ClutchFans Game Thread: Grizzlies @ Rockets 11/01/2003

For goodnes sakes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You must of not seen the game. Steve's shots were only fastbreak shots, and wide open shots, he never shot doubled teamed or anything like that!!!! He barley even penetrated!!!! Btw, a 7-6 guy should be shooting a higher percentage than a gaurd, or otherwize the 7-6 guy really sux... Doesnt mean your gaurds are horibble. Its two games only.

 

Maybe you should watch the game. Steve had several clankers and failed drives to the basket in traffic. Even if you did not watch the game, which you obviously did not, do you really think Steve is going to shoot 6 for 16 on fast break attempts? And if he is do you really want a guy that is only hitting 40 percent of his shots on fast breaks shooting the ball in our half court offense?

And you said, a 7'6" guy should shoot at a higher percentage, which of course he did by almost 30 percentage points, which is exactly why Yao Ming is your best offensive option and not Steve Francis.

So according to your own logic Steve Francis shoots too much and Yao Ming not enough. Thanks for agreeing with me.

 

i think 16 shots each for Yao and francis is a good thing. It was only one game. Francis isnt going to shoot like that the whole season... And please try to look at the other side. You have to admit Yao wasnt aggresive enough to demand the ball. He was fornted 70% of the time.

 

yao needs time to repost. when your first play starts with 12 seconds left on the shot clock, i don't think there's enough time to repost.

 

If our guards would have tried to get Yao 16 shots then he probably would have scored 25 points or more and we probably would have won.

 

SPLASH!


....as the Rocket falls from the sky, into the Gulf of Mexico.

 

How can you say you'd rather your PG shoot 6/16 with 6 TOs? His primary job is to set up his teamates, not put his head down, and drive into the crowd. He did that twice yesterday, lost the ball both times.

Some people said Francis is selfish, others said he just doesn't have the skill as a good PG. None of us here know him enough to make a judgment on this, but one thing is for sure, Franscis is not a good decision maker as the PG.

 

It was amazing that we even lead by 5 going into the 4th in this game.

Memphis outplayed us in every respect.
They hustled and swarmed on defense and made their shots on offense.

We just did not have enough poised, when the going gets rough, we panicked. We turned the ball over. We missed shots. Their full court pressure caused us to start our offense very late, hence we could not find better shots.

We still do not know how to feed the post when Yao is fronted. We had 1 successful lob for a dunk but we had to pass from the wing to the base line and then to Yao. Other times, we gave up without trying or we threw the ball away. I think Yao could only get the ball when the Grizzlies played behind Yao.

Since it's still early, I will hold off on the boos and let Jeff and the team work on it.

There is 1 thing that Jeff should have adjusted easily but didn't: When Swift and Wright make the shots consistently from 15, 18 ft out, Yao can not guard them from out there. IMO, Jeff should have switched Cato on them and put Yao on Casol or Outlaw.

 

Fact is that Francis is a better shooting guard than he is a point guard.


That's not a jab at Francis. That's not a jab at Cuttino.


Cuttino would be a great fit for this team if Francis was a guy who could average 8 to 10 assits.

But Reality is that Cuttino does not compliment Francis and Francis does not compliment Cuttino.

I hate saying it because Cuttino showed a lot of loyalty staying with the Rockes. But, that tandem just doesn't win championships. CUTTINO MUST BE SHOPPED FOR A POINT GUARD.


But, this team needs a point guard that will do what Cato is doing at the Power Forward. Excel at everything but scoring points.


Francis is too dynamic of a scorer to have to set everyone up. Imagine if somebody would be setting Francis up for easy layups and DUNKS. Think about that one.

Francis does everything Cuttino does, only better.

 

Yeah...Mobley was never that good at dribbling...never crossovers. I still like Mobley. He can make shots...but ehhh..he doesn't fit.

Larry Hughes or Eric Snow sound good. Lamar Odom...Lebron James. I'd rather get a point forward!

 

L'odom would be really nice. just without the strings attached tho.

 

IMO, we were laid back and didnt expect to win this one, the same excuse we had for every other game last year. but this is the year of no excuses, so i expect JVG to talk some sense into ALL our players and expect a much better game coming up.

 

Actually, Cuttino does many things better than Francis. He is a better shooter, better FT shooter, and better defender. He also makes fewer careless turnovers. Francis is a better passer and rebounder. Since your SG doesn't really need to be a better passer and rebounder, and since Steve will get you a bigger return than Mobes, the solution is obvious. Trade Steve for a good player like a Brand, and then trade Cato for a pretty good PG like Miller, or Tinsley and a pick.

 

Here is what yao said about the game last night in a Chinese newspaper:

"I didn't take many shots tonight, it's not that my teammates not passing me the ball, it's because I didn't position very well, so they couldn't pass the ball to me. In this situation, better let the guys with a better look to shoot......., I would blame myself for only taking 11 shots....., TOs is the not only reason we lost the game, but also we didn't shoot the ball well...."

 

sorry gater, your logic doesn't work. even under your rosy scenario of getting a stop, you admit that you still have to foul at some point - and if you have to foul, best to foul early and have more possessions to catch up.

 

If you haven't noticed... Moochie was playin the PG most of the night and JVG is using Francis as a Guard.... not a point guard. Regardless of what position Steve plays, he is our 2nd option on offense and 2 times driving through a crowd and turning it over were not the reasons why we lost this game. What about JJ's 2-10 and 4 turnovers in the 1st quarter? What about Boki's 0-5? What about Mo Taylors 2-7? Do you think those guys should have been taking Steve's shots instead? I dont think so! Yao, Steve and Cuttino are our main options on the offensive end but they weren't used enough IMO. I can live with 6-16 from Francis but I can't live with 4-9 from Cuttino, he needs more input in out offense.

 

I basically said 45 shots between Cat, Steve and Yao... I never mentioned anything about ignoring Yao....

 

From what I heard on the radio, it was moochie getting us in trouble in the backcourt when they applied full court press which lead to the ball being turned over. At no stage did I praise the guards play in the game, nor did I say they should dribble and dribble until they turn the ball over. I was trying to explain why Cat should have been taking more shots in this game and why I'd rather him taking his jumpers when he feels comfortable then see JJ go 2-10 or Mo Taylor go 2-7. I stress over and over that our 3 weapons on offense are Steve, Cat and Yao, all 3 were not used enough! These guys shot a combined 36 shots.... they need at least 45 between them!