This is a quote from Bob Sturm from sports radio 1310 in Dallas today at about 2:15. As you might have guessed that quote was directed at our very own Houston Rockets. He made the quote during a discussion about Steve Nash and if he was the right point guard to lead the Mavericks through the play-offs since he has stamina problems about this time every year that seems to carry into the play-offs. While he was talking about Steve Nash’s value he made the comment that, “if Steve Nash were on the Rockets then they would probably be at least a 4th seed right now. They have no semblance of a point guard at all. Steve Francis might be a pretty good 2 guard if the Rockets had someone that could run the point.” He really did not say anything else about the Rockets or Steve Francis and the conversation returned to Steve Nash and if he would have enough left in his tank this year to lead the Mavericks successfully in the play-offs. I just thought that his quote was worth mentioning since he said it so matter of fact as if it was an accepted truth that everyone had acknowledged. To say that Francis is still learning to be a point guard or that he is not quite in the same league as a Steve Nash is one thing but to say the Rockets have no semblance of a point guard is a very strong comment about Steve Francis and the state of our Rockets. While I have some very major concerns about the lack of decision making or poor decision making from our point guards am neither agreeing or disagreeing with Bob Sturm at this time. I do see Francis moving the ball a lot more and playing a lot less one on one basketball than he used to but he still seems very slow to recognize the mismatches and he still does not get the ball to his teammates in the best position for them to succeed very often. I will have a lot more to say about Steve Francis and his progress or lack of progress after the season but for now I just wanted to get this quote out and see how the bbs felt about it.
So you live in Dallas! yeah anyways......he's pretty much right. Nash is better. Well at least he looks better. Of course.....cuz he has Michael Finley and Najera and Bell and Rigadeau and Nowitzki and Lafrentz and Williams....they can all shoot....and Van Exel. But I like him. Although he looks crazy and he plays crazily...at least he is kinda in control. Well he is as freestyle or whatever as Francis. He runs around and then in desperation passes out. But he does it good. I like him. I think he would be lovely on our team. Nash.....he can score. He makes the impossible shots. Then if he gets stuck......at least his teammates make an effort to get open and catch the ball. And at least his teammates can score. And Francis... man it's true. He has been PASSING the ball. But he's not really SETTING ANYONE UP. He misses a lot of good opportunities. He's just hopeless...I don't think he has been doing any isolation or whatever anymore. He just takes an occasional jumper.....which currently he has been missing....badly. And he scores on fast breaks. But he really isn't that involved anymore. This guy is pretty right. Francis will never learn......especially with RUDY coaching him.
He is right on the money. The PG sets the tempo for the whole team. He gets everyone touches so they feel better about their place on the team and therefore they hustle more on both ends of the court. No one wants to play on a team that has one guy who dominates the ball, that is not fun, and more often then not that team loses. DD
After watching TJ Ford play in Texas the last two years, there is no doubt in my mind that I would do anything short of trading Yao or Steve to get the oppurtunity to draft him. He has stated in the past that he simply can see where a team mate will be two seconds before he is actually there, he is a TRUE PG in every sense of the word. Better yet, he understands that the offense must run through the post, something that Steve likely will never get. So what, he's 5'10 165 soaking wet, and that his outside jumper is suspect at best (but its improving), he sees the court better than any player I've seen in my lifetime, save Jason Kidd. Before I go, I'll leave you with a quote from TJ that will make all of you want him on the team immeaditly. "Two points is two points," Ford said earlier this season. "It doesn't matter who scores them. I could go out there and just try to shoot and score every time, but what does that do for the team? It's about winning."
Gawd, it's painful to still read about "Steve's learning to play the point." His fourth year as a pro. In the meantime, Tinsley and Parker are both better at the position. You can read between the lines on ESPN's chats with Aldridge, Ramsey, et al, when they list the best PGs, and Steve isn't one of them. "Well, Bob from Nevada, I would rank those players in this order: Kidd, Payton, Nash, Bibby, Marbury, Parker, Tinsley, Travis Best, Tyronn Lue..." OK, the last two names, I threw them on there. Still.
Good point. The rule for player development is that if a player hasn't emerged after year 3 or 4, he's officially a bust. Its Year 4 for Steve Francis the PG, and he still hasn't emerged. And save the "...but Steve's never played with..." excuse, a 4th year NBA-level PG should be able to adjust to anyone, especially 60 games into the season. I don't want Steve to turn into Matt Maloney (* shudder *), but I also don't want to see him dominate the ball at PG. He wants to score. He can score. Put him in a offense where he can concentrate on scoring.
Live, Exactly, we need a coach like Larry Brown that can make the change. If Allen Iverson can make the switch, so can Francis.... This allows us to trade Mobley. As for Ford.....GAWD he would look good in a Rockets Uni. DD
DaDakota, understand, I really do like arguing with you, Now you just said I didn't know anything about basketball, Tell me, how much defense we could get out of a 5'10" point guard, and a 6'3" shooting guard who doesn't like to play D. And I like T.J. Ford, but it would work.
What the radio guy said is pretty much what the everyone thinks of the Rockets. Stevie is a great player, but he's just not a great point guard. I still think we should try to slide him to the 2 spot if we can get a more traditional playmaker. He could get burned on D playing the 2, but I don't think it'd be worse than him at the one. The Hawks do it with Terry.
The Hawks are a great example The only way it works is with a Kidd, or Payton, or maybe even a Snow, point being the point has to be able to guard the 2. Perimeriter defense is the biggest problem with this team's overall defensive and the only way to place Steve at the two is to have a point who can guard twos.
Pgabrial, With zone defenses allowed, the size of your guards is not as important. Having someone shoot a contested jumpshot over a smaller player is a good strategy. Espciecially in today's NBA, players are terrible shooters. Also, you have Yao, Cato, and EG manning the paint. If the other teams guard gets by...and it shouldn't because smaller players are supposedly quicker, then the big 3 would be there to block the shots. The Rockets used to win with a 5'8" Calvin Murphy at the two guard and a 6'3" John Lucas at the point......with the same strat. DD
Good point. I may be in the minority, but Steve playing and defending at the 2 really doesn't scare me. 1. The majority of SGs in the league are primarily slashers and shooters, i.e. there really aren't many post-up SGs to worry about. And the Rockets could support Steve in those matchups if need be. 2. Steve should be one of the quickest SGs in the league, which means that he shouldn't be beaten off the dribble very often. 3. And since there are 3 legit shot-blockers on the team (and 5 if you count TMo and MoT ) , the lane should become more and more uninviting to penetrators over the years.
