<A HREF="http://espn.go.com/nba/bucheronguards/index.html" TARGET=_blank>Francis outshining Van Exel </A> This week's feature guards: Houston's Steve Francis and Denver's Nick Van Exel. Racing for a playoff spot is the mother of invention. Forget going with what you do best -- if you're the team leader, you do whatever is needed, even if it's out of your usual area of expertise. Not too long ago, the Nuggets and Rockets had an equal shot at the West's last playoff berth. The difference in their standing today has a lot to do with the play of their respective point guards.On the rise: Steve Francis (19.9 ppg, 6.3 apg, 6.9 rpg, 1.9 stls, .449 FG, .840 FT, .399 3s) He didn't make the All-Star team, but he's been so strong the last six weeks he could (or should) make one of the All-NBA teams. I saw a drastic difference in Francis last week compared to the start of the season. His numbers haven't changed all that much -- although he's averaging a season-high eight rebounds and 21.4 points a night in March -- but his grasp of when he needs to get his teammates going and when he needs to take over has, uh, rocketed. Despite aching from playing 40-plus minutes a night, he continues to attack the basket, having failed only four times this season to get to the free-throw line, the last time being Jan. 18. He's not afraid to launch 3s -- four a night -- but you never see him just pull up and fire early in the shot clock or when he has an open look. I'd still like to see his 2-1 assist/turnover ratio improve, but I attribute that to Houston's up-tempo game (since they don't have a bona fide post player), Francis' willingness to make the early pass (the assist on the assist) and Rudy Tomjanovich often using him as a 2-guard in order to play Moochie Norris. His turnovers are a product of aggression more than selfishness or sloppiness. Jason Kidd and Stephon Marbury best beware, or Francis will overtake them as the league's best point guard. On the slide: Nick Van Exel (17.5 ppg, 8.5 apg, 3.4 rpg, .9 stls, .408 FG, .824 FT, .371 3s) Maybe it's not fair comparing a No. 2 pick to a second-round draftee, but since Van Exel is making lottery-pick coin and is his team's leader, I'm going to do it. I think Nick the Quick is far more cerebral than he's given credit for, but his play down the stretch this season reflects why I'd have a hard time building my team around him -- he doesn't adjust. Unlike Francis, he will launch 3s on the break or go for the dagger trey at times when it's not necessary -- say, when the Nuggets have rallied to take a slim early fourth-quarter lead. If he nails the shot the other team still has time to recover and if he misses the opponent is fast-breaking the other way to take that lead away again. The numbers indicate he hasn't been making too many of those bombs lately, missing his last 13 in a row and shooting 27.5 percent beyond the arc in March. Even worse, he's stopped attacking the basket, failing to shoot a free throw in two of his last four games and 11 times overall this season. There's no reason to boycott espn anymore (except David Aldridge). ------------------ Don't look at the feet
Yeah, but look what they said about the Rockets in this weeks power rankings. http://espn.go.com/nba/powerrankings/index.html DaDakota ------------------ If you like RTS games, check out this one. www.frontierwars.com coming soon to a PC near you.
http://bbs.clutchcity.net/ubb/Forum3/HTML/012171.html ------------------ The season's almost over...and I still really need that keg of Pepto-Bismol.
They pretty much tell us to shut up and stop whining. Nobody here would have complained if they would have given the Rockets the slighest bit of respect. I think the final straw was when the rocks were at 20 in their power rankings after some good stretch of games. Isn't that when we hit them with all the complaints? ------------------ [This message has been edited by tacoma park legend (edited March 27, 2001).]
AstroRocket: Why are you posting that thread in this topic? I posted this topic almost an hour before j-bone did. He's the one thats posting the duplicate. ------------------ Don't look at the feet
FYI Your thread was started at 11:06 PM j-bone's was started at 12:28 PM 12:28 PM is in the afternoon, roughly 10 and a half hours before you started this thread. The time is now 12:47 AM ------------------ Mmmm ... open-faced club sand wedge. [This message has been edited by Band Geek Mobster (edited March 28, 2001).]
DaDak, actually i no problem with what espn said they are right, how can we expect respect if in the mist of a tear we go 0-3 including a loss (and not the first to them for the season) to the PaperClips. The team is growing, and the chance of playoffs is increasing the growth even more but until we can consitently smash the clips and other western conference bottom feeders then respect is all little hard to ask for. Smeg ------------------ "Repression never did me any harm (I finally ceased to include "stop masturbating" as one of my guilt ridden New Year's resolutions, but that's a different topic)." Achebe - programmer by day, Mrs Palmers Husband by night
Agreed Smeg, It is just frustrating that they don't bring it every night. They are far too young to feel they are better then ANY other NBA team. DaDakota ------------------ If you like RTS games, check out this one. www.frontierwars.com coming soon to a PC near you.
