Francis has played 8 seasons and Sura played 10 seasons in the NBA. Here are the numbers... Sura career 3FG%: 32.5% Francis career 3FG%: 34.3% Sura career FG%: 41.4% Francis career FG%: 43% Sura career FT%: 69% Francis career FT%: 80% Francis was clearly better in every category. Francis is a better and more efficient all-around shooter, including spot-up shooter. Plus, it is easier to shoot spot-up than off the dribble (see Shane Battier).
Battier is not a traditional PF but players like Marion/Horry/Kirilenko/Rudy Gay (whom Memphis plans to use as PF in small line-ups) aren't as well... The advantage of using Battier at PF to match up in these cases allows the Rockets to spread out the floor on offense...
Battier is not nearly as athletic as Marion or Kirilenko. He is not as tall or experienced at the position as Horry, and Gay does not play PF. Battier is not an effective PF and when you try to force him to play that position, we lose our best perimeter defender. Plus, Battier gets in foul trouble night in and night out when he tries to defend PFs. We saw both of these things last season. The negatives of Battier playing the 4 on the defensive end outweigh the benefits of spreading out the floor a little bit more offensively. Even at SF, Battier is able to spread the floor effectively by planting himself on the perimeter. Battier is not a 4. If Adelman thinks it is worth a shot, I think he will come to the same conclusion in little time.
If Memphis tries to play Gay at PF, I think it will prove ineffective even in short spurts. Plus, Gay is, again, taller and more athletic that Battier even if you believe he can be part of a small lineup at the 4. Memphis would sacrifice more defensively than they would gain on the other end with Gay as the PF.
Hah, okay, that is the only time it would possibly make sense. Fortunately, we have Scola and hopefully other options this season.
those numbers don't show spot-up shooting, so i stick by my claim. it may very well be easier for players like battier but steve is poor at it. he's far better at making jumpers off the dribble that he creates for himself. now would i rather have steve francis than bob sura? yes.
Stick by your claim all you want but Sura was not a better spot-up shooter. In fact, Sura was a poor spot-up shooter. I know spot-up shots aren't shown in any of the aforementioned stats but Sura was never a good shooter going back to his days as a Seminole. The FT% is the statistic that best reflects it but believe any false dream you want. I am not saying Francis is a great shooter but he was better than Sura in every aspect of shooting, including spot-up.
Does it matter? If he shoots a higher percentage, I don't give a **** how good a spot up shooter Sura is. It only means he sucks ass in everything else.
<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WurJbzFsyQo"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WurJbzFsyQo" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object> Nice Steve Francis mix.
