't deny that our whole team offense look much more smooth when our 1st pass goes to Yao rather than let Francis or Mobley create off the dribble can you?
Oski2005 Tell the truth, are you a member of Steve Francis' immediate family. You must be constantly scanning this sight for any and I mean any remotely negative remark about Francis so you can defend him. Are you his mother? Brother? Sister? On up to it, his girlfriend? Whoever you are, you love Steve Francis with all your heart, which is commendable. I wish I had more people in my life who accepted me without reservation. Who could see nothing but good in me and constantly defended me. One thing is clear, you are certainly not objective about his performance.
ha...you're funny... Well anyways. He still had a great game even though he was injured. MAN..he was wonderful, except he had 5 turnovers. BUT MAN...our bench was terrible. Moochie does not help. ANYWAYS..Steve Francis is a better point guard than Dajuan Wagner.
I'll put it very simply. You might love mayo. You might love chocolate. But despite that, you'll never eat a chocolate-mayo sandwich, unless you want to puke your guts out.
