Have you struggled with paranoid ideation for very long? Yes, we are out to get Steve, and we will not stop til it happens? Do you really think WE can do that? "reputation assassination!!!!????" Haven't been a sports fan long? Discussion of players, their plusses and minuses is standard practice. As to your last point, I hope you are right. No one would be more thrilled than me. (but I secretly hope Francis fails!!! he he he!)
I agree. We're so quick to blame SF for not passing enough to Yao or that their games don't complement each other. But this is only their 2nd year to play w/ each other and they have no offseason to work together either, but they are getting there. SF may not be the best PG in the league, and he may not set up Yao the way we want him to, but that also requires work from Yao. Once Yao is able to establish good positioning consistently, then we will see some real progress. JVG probably tells the guards not to pass to Yao unless he has good positioning, having Yao 10-12 feet away from the basket with his back turned to it, isn't a post play, it becomes an iso play.
lol ... "paranoid ideation " ... catchy! its ironic that you'd call me paranoid. i've made exactly one post on this subject to your ?. Go Rockets!
How is it that you have changed your mind? I agree with you but you can't honestly say he is responsible for five players in double figures. Its despite his poor playmaking that there are four others in double figures. His great play in the Playoffs indicates to me that he is goiing back to the great Steve Francis Open Court one on one player and we are going into the Yao Ming Era we do need a NEW starting Playmaker Point Guard, as Steves time will be devoted to being a Scorer. For sure he isn't, in no stretch of the imagination , a playmaker.IMHO
I will say that the main architect of five players averaging double figures is Jeff Van Gundy. Francis does deserve some of the credit since he was on the team, and starting at PG. Does he get all the credit? Of course not, but to say they scored those points despite what Steve has been doing, is laughabel.
A good article. Ultimately it doesn't say much because our team has needs. Steve does bring it when the game is big. He always brings it against the Lakers. He has for the most part been excellent this postseason. Sometimes I wonder, If we could just trade Cuttino for (fill in blank: Al Harrington?) But I don't know if we could get that done. We need reliable outside shooting, and we need better forwards. We shall see how much warm fuzzies get thrown around this summer when someone presents us (or when we present to someone) a trade package that makes sense. On one hand, Steve has upped his value with these postseason games. On the other, you almost hate to even think about trading him. But the West is only going to get tougher.
Don't take it too seriously. Watching Francis over the last five years has almost driven me crazy. He has mad athleticism, BUT, he consistently makes "madding" mistakes. JVG is perhaps the best thing that has ever happened to him. He has improved/changed his game. If JVG says he is a fit then he is a fit. We will see, as you say. And we agree on one thing: GO ROCKETS, BRING PAYTON BACK TO HOUSTON!!!
Man , IF we trade Steve IMO we will regress Like when we traded KT It took a couple of months to get Posey Acclimated to the team and it will be the same with the new guy. Steve to Memphis for JWIll and Swift. . . . . that is what everyone wants Memphis does it without thinking Rocket RIver
I agree! That is terrible! Who the heck wants that?! They're mad! What everyone wants is T-mac! And that Mcdonalds promo would be awesome. 30+ cents for a big mac, good deal
Wrong. Steve shoots quite a few pull-ups. If anything, he should have taken it to the basket a lot more this season. At times, it seemed like he was afraid of taking it to the hole, so he would pull up for the 18-20 jump shot. He shot(and made) that shot very consistently prior to this season.
Well, if you are right, then JVG is wrong because Francis apparently aren't good at hitting those shots under JVG. Why would JVG rave about that then?
Why? Who knows? JVG is a very tough guy to figure out. During the regular season, JVG defended Steve, but it sounded like he was only doing it to keep team morale and Steve's trade value high. Now, to me at least, it seems like JVG has taken a liking to Steve and is sincere in his praise/defense. Steve hasn't hit the pull-up very consistently this season, but I think it is the shot he has attempted with the most consistency.
I believe the word you're looking for is maddening. On the Steve front, he's playing so well now, that I wouldn't trade him unless we get bowled over with an offer (T-Mac or possibly Brand). We should keep him until next season to see if he can carry over his improved play. If he struggles in the first half of next year, then we think about moving him before the deadline. Steve basically has to keep proving himself. That's just how it is. Three years from now when Yao is a max level player (which most likely he will be), he will also have to prove that he is worthy of his salary. And the botom line is, if you're not getting bang for your buck, you might have to trade your buck for someone elses bang...err something like that.
Hmmm?! It would appear that JVG contradicts what many here feel are Francis biggest problems. Van Gundy's comments on turnovers were especially suprising considering that some on this board would like to think that Francis creates all of the Rox turnovers himself... I have said and still say that Francis will NOT be traded, and I am still taking bets (for the tipjar) from people who believe that Francis will be traded in the offseason... any takers?
Exactly, how do you think he and Sprewell got along so well? You didn't see Spree trying to choke him
