Sorry if this is already posted: For Francis, winning is not about numbers By JONATHAN FEIGEN UPDATE • Friday: Rockets 117, Warriors 107. • Playoff watch: 36-32; No. 8 in Western Conference, a half-game ahead of Phoenix. • Tonight: At Sacramento, 8 p.m. • TV/radio: Ch. 51; KILT (610 AM) and in Spanish on KYST (920 AM). SAN FRANCISCO -- A week before, when Steve Francis moved within one rebound of his first triple double of the season, he knew the numbers. He knew what he needed. And with no pretense that such things don't matter, he wanted the statistical achievement. He didn't get it. He played a little more than another minute before, with a win over the Bulls secure, he sat for the rest of the night. A week later, he had no idea. In keeping with his devotion to playmaking lately, he had the assists early. Next came the rebounds. Finally, he surpassed 10 points and finished with 13. He didn't notice. "Nobody said a thing," Francis said. "Actually, Yao (Ming) told me after I got it. He said, `This is your first career triple double, huh?' I told him it was my first this year." It was the sixth of his career, but his first in more than a year, since Jan. 24, 2002, against the Nets. But Francis said unlike the win against the Bulls that was certain by the time he was told he was close, he didn't care about his numbers because the Rockets had more pressing concerns. And with that, he returned to his usual refrain that he is not trying to pass or shoot more often than before, that he is only taking the shots or making the passes that present themselves. Few believed him. Forward Glen Rice, the team's best shooter, praised him. "I think Steve is definitely trying to put more of an emphasis on distributing the ball more," Rice said. "I think Steve realizes he can score at any time. It's a sign of him maturing that he is seeing we're winning with him going out and getting triple doubles like last night, or close to it. It's a sign of him growing to see this is what it will take to make this team a much better team. You have to take your hat off to the guy." Cuttino Mobley, his backcourt running mate for four seasons, credited him with keying the Rockets' offense. "He's doing a great job getting everybody involved," Mobley said. "When he does that, it makes it easier for the whole team." Francis is shooting and turning over the ball less, setting up teammates more. The NBA selected him Western Conference Player of the Week last week, though he made just eight shots in the last two of the games that week. But as always, he insisted that nothing has changed, no matter what praise or recognition his play has brought him. "Whatever, man; like I said all season, whatever. Whatever is needed," Francis said. "If the shot is there for me, I'm going to take it. I just think trying to be hard-nosed in this time, going down a clutch stretch of our season, I have to set the tone offensively and defensively." Francis and the Lakers' Kobe Bryant are the only NBA players averaging more than 20 points, six rebounds and six assists. But because Francis is labeled a point guard, the topic of how often he shoots and how many assists he collects is inescapable. "I hate that," he said of the topic that will not go away. "I hate it." He said just one individual statistic concerns him. "I do want to cut down on the turnovers," he said. "Since the All-Star break, I've averaged a little more than two (2.5). And I want to cut it more. But I could have 100 turnovers as long as we win. Wins come first." He has cut down on his turnovers. Before the All-Star break, he averaged 4.3. But even more noticeable lately, he has not been shooting as much. Since the All-Star break, Francis has averaged just 13.9 attempts per game, and just 10 in the past five games. Before the break, he averaged 17.4. Rockets coaches always have had to remind Francis to look for his shot, rather than his teammates. They warn he needs to take open shots to help provide opportunities to create. But acting coach Larry Smith said Francis' play should not be measured by shots taken or assists collected, or really any numbers in the box score. "Once in the flow, he feels he can make shots, he's going to shoot the ball," Smith said. "With his ability, he can do a lot of other things. Last night (against the Warriors) was a typical night." Francis said he wants Friday's performance to be typical only because it ended with a win and another day closer to finally putting him in the playoffs.
Kidd will probably overtake Francis as the turnover leader very soon. Francis is at 3.76 and Kidd at 3.75 TO per game. I luv the way Francis is playing lately. Go Rocks! -G'day-
Sometimes you have to wonder why guards have to be restricted to one certain type.. they should play how the team needs them to play on that night..
They keep saying that he is shooting less??? Does it count as a shot if you drive to the basket and you are fouled? If so, than he is still shooting the same to me, just getting fouled more
Actually he is shooting slightly fewer FTs since the all-star break but regardless FTs are high percentage and force the opposing team to work around all the fouls. If he took more FTs in the flow of the offense I'd applaud him even more. I guess that talk with Oscar Robertson really made an impression.
TO Per Game is only half the story. Just because Kidd takes the lead in TO PG doesn't mean that he's same/worse than Francis. Why? Kidd averages almost 9 assist per game. So, match that with 3.8 TO PG, it's not so bad. But, since Francis only gets 6.2 assist per game, PLUS 3.8 TO PG, it makes this turnover ratio that much worse. Francis'es play of late has been GREAT! See, his numbers don't tell the whole story either. The turnovers he gets now are while trying to make a play. In the past, a large part of his turnovers were when he was trying to score (forcing shots or unforced pressure). So, the difference now is that Francis is making less and less UNFORCED turnovers (throwing the ball out of bounds with no pressure, dribbling the ball of his foot with no presure, driving into 3 defenders and having the ball stripped). He's not doing those as much any more. He's maturing. That's key.
Nice article. One thing I found interesting is how the coaches want Stevie to look for his shoot more and just b/c he is labled a PG don't measure how well he plays with the number of shots he's taking or assist he gets. And sort of on the lines of what Loco Gringo said, I wonder why PG have to be confined to doing ONE thing....Steve's talent is being a all-around player -- more so than any other PG in the league now (that includes Kidd). But he's learning how to incorporate both his scoring and pure-PG skills more and more. Keep it up, Stevie!
