I am tired of hearing all this hype around Kidd. He's a great player and leader but I believe Francis is just as good as he is if not better. I believe Steve Francis will be better than Jason Kidd. Francis has already achieved more through his first 4 years than Kidd did in his early part of his career with Dallas. They never made the Playoffs, didn't even come close actually, and they had Jim Jackson, and Jamal Mashburn. Jason Kidd was not regarded as a GREAT player until 2 years ago when he took Jersey to the finals. What did he do in Phoenix? Nothing, made it to the first round and and miss out on the playoffs. Francis is more athletic, explosive, a better shooter and a better ball handler. Houston fans want to trade Francis? I am so sick of hearing all these Francis bashers, teams in the league would kill to have a guy like him. He's one of the few players in the league that has the ability to have a triple double every time he takes the floor and he's only 6'3" or so. All he needs is a little maturation, trust in his teamates and ability to lock down on his man.
Not sure if he's a better ball handler, doesn't pile it on in the assists column. That being said, Francis and Kidd are two different types of players. Francis being the new-aged scoring point, while Kidd is more old-school, with getting everyone involved first. Right now Kidd is the best pure point in the league, hands down. Hopefully with Van Gundy on board, Francis can mold into a better passer, then take over games when needed.
Individual success is different from team success. The reason wh Kidd is the better player is precisely that. J Kidd led team have made the playoffs every yr since 96 which was his 3rd season. Francis led teams have never made the playoffs. Right or worng, but this is what you are judged by. When Hakeem was going 1 and done in the playoffs, many pundits were putting Ewing and Robinson ahead of him. Once his teams started winning more, people finally realize how great he was, like Jordan. Jordan didn't all of a sudden become a good passer in 91, yrs before that Jordan was 32pts 8rebs and 8 asst, but his team wasn't championship quality like Bird's,Magic, or Isaih's teams. Once Francis gets his team into the elite category, then the respect will come.
I love Francis. But comparing him to an MVP candidate like Kidd is difficult to make. I see alot of potential in Francis. But the 'nothing' Kidd did in Phoenix is more than Francis has done thus far. A first round exit was all this Rocket team could hope for the last four years. The comparison is unfair to Francis because Kidd has had years to mature. In this department Kidd is light years ahead of Steve. He's smarter with the ball, has the ability to control the tempo and consequently makes his entire team better. He took the lottery Nets to the finals his first year there. But I understand slapping Rockets fans in the face and making them appreciate the talent they have on this team.
Steve Francis is a great Basketball Player! He is a very good scorer!He is a poor playmaker! He is a poor passer! He is a poor defender! This is not anything that is open for discussion. I do not hate facts or Francis! Rudy T never faced these facts about Francis! I have great hope that JVG will face these facts! I know if Steve is forced to be, he can be a playmaker, he can pass, he can defend, I just refere you to the last All Star Game, where he did OK. The question is will Francis sacrifice some of his stats and believe in his team-mates? Will he be willing to accept the new demands, placed upon him by JVG? So far Kidd and Francis have hads completely different mind sets. This could be about to change.
I think Steve is a much better 1 on 1 player than Jason. Jason is better at running his team but Steve has the tools to do as well. Right now, Steve does what he wants, when he wants it, and that is the wrong way to play, IMHO. When he feels like to pass, he will do that no matter what the opponents do or whether his team mate(s) is in the right position for it. When he wants to score, he will put his head down and run into the wall to do so. Steve thinks it's a manly thing to go up against the challenge, against the opponent's strong suit. He needs to learn to take the easier route, to know what the other team is taking away and what they are giving him. Steve needs to figure out when it is easier for him to score and when it is best to pass. He needs to learn to do what Magic did. At times he put his team mates in good position to score yet he knew when he had to put the ball in the hoop himself. It is easier said than done but I think Steve can learn to do it, and he will be better than Kidd.
There is absolutely NO COMPARISON. They may play the same position but they play it so different that there is no way you can say one is better than the other. I think Kidd is way overrated, but at the same time I think there is more hype than substance from Steve thus far.
I am not a jason kidd fan because I think he is very overrated expecially seeing him in the finals so far. But it will be hard for Francis to touch the leadership, ball handling, and defense of Kidd. He is a much better scorer than kidd, but I value leadership more than scoring from my point guard.
I totally agree but he has to start passin the ball more if he gets 8 or 9 assists a game i would be ecstatic
I am not arguing that Francis is a better playmaker than Kidd but that Francis is a better all around player who WILL BE better than Kidd once his career is said and done. I just don't know why Kidd is regarded as a future hall of famer for maybe 3 or 4 solid years. As far as the argument that Kidd transformed New Jersey from a lottery team to the NBA Finals the next year, I believe that the years that Stephone Marbury was there Kerry Kittles was injured those two years, Kenyon Martin was still at the Univ. of Cincinnati, Van Horn was also injured a bulk of the time (he's overated as well), and John Callipary did not have system suited to Marbury's strengths. I am not saying Marbury would have accomplished all that Kidd has if he had all those pieces but in the weak Eastern Conference anything can happen. Did you guys see those two turnaround fadeaway shots Kidd hoisted up and bricked in the final minute of game 4 last night? He had no prayer of making those. So everyone makes mistakes and takes bad shots, but in Francis' case it is magnified because his teamates are subpar and the Rockets did not make the playoffs (By one game I might add (2 out of the last 3 seasons). I just wish people would blame someone besides Steve and Mobley sometimes. How about getting on MO Taylor cause he can't get a rebound if his life depended on it, Eddy Griffin who has no heart and plays like he doesn't care about baskeball, Posey who has energy and defense but can't shoot a lick, Moochie who dribbles and dribbles and can't make a lay-up. I am so sick of always hearing Rockets fans piling on Francis and Mobley. Peace.
i wanna no sumthin, would u guys consider steve a better pg then kidd if he avg. 1.5-2 assists more but had the exact same scoring and reb number, because i really think steve can get 1-2 more assists a game with these numbers steve would be considered the best pg in the nba to me if he could put up these #s and lead the rocks to the post season. 22 pts 6reb 7.5-8 ast. 2steals 3 tournovrs and shoot 44-46% steve is my fav player and i already think he is better then kidd in some aspects of the game. when steve plays undercontrol he is one of the best players in the nba i just want him to play like that all the time.
Stats are secondary to point guards A great PG is one who makes his teammmates better. If Stevie average 12 points-4assists and 2 rebounds but led us to 60 wins (by getting the ball to Yao, not turning the ball over and generally running the offense and playign defense) and a Championship then he would be a better player than one who averaged 30-10-10 and could not make the playoffs.
When I watch the Finals......Jason Kidd doesn't look that great to me. He doesn't seem that good at all.....maybe it's just me. He does do some good stuff..... Francis.....I don't know. He will become as good as Jason Kidd is now hopefully..but not better. Maybe in a different way. As a shooting guard or point guard.... Or as a passer or shooter..or as a scorer......or as a defender...or as a leader....
2-3 years later, Francis can rely on his athelitism any more. If he couldn't develop a 'smart' game by then, he would just go downhill. Kidd has size advantage, which allow him to protect the ball better and see the court better. Francis is a much better shooter and slasher. He commands double team some time. This should have earned him some easy assists which kidd dreams about. However, Francis doesn't handle that situation very well. Don't get me wrong, I still have confidence on SF. Go Rockets!
k but if we cant go to the playoffs having a guy get 30-10-10 that is really sad. ANd anyways your wasting alot of talent if you make steve score 12 pts per game. He is a great scorer. Why not use the talent you have the right way. The right way for Steve is to be a sg.
Just what exactly makes you think Francis is better than Kidd? I won't even bother arguing with you about who made the playoffs/finals etc cuz all the homers are just gonna say Kidd had a better team (bs), plays in the EC, etc. I'll just look at skills alone. Steve is the better scorer (based solely on his athletic ability) and better shooter. Kidd is better at everything else, play making, passing, court vision and defence. Steve might as well just stand there and save his energy on defence, he doesn't do anything any ways. Steve scores 2-3 extra PPG than Kidd, Kidd get his teammates to score 5-6 extra PPG, which would you take. And please, don't give me that Steve is a 30-10-10 crap. Credits where they are due, SF is a very good player, but all of you are obviously forgetting that it is Jason Kidd that LEADS THE LEAGUE IN TRIPLE DOUBLES. Aside from obvious skills, Kidd is much smarter and that is not something easily taught. Btw, if you use Jason Kidd getting torched in the finals as justification that he sucks, you obviously don't watch enough of his games.
