Francis Minutes Increase - KT Out with Hip Pointer

Well, I guess some people got their wish; Eddie Griffin can start again.

 

Man . . did they have a KT bobblehead
so his Haters could use it as a voodoo doll.



Rocket River

 

Damn, as soon as one player gets better, one gets worse. Can't this all just happen to Langhi?

 

Francis was pretty dam sharp in his first game back . I think he's showing us just how important he is to this franchise. When you lose 15 games in a row, it really becomes evident that your missing a superstar. As far as KT goes , I'm sorry he's hurt and I'm sure will miss his energy tommorow , but I can't help getting excited to hear Griffin starting along-side Francis. This duo is going to be frightning for the league to deal with. GO ROCKETS!!

 

How anyone can be happy or excited for *any* reason that Griffin is starting because of a KT injury is beyond me. Do you even realize that that puts us down to only 1 power forward? It hurts us really bad to lose either Griffin or KT.

And btw: It is pretty clear and evident that the reason KT was pissed about Griffin starting ahead of him in the Phoenix game is that KT is eating Griffin's lunch in practice. Griffin cannot defend against power. He is being out muscled right now. His roaming blocks are stellar and the rebounds are pure joy, but KT surely is schooling the kid just like Mason and Fortson did. They just power him to the rim.

KT is the starter, right now. That is just the way it must be, as Rudy phrased it.

Knowledgeable fans are not happy that Griffin is starting tonight due to KT's injury. 1 power forward, guys, some of you need to wake up!

 

Was that in the paper or something?

 

that is an opinion based on a collection of quotes and watching Griffin/KT.

The paper has reported that KT was not happy with Griffin getting the nod in the Suns game. And Griffin is on record in camp saying that he was surprised with KT's strength. Griffin said, "he is just tossing me around." And it is clear that Mason simply tossed Eddie around, too. Indicating a likelihood that KT is still tossing him around.

KT is on a mission to show his stuff this entire season while Mo is out. He has said that in the paper. I do not believe he is cutting Eddie any slack in practice, and is probably going at him as hard as any opponent. He is a competitor. imo, Eddie is having trouble with defending strength, and is getting most of his blocks via roaming defense.

The point is, that Rudy must get Eddie 30+ minutes from here on out, but Feigen reported yesterday, "not at the expense of KT's time." So far, Feigen is reporting that Griffin is cutting into the center minutes, instead.

 

Does Francis get to start tonight?

 

The only one who needs to wake up is you crispee. I was merly stateting how nice It's going to be to see our two staples getting minutes together. I also think your an idoit for saying I was somehow happy that KT was hurt , and how I must not be a true fan. I love the Houston Rockets.

 

another big game by Eddie vs LA

 

Roc,

There is nothing "exciting" about Griffin starting to me, because I am not one of those who gets excited about the future at the expense of winning tonight, and one of those guys who places a glass ceiling on Kenny. The thought of being excited about Griffin starting tonight, never entered my mind . . . I was just "damn" another f*cking injury. We are 180 degrees in disagreement, that is why it is "beyond me" how you could think that. Call me an "idiot" and get defensive about how much of a real Rockets fan you are all you want, but we are 180 degrees apart as Rockets fans on this one.

KT is convincingly winning the starting position. Considering Griffin's potential, we should be glad about every game that KT beats out Griffin, because that means we have two studs. For instance, who says KT can't become better than Anthony Mason or Brian Grant? <b>Watching KT starting and improving is really exciting me right now!!!</b>

Your entire post just rubbed me the wrong way like so many dreamcasters do. You seem uncontrollable excited (even in a losing proposition) about seeing Griffin play with Francis.

Yeah, yeah, you love the Rockets and all. But you seem to be disrespecting Kenny, Mo' and Mobley by saying "this duo is frightnening." Like they all have arbitrary glass ceilings of potential preventing fans from giving them proper respect.

 

In my opinion we have another power forward and his name is TMo. With his shotblocking and rebounding ability and no long range he is more similar to PF than to SF.

 

Crispee, it is great to have another voice help me defend the play, ability, and status of KT on this team against the shortsighted.

 

KT is good, but Griffin is better, and adds more to the defensive side of the ball.

We need that weakside shot blocker and EG is it.

KT is a nice backup, I don't like to see anyone hurt, but I think EG is already better.

Who cares who throws who around in practice, there are no referees there.

DD

 

Dada, are you listening to yourself? How on earth can you say Griffin is better? He is only better on shot blocking. Every other area of the game KT is better. I am not against EG, in fact I am very impressed with him. As I said yesterday, EG's minutes cannot be at the expense of KT.

Is KT definitely out or his doubtful?

 

Until Griffin stops being tossed around by the Anthony Masons and Kenny Thomas's of this world, <b>he is not void of defensive liabilities</b>. DaDakota, I noticed Mason backing Griffin to 2-3 feet at will, over and over again. A roaming defender is not enough. Kenny is the better one-on-one defender against all strong power forwards (which are most of them), imo, he fronts PFs very well and can stop them from driving, and he continues to show his scoring improvement.

Griffin has great potential, and I'd mark him down as a better help defender and rebounder (slightly) than Kenny, but Kenny is the better low block defender and scorer.

Griffin has not beat out Kenny yet, imo. When talking about two young players, potential doesn't earn a starting role in my belief system, it is just not right when Kenny is improving at a noticeable clip. It helps us too greatly by continuing to reward Kenny for noticeable improvement. Griffin is getting his 30+, so who cares. This is not a Kenny vs Griffin proposition time-wise, just a who is starting issue. Kenny must start or you are destroying team chemistry by breaking standard rules that injuries do not cause someone to lose their position; they must be beat out.

Ummm, coaches do, and that is why Kenny is starting despite Griffin's welcomed scoring games.

 

By no means was I trying to disrespect the rest of the team. I've never said anything disrespectfull about a Rockets player , except maybe Cato. Don't expect any with him. I will allways respect a undersized player like Kenny Thomas who won't be denied. What he brings to this team is heart and determination. Not to metion great b-ball skills. He will surely be missed tonight. But im not ready to give the Lakers the victory just yet.

 

I just dont understand who promised KT the starting PF job. If he deserves to start, he deserves to start, but all reports, and opinions on this site, make it seem as if he is somewhat forcing Rudy's hand because of his "cry-baby" attitude about getting the starting nod. This is an attitude that meshes perfectly with his "black-hole never pass the ball playing style sometimes." It is part of the reason we went 1-14 in Steve's absence - it is plain and simple not a team friendly or winning attitude. I appreciate his desire to be the best he can be and put in the effort, but I don't like players who pout.

I think everyone can agree, though, that both KT and Griffin should be getting close to 30 minutes a game, regardless of position.

 

I'm not going to name any names but you would think some of these posters in here are related to KT or something. KT is not a starting powerfoward in this league, he's a quality backup. EG is growing into a special player right now and he's only 19 freaking years old. It's scarey to think how good this kid can be. He has a smooth, effortless game. His rebounding and shot blocking are reasons enough for him to be in there because the Rockets just don't get that presence from any of the other big men. Like I said in another thread, EG is a future superstar and him along with Steve are the team's future cornerstones. Starting EG will really benifit the Rockets.