I am not backing it with stats, but I would have to say our super backcourt is as good or even better than the legendary backcourt of the 80's. ------------------ Sometimes you gotta do the next best thing!
Something I have been thinking about for a while. ------------------ Sometimes you gotta do the next best thing!
Did we win two championships since last year that I'm unaware of? This is a tad bit premature. ------------------ "He was under more balls than a midget hooker."-Bobby Hill visit www.swirve.com, coming January 20th, the top 10 films of 2000! and, http://www.geocities.com/clutch34_2000 for great Rocket insight by some of your fellow BBS posters!
I don't think so. If Cat and Stevie does not improve EVER from this year, and produce this years numbers for the next 8 years or so...Guess what? They will still have the production which lends itself to fair comparison. And guess what? They are going no where but up!. ... O, also 95, We WILL have 2 more championships with these 2 guys leading the way so don't worry, sit back, relax and enjoy it. Just think you'll be saying "Dream who" in no time flat ------------------ Sometimes you gotta do the next best thing! [This message has been edited by ROXRAN (edited January 19, 2001).]
I disagree with you ROXRAN. It is WAY too premature to make this comparison. Thomas was one of the greatest players to ever play this game, as was dumars. Neither one of our guys is close, YET. And these guys winning championships is no guarantee (I hope i'm wrong here), there have been a lot of young talented teams that never became championship caliber. ------------------
I acknowledge the skepticism, however it is foolish and misguided to ignore the capacity of fruition by our young tandem. Look closer. Look at what is happening. The Lakers should be puttin their necks on our throats and twisting the knife slowly. But here it is in the third quarter and we are right there with them. Can you say this is because of KT? Don't think so. Maybe Walt's new haircut? Nope. Could it be that Shaq had too much chicken tonight/ I don't think so, my Man. It is our backcourt- that we "are hanging tough". "what a shot by Stevie Franchise!". "Great hustle by Cuttino!". These words are coming from the announcers. Our guards are making it happen. i guess when you get use to something, you become institutionalized and blind. Because it is happening RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW! IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. BANG, BANG!!!!!The greatest guard TANDEM MAY BE RIGHT HERE, ALREADY. SO DON'T GIMME NO CRAP ABOUT PRE-MATURE JACK!!!!!!!!!! ------------------ Sometimes you gotta do the next best thing!
"The Lakers should be puttin their necks on our throats and twisting the knife slowly." Well they did put the game away big time in the 3rd. A blow out is a blow out no matter when it happens. But anyways, I don't think it is fair to compare Stevie and Cat, with Isiah and Joe. Isiah and Joe were on another level compared to the Rocket duo as of this moment. Isiah and Joe might not have the better numbers, but they played on far superior teams where isolations and plays aren't called for them 80% of the time. Steve will never be the gifted passing playmaker that Isiah was. And talk about a guy that delivered in the clutch. Man oh man he was something. Stevie is having a little trouble coming through in the clutch. Missing a few too many free throws late in the game for my liking. Joe Dumars not only was damn scary offensively, he was just a demon on the defensive end. Superior defensive player compared to Cat and Stevie. But I don't think people give Joe the proper respect that he deserves on the offensive end. On those Piston teams, he didn't have to be a 25 ppg scorer. But you can see the immense offensive talent he had. Wasn't a great leaper. But he was cat quick on his drives. Just a deadly middle distance shooter. Shooting off screens, off curls, on pull ups, out of the parking lot. Oh the memories... ------------------
Regardless, Cuttino and Steve can't get their (championship) by themselves, they need better players in the mix. ..Webber maybe plus we need to be effective in the upcoming draft. We need a Laimbeer, and Vinny, and dare I say young Rodman?. I loved that Detroit championship team. Such a mix! ------------------ Sometimes you gotta do the next best thing!
ROXRAN, I agree that it is impressive that these guys are able to keep the team in almost every game. But there is a big difference between our guys keeping us in the game, and thomas and dumars WINNING games in the FINALS. I'm not ignoring Steve's and Cuttino's possibilities for improvement, I'm just saying that a lot can happen. This is supposed to become the best backcourt ever? Wasn't the same thing recently said about Kidd and Penny? I bet early on a lot of people were high on Iverson/Stackhouse, but that didn't work out either. Our guys can improve, but in professional basketball, nothing is a given. ------------------
HA! Steve and Cuttino aren't even the best backcourt in ROCKETS history yet! Calvin Murphy and Mike Newlin could definitely light it up like Clark Griswald's house during Christmas.... ------------------ If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding!!
Until Francis and Mobley stop strutting around the court like teenagers in grade-school with something to prove, get over their adolescent "crush" on top players and teams in the league, and understand that respect (and admiration) come from winning games and not fancy passes that -almost- reached its intended target, that's when you can begin to compare Francis and Mobley to Thomas and Dumars. The talent and skills are there, but the mentality needs to be developed. ------------------ "Breaking up is hard to do...[with] everyone trying to make it a parting befitting all the professionalism that came before. Trying to find that Olajuwon graceful fade one more time." Scott Howard-Cooper (Sacramento Bee, ESPN.com)
University Blue, Why must you hate and attach false personality traits to steve and cuttino? Just wondering, because what you said doesnt describe those 2 players at all. In yesterdays game steve got cute with one drive and threw it away. That was the ONLY TIME he got too fancy. Stop hating. ------------------
The original post compared Francis and Mobley to Thomas and Dumars. My point was that Francis and Mobley will not reach the level of Thomas and Dumars if they do not take the game seriously. Visions of ESPN high-lights, posturing on the court, over-reaction to obvious mistakes, showing little pride in being out-scored by the guy you're guarding are indications of two players that are young and need time to develop. If they want to have fun on the court. Fine. If their intent is to win a title, they need to get serious about learning how to defend, delivering in crucial situations, and............leading. ------------------ "Breaking up is hard to do...[with] everyone trying to make it a parting befitting all the professionalism that came before. Trying to find that Olajuwon graceful fade one more time." Scott Howard-Cooper (Sacramento Bee, ESPN.com)
Apologies to Isiah or Joe if they or anyone they know reads this cite. To compare those two to Steve and Cat is rediculous. Those guys put up all there numbers on a championship team that played all their games against teams that were gunning after them. Steve and Cat's points come on a non-contender team that would be considered a let down game to most elite teams. Cat has good numbers because we don't have anyother options this year and that is why we aren't a contender. If Cat and Steve can put up good numbers on a contending team then I will be impressed. Isaih and Joe were clutch, we haven't seen that from Steve and Cat yet. Premature comparison. ------------------
Thomas - one of the greatest guards EVER to suit up. Won two rings with Detroit. Could score on anyone, even given his limited size. Superior court vision, a proven leader. Dumars - Stellar shooter, scorer, and at times, could dominate games with his defense. A perfect compliment to Thomas. Francis - good, explosive, young point guard with one and a half years of NBA experience. Cuttino - super scorer, good defender, still trigger happy and still makes the fans cringe in crunch time. These guard tandems are not even in the same league yet. Give it about 5 more years, and post another thread with the same comparison. ------------------ There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Let me see, Dumars was a great defensive player and could score when needed. Thomas was a great PG who could make his teammates better. Francis can jump really high and score. Mobley can take 20 shots a game without hesitating, and get to the free throw line alot. Honestly Francis & Mobley have alot of potential. First they both need to make their teammates better and learn to play defense. They can become a great duo, but until they become complete players and win a championship I don't think it is a fair comparison. Matter of fact Anderson is a closer comparison to Dumars than Mobley and Mobley is more like a Vinnie Johnson.
Goddammit! Not another Detroit love-fest! Houston is a different team. Francis and Mobes are different players. And the Rockets are so much(and will be) better. ------------------ snap crackle pop
