Yep. I agree. But, I hope you are wrong on the *Francis can't learn* part. Because if he can't learn, we're screwed.
Oh yah and another thing, I would trade Francis for Marbury any day! Marbury led his team to the playoffs and he not only scores double figures but knows how to pass the ball to the open man! No wonder Marbury was pissed when he saw Francis make the allstar team and he didn't. Francis stole his spot just because of popularity not skills.
Magic Johnson averaged almost 20 points/11 assists per game. It would be great if Steve just averaged 20pts/8 assists per game. Just last night, Jamal Crawford scored 26 points and got 12 assists, with Eddy Curry getting 24 points on 9-17 field goal attempts along with 6-10 free throws. That's about 22-23 touches for Eddy in the post and the point guard still was able to get their 26 points. Eddy Curry is less talented than Yao Ming but is getting more points, because he was fed the ball more. I think if Steve could pass the more a bit more. He can get the same stats that Jamal Crawford did.
Since this is the preseason, JVG should experiment this: Just pass the ball to Yao and let him score and no one else.
I believe Francis' average of 6.2 assists per game last year is considerably high considering he only played the point position in the first and third quarters of games last year (Remember Mooch came in the second and most of the fourth) and the fact that the Rox absolutely had no fast break game last year. JVG already stated that Francis did indeed give Yao the ball only for it to be kicked back out due to the lack of position in the paint by Yao. If you take a look at the Kings, you notice that their starting point guard, Mike Bibby, only averaged 5.2 assists last year. As a team, they averaged 24.8 assists per game. Individual assists isn't what you should be looking for, instead it should be team passing that starts with the point guard. If everyone would look at it this way, there would be no more Francis bashing.
at ease........ Alas, I was at the grand opening of the TC. The TC was great. Everything was very convenient. But that is a little off topic. Of the things that stood out the most, what I noticed was Francis' "matador" defense. Francis was getting run all over. He was lazy getting to his man, lazy coming of switches, and he virtually never gets a hand in anyone's face. In the time that he played he was decent passing and shooting the ball, but otherwise he played/plays ZERO DEFENSE! Other than getting run all over, a positive that I noticed in Steve's game is that finally a coach (JVG) has control of his game. Again Eddie was completly off. He missed just about everything. I honestlly thought that Eddie was thinking he was shooting at a moving goal. His shot seems to have more arc than last year but his touch is just plain horrendous. Snackbar........well.......... At least I can say that he does play with energy. Other than that, the guy is lost. PERIOD! I'm out of time, I will post more tomorrow. But I will leave you with two words that will make this team far and away, A MUCH BETTER TEAM.......... RON ARTEST!!
and the fact that the suns have a better team doesn't matter Stoudamire was about even with Yao. maybe yao a bit better (not if you believe the roy award). then we have Mobley and Marion. you are saying you think mobley is better? so Marion+ stoudamire > mobley+ Yao so in that case phoenix should make the play offs. i woudn't trade steve for marbury. i think steve is better and has more potential
Steve is a better rebounder and 3 pt shooter. In every other way, Marbury is a better player. He is also almost the same age as Francis (1 day older) so he probably has about the same potential.
i said that he has more potential because i think that if francis plays more mature he can be better then marbury. i think marbury is a verry good point guard. but i think francis can be better, and is better.
I will conclude my thoughts of the Rockets first game at the TC. I'll start with Cato because he seems to be one of very few that is playing with a sense of purpose. He brought energy and intensity to the game. He was active on the glass and JVG seems to be trying to work a little offense and low post into Cato's game. It is plainly obvious of VG's confidence in Cato. Cato has responded to the new coach (in a positive way) and thus he is given a larger role on this team. Jim Jackson, with the exception of shooting, I thought played well. He was coming off screens nicely and getting open looks, but again nothing seemed to drop. I'm not worried about that. those shots will eventually fall. Jackson also needed to play with some more intensity on defense. Overall he just seemed a bit slow out there. Yao could have taken the Hornets all night long. The combination of Magloire, Rooks and Traylor were outmatched and ineffective defensively against Yao Ming. What bothered me was that no one was getting Yao the ball. At a point during the game I yelled out "WHAT ABOUT YAO!!!!" Although he only played 23 minutes, while he was on the court you would have thought he was invisible. Many of Yao Ming's points came from putbacks from others misses (7 to be exact) and getting to the line. Just SAD to see the big man ignored out there. Moochie.....Well......He was again, Moochie. I will again close with two words that will make this a much better team............ RON ARTEST
How about reading all the threads that are posted every single day on thise same STUPID topic before starting yet ANOTHER Francis HATING thread. Let me show you how ridiculous you all sound: Oh, Yao had 2 turnovers last night and only one assist, we should trade him cause that's a really bad ratio. Some of you on here need to get a life and quit bashing Steve, and stop starting the same thread everyday. Go bash Steve on one of the 100's of other threads that bash him, don't start new ones.
RON ARTEST? Whoa... Didn't he just get benched for playing a "playground trick" on a ref? This ain't NBA Street Vol.2 on the XBOX.
Whoa... Isn't he the best one on one and perimeter defender in the league...... Doesn't he bring intensity, toughness and energy to his team..... Didn't he get runner-up to NBA Defensive MVP........... Isn't he a 6'7" 240 + lb swingman......... Doesn't he have the versitility to cover and play multiple positions...... Doesn't he have good ball handling skills.......... Doesn't he have a good contract.....(in total, 6 years 41 million with a team option after the 5th year. Signed last year) Isn't he just 23 years old.........
