This is the first thread I've ever started here. Don't know why, I guess I just never had any good ideas. I'm truly sorry if someone's already started a thread about this. I just barely scanned the first couple pages to see, so of course a mod can feel free to close this or merge if if that's the case... but I don't need to tell them that. AAAnyways, the point: http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0607/1564698.html Francis, as we've all discussed here before, is very capable of playing the 2-gaurd effectively IMO. With fear of turning this into a Francis-bashing thread, I have to ask the question: Why Finley? What can he do (other than shoot marginally better, and perhaps play a little more D) that Francis can't? IMO, he only made the team because of Dallas' success. This article doesn't specifically reference Francis as part of that "short list" of canditates, but hopefully he's AT LEAST worthy of that much consideration for the team. Is there some news I missed as to why exactly Francis isn't on this team? Nor was he ever even considered (from what I know anyways)...
What's this now? No one cares...? Some Rockets fans YOU are!!! Ah well... I guess next time I'll try to think of a better topic. That probably won't be for a while, though.
Finley was on the previous team and that gives him a 'leg up'. Finley and Francis both deserve places on the team.
Well, it is 5am in the morning. Only the true fans are on the board right now. Finley is a good player but Francis is the better of the two. The thing that's hurting Francis right now is the lack of playoff exposure.
U forgot the international fans! It's almost 1pm hear in France.I think in Asia it's around 8pm. Finley being taken over SF has to do maybe with the fact that one went to the playoffs and the other didn't.I'm not saying Finley is a better player than Francis,but the olympic coach(Brown?! ) did get to see Finley play more. ALA
It's obvious the International team doesn't want Stevie. Maybe it was because of his draft day tirade, maybe it's because tehy want more "team" players (but that doesn't explain Iverson on the team), maybe because they want proven winners (you know guys who can get to the playoffs), whatever the reason. Bottom line is they don't want him. To me it's not a big deal. Once Stevie proves he can play well in the playoffs tehn they will want him, until then I won't worry about it.
the reason he hasn't been selected to the team is because the man who is in charge of picking the players is the same guy who drafted Francis in Vancouver then was forced to trade him. Can't remember his name but he's still bitter about it. I think it's time he grew up
I understand that but d*mn .. . . for how long Why doesn't anyone bash Kobe. .. HE DID THE SAME THING ONLY WORSE . . .he THREADED TO MAKE CHARLOTTE's PICK A TOTAL WASTE . . .. . At Lease Francis left Vancouver with some value coming back Rocket River
Look... as i said the person in charge of putting players on the team was the guy who was forced to trade Francis from Vancouver to Houston. Kobe Bryant doesn't have to worry because no one with a grudge against him picks the olympic players.
very true...but i dont understand how a general manager in stu jackson, who was as bad as any gm could be with the grizzles, could get appointed to such high positions within the nba administration... he must have some incriminating photos of david stern!!!
I don't believe in the Stu Jackson grudge. If I look objectively at both Finley and Francis, I'd give the nod to Finley as well. He's a MUCH better shooter than Francis and shooting is the key to winning in international play. Francis' undisciplined style, high turnover rate and low assist totals also work against him as well.
'Why Finley? Maybe its because his team has made the playoffs the last three years while Francis' team hasn't even though both have a lot of talent. Same reason why Amare beat out Yao for Rookie of the Year.
How much talent did Houston have last year and the previous year. That's stupid. Yeah, Houston had a Nowitzki on the team the last three years.
I disagree.. and so would any other francis-fan.. I think that from looking at the allstar game from last season (one of only a few games i saw).. when he has allstars around him he feels less pressure to perform..
Haven't posted in a while; big things happening for the team. Anyway, in a related story for this thread ESPN's David Aldrige endorses Francis: Would be great if Francis were picked for the team, but if not @ least he can be spending the off-season getting better and learning the new Van Gundy-system. And I know this isn't probable, but it would be tight if Yao and Francis worked out together for the off-season.
That may well be true but in a head to head comparison, Finley is a much better shooter especially from 3 point range. Remember, this spot belonged to Bryant a SG. It would make more sense to replace a SG with a SG and Finley fits the bill perfectly.
Once or twice its a coincidence, but when Stevie gets continually negged in favor of players that are clearly inferior to him (Bibby, Andre Miller, who was horrendous last year), and as ill suited, if not more so, to international play (Baron Davis), then it gets very suspicious, especially considering the caliber of stiffs that get thrown on the team sometimes (Raef LaFrentz, aging selfish Karl Malone, Tim Hardaway when he was about to retire, Steve Smith). Combine this with Stevie's oft expressed desire to be on the team and something stinks. Once again, I submit that Steve is more than capable of having sharing the ball when he's not surrounded by chumps like Eddie Griffin: PLAYER POS MIN FGM-A 3GM-A FTM-A OFF DEF TOT AST PF ST TO BS PTS KOBE BRYANT G 36 8-17 3-5 3-6 2 5 7 6 5 3 5 2 22 STEVE FRANCIS G 32 9-12 2-3 0-0 1 1 2 9 1 0 3 0 20 KEVIN GARNETT F 41 17-24 0-0 3-3 1 8 9 3 3 5 4 1 37 TIM DUNCAN F 40 8-18 0-0 3-3 5 10 15 4 2 1 3 0 19 YAO MING C 17 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 2 Shaquille O'Neal 26 8-14 0-0 3-5 3 10 13 1 3 2 3 1 19 Shawn Marion 23 4-9 0-1 0-0 5 2 7 4 1 3 0 1 8 Steve Nash 16 1-3 0-2 0-1 2 3 5 3 1 1 4 0 2 Dirk Nowitzki 16 4-8 1-4 0-0 0 1 1 1 1 0 2 0 9 Gary Payton 15 4-6 0-1 0-0 1 0 1 2 3 0 3 0 8 Stephon Marbury 15 1-3 0-2 2-2 0 1 1 6 0 0 2 0 4 Peja Stojakovic 13 2-7 1-4 0-0 0 3 3 1 0 1 1 0 5 TOTAL 290 67-122 7-22 14-20 20 46 66 40 21 16 30 5 155 54.9% 31.8% 70.0% Team Rebs: 10 Total TO: 30 As far as being suited for international play, didn't Finley play on last years disastrous sixth place team? He didn't show too much then. But hey, who am I to question Stu Jackson, who has a proven record of success in Vancouver as GM and of avoiding blame when his handpicked squad of coaches and players embarrassed themselves in front of the world last summer.
I agree; all great points. There have been a lot of knowledgeable basketball ppl (including Aldrige, Ric Bucher, etc.) that have said it's Stu Jackson that is keeping Francis from being on the team. Even when the team was selected and Kobe was a lock a lot of 'b-ball experts' though Francis should get a serious look for the Team.
