Anyone going to take count of Francis attempted assist for tonight's game?

An attempted assist?

it's the ouput that counts. look at his FGA, his attempts and the team's win/losses.

I don't need to hear excuses about Stevie making great passes and teammates missing dunks. These guys are professional athletes who can make shots.

If anyone is claiming his teammates can't hit open jumpers or make layups then I suggest CD be fired immediately.

Some people on this board try to blame Stevie's assists (or lack thereof) on his teammates. A PG's job is to distribute the ball to his teammates where they can be effective. i could give a crap less if Stevie passes the ball to Cato when he is at teh top of the key, that is not Cato's spot.

Remember:
It is Stevie's job as a PG to get teh ball to his teammates where they can be effective.

It great PG doesn't pass the ball just to pass the ball (he gives up his dribble, and can't get off his own shot). He passes the ball to help his teammates score.

 

This should be interesting to watch. I've been wondering why Steve's assists aren't higher.

1.Are his teammates missing their shots?
2.Is he not getting the ball to his teammates when they're in the right spots?
3.Is the playcalling/offense not getting his teammates TO the right spots thereby requiring Steve to make a play himself?
4.Other?

I'll be watching more closely. I've mostly been watching what Griff and Yao do without the ball because I'm wanting to follow their development. On the occasions when they flash across the lane,they're frequently open for a second or so. But the ballhandlers aren't getting them the ball. I wonder if they don't see them or is it an unexpected/undesigned slash that catches the ballhandler by surprise? It seems they miss a good number of opportunities this way though. Most of the times I've noticed this,it's been Moochie handling/pounding the ball. Is it just me or does he seem like he dribbles aimlessly,without purpose, and without much clue as to where his open teammates are or where the play is designed to go?

 

Moochie is basically paid just to promote the Rockets new Billboards with his afro. The more he dribbles and diverts attantion to himself/his afro, the Rockets are selling more tickets.

 

We all know what our team can do. Count the number of reasonable assists. Like Cato with one man on him near the basket. Rice standing alone anywhere on the court. Anyone after dishing out of a penetration.

We've seen our players, we know what they can do. Count what should've been, and also please if you could keep count of how many BAD attempts for an assist.

 

i was thinking the same thing myself. i mean ,sure, he's a popular player. unfortunately he brings nothing to the table skill-wise.

if you really wanna see a stagnant offense, just watch thr rox w/ moochie at the point...... now that's frustrating.

 

IMO you are way off base in your comments. Of course players have to be able to hit the shots when they are open to say otherwise is ridiculous. Discussing CD’s job IMO is another thread but the fact is that CD did not injury Dream and Barkley in Steve’s first year, he also did not injure all of the players that were hurt last year. But if you want to blame CD for the team’s injury’s the last two years then that is your choice. An open shot is an open shot regardless of whether they receive it in rhythm or not. We all saw Walts 0 for 10 performances last year. We all saw Steve passing the ball to 4 rookies last year. Is it Steve’s fault that Cato is not effective outside of 5 feet? Does Steve really have a lack of assists? He has never been advertised as a Jason Kidd type of Point Guard.

The two current players that Steve is most often compared to are Gary Payton who is arguably the best point guard in the game and Allan Iverson (Am I a 1 or a 2?) former MVP. All three played starters minutes their first three years. Payton didn’t miss enough games to mention in his first three years while both Steve and Allen missed a large part of their 3rd season. Both Gary Payton and Allen Iverson are better defenders than Steve Francis but only Francis has the possibility of putting up a triple double every single night.

Steve Francis first 3 years in the league:
6.6APG – 3.97TO – 18PPG
6.5APG – 3.31TO – 19.9PPG
6.4APG – 3.88TO – 21.6PPG

Gary Payton’s first 3 years in the league:
6.4APG – 2.2TO – 7.2PPG
6.2APG – 2.15TO – 9.4PPG
4.9APG – 1.8TO – 13.5PPG

Allen Iverson’s first 3 years in the league:
7.5APG – 4.43TO – 23.5PPG
6.2APG – 3.05TO – 22PPG
4.6APG – 3.48TO – 26.8PPG

Steve has been every bit as good of a distributor as Payton and Iverson during his first three years. While he turns the ball over too much for my taste it is no worse than Iverson. His assists and points per game are both better than Payton’s at the same point in their careers.

Steve Francis still has a lot of improvement to do on his game, primarily defense and turnovers but he is not the destructive force that you or some others would make him out to be.

 

So you really think CD should be fired? I think his teammates just aren't putting forth the effort and that's why they are missing lay ups, and wide open jumpers that Stevie has set up for them.

Well setting Eddie Griffin up with a layup in the lane should be makable, but I believe it was the Indiana game where EG missed that shot definitely once, and wide open 15ft jumpers at least twice. There were wide open jumpers missed by Glenn Rice(who's supposed to be great at knocking those down.). Of course the game where Steve gets nine assists is the one where Eddie went 10 for 15 shooting. Also most of Gary Payton's career high 18 assists that game came from his teammates wide open jump shots. Steve routinely gets his teammates those same looks, but they don't capitalize.

Like for an open lay up and wide open 15 ft. Jumpers. Steve has done this, and his teammates still didn't score.

I know that's why Jason Kidd sucks. He had 35 pts. last night. What a selfish ungreat PG he is.