[Chron]Brooks to start. Rockets have moved on without Francis?

I thought Morey's statement was that Francis would not play unless there were injuries. I didn't take that as meaning he would definitely play.

side note: this 3rd string PG position is really Brent Barry's role; that's why Adelman is stuck considering TMac for the role.

when Head and Wafer come out, I bet TMac will be playmaker and Head/Wafer will only play PG on defense, while playing their normal roles on offense. I also expect to see Battier and Artest on the court together, a lot...with Artest guarding Billups.

 

Well... Technically I could see a team eat the contract if we supplied them with a 2nd rd pick or the right to swap picks or cash or the rights to Newley or something. I bet this BBS would kill themselves if we traded Newley.

 

exactly!

 

Im not a sf3 fan but i would like to see him actually earn his money instead of sitting on the bench every game. He is wasting money we could use to get under the LT.

 

Why can't people accept the fact that injuries have taken away much of Francis's abilities. The worst part about Francis is that he never really developed skilled in case his body let him down. We've seen Tmac decline athletically due to injuries, but he can still average 20 ppg if he needed to. Part of that is because of his size, which Francis can't help. But Tmac developed into a great passer and playmaker in the half court. He's learned to use the pick and roll very well, and since last year, he's really been going to the post, rather than dribbling from the top of the key. Plus, he can play off the ball at times as well.

Now the question is, what has Francis done since he's gotten hurt? His shot seems to have gotten worse, he can't dribble no more (which is really surprising), he can't penetrate, he doesn't use the pick and roll well, he's a decent passer, but not as good as he once was, and he's always been a turnover machine. He has no clue of how to play off the ball. You have to wonder, what in the world has he been doing the last 3 years??

I understand athleticism is what made Steve Francis a special player, but that shouldn't keep you from being a great player for a long time. He is not a knucklehead like Marbury, therefore he should've done SOMETHING to improve his skills or just change his game a little bit.

The one thing I can say is that his injuries are serious, and maybe he really could not rebound from that. There is a point where injuries do take too much away from you to be able to play in the NBA. However, if it was that bad, the Rockets wouldn't have signed him, so I'm not buying that.

Rick Adelman is doing the right thing. If anything Francis should be our Scalibrine or Pat Burke aka our victory cigar. He's taking up a roster spot and $2 million of salary which could be used to improve our team. He was great while he was here the first time, and I wouldn't mind letting him retire as a Rocket as a token of our appreciation for carrying us through the tough times, but as of right now, he does not deserve to play until he can prove otherwise.

 

Because he had only one point, who is undersized.

It's hard to know which of your guys who generally can't play point guard can on a given night.

 

I partly agree... But... where in the world did you get that Francis hasn't shown effort? You just made that up. I don't mind people hating on Francis, (or in their mind, "being realistic") but please don't lie and make up stuff to make him look bad.

Tons of others that are wasting money as just as much as him. Why only blame him? Blame Barry. Blame McGrady cause 22 million dollars is definitely not the productivity we are getting.

I think Tracy needs to average 20 points... I'm just saying, blame one guy, be fair to the other. He needs to average 20 especially when you have Ron down and other injured players. Can he? Does he have the determination to take to the basket instead of jacking up shots?

Of course Rick is doing the right thing. Sitting down a player that is not in game shape. He is not there... it's only been 2 weeks. He hasn't been playing. And I also agree he does not deserve to play until he can prove himself.

 

Let's Francis show how to be a PG for Brooks at less he is doing something for the team. with his $2 mill payout.

 

uhhh Brooks seems to have a handle on that. Steve can be #1 cheerleader.

 

I think your steve's #1 hater

The man is hurt for crying out loud. When T-Mac was hurt did you bash him. Well probably did everyone on here did. When Artest was out what happened. Same goes for Yao. People get hurt its part of the game.

 

Correction, his first game back was against Phoenix at home. I know because I was there at the game and was surprised like everyone else in the TC when he popped in at the beginning of second quarter.

This was the crowd around me and myself:
"Is that steve?"

"Steve's walking out of the court"

"Steve's gonna play?" "Oh Dang it's Steve!"

"Steve's getting playing time!"

**Crowd begins to roar and then roared EVERY TIME he touched the ball**

 

I think Tracy needs to average 20 points... I'm just saying, blame one guy, be fair to the other. He needs to average 20 especially when you have Ron down and other injured players. Can he? Does he have the determination to take to the basket instead of jacking up shots?

Of course Rick is doing the right thing. Sitting down a player that is not in game shape. He is not there... it's only been 2 weeks. He hasn't been playing. And I also agree he does not deserve to play until he can prove himself.[/QUOTE]


I think Tmac should average 18-20 ppg as long as Yao and Artest are both relatively healthy. No championship team has ever had 3 players average 20 ppg. Yao is right at 19-20 ppg. Artest is around 15-16 ppg. Tmac's average is low right now, but that includes a few single digit games from when he was hurt. I think by the end of the year, he'll be close to the numbers he put up last year.

Look at Boston's Big 3. Even if one of them has a bad game, it won't hurt as much. Yao is good and efficient on most nights. Artest's defense is always consistent. The one thing we need out of Tmac more than his scoring is his playmaking. He gets the Rockets more layups either by himself or through setting teammates up. If he can consistantly do that, then I think we are in good shape.

As we witnessed tonight, Tmac quietly had a big triple double. Yao played very efficiently and big, and Artest shut down Melo in the 2nd half, by playing more physical than him. Plus when you have guys like Scola, Landry, and Brooks having the ability to get into double figures on any given night, all of our big 3 won't have to score the way they once did in their careers.

But I do agree that Tmac should be atleast close to 20 ppg, if not there. He is our most talented player.

 

Wow, FOFs must be hating life right now. No Alston or Wafer, Francis dresses, Brooks plays 42 minutes and plays great, Head backs him up, Francis of course doesn't see the court, and the Rockets win. Ouch. aldarmen is vindicated!

 

Has Steve Francis become the VSpan of Houston?

 

Everyone needs to face it, Francis is done here and most likely his career is over. He played with alot of heart while he was here which is (i guess) the reason people here still want him to do well for us. Too bad he never had anything upstairs to go with that awsome atleticism.

 

Nope. I'm the #1 sf3 realist.

I don't want Steve. I want Rockets wins!!!

I want to continue to develop players like brooks, landry, wafer while fighting for 1st place in the division like we've been doing all season (while injured I might add).

I never bashed anyone but the SOF's who keep calling for him to start or play even though the players ahead of him are winning, practicing, and playing through their injuries (Yao, Tmac, artest, battier).

And no I didn't bash Tmac either... He's come back from 4 or 5 injuries in the time Sf3 has been rehabing his (insert your own illness or injury here).

I've always said "prove me wrong Steve", but I'm not delusional about it and I'd be damned before I'd disrespect the team on the floor by chanting for Sf3 just for old times sake when the new times are better then the old times your chanting for.

 

It was nice to see SF3 on the bench dressed out. That's one way to get him to come to the games.....

I hope he makes a dramatic late season addition, but no longer holding out hope. Maybe he thinks like Deke, I can come in after the superbowl and start playing my way into shape then. Cause yall know Stevie has a killa superbowl party.