Here we go again, fans and casual observers complaining about the shaft job they got in Utah. I didn't get a chance to watch the game until this morning and i can say , they gave Steve and the Rockets a raw deal. Is anything new about that in Utah? We have been going through that for yrs and yrs especially since Malone,Stocton and Sloan has been there. So how long are we going to whine about? There is no secret that it takes a very discipline and talented team to win a close game in Utah. Very rarely does a avg to mediocre team can go there and win a close game, just check it out. More so, don't let it be a playoff game, then you're really in trouble. With all that being said, I must say and play devil's advocate and say Steve needs to stop getting tech's. Taking most of the spotlight last yr was Francis being second behind Wallace in T's. This is the main reason he wasn't on the World Championship team. Its not that he has a bad attitude, its just that he does something and picks up T's. He's a hell of a player and eventually he'll grow out of it, because in the end, whether its bull**** or not, we, the team needs him. I remember Zo a few yrs back getting a lot of T's, then he came back and realized that those t's don't help your rep or for you to gt the superstar calls in the end. Eventually as his career progresses, he won't get tossed for nothing like he did last night, but he must learn not to do anything to "show the ref up". After all that, the Rockets still had a chance to pull the game out. As usual it comes down to shot selection and execution, none of which the Rockets have an idea how to do. I've pretty much have become numb from some of the games I've witnessed over the yrs. Just like the Blazers do every yr, and Dallas last yr, a team has to go in execute, don't cry and just play ball. Sooner or later Francis will stop getting t's and the ref's will give him the superstar calls, but for right now he just needs to keep playing hard like he always do.
Numb is a great word to describe the past three years! Execution and coaching go hand in hand.....I am not advocating a coaching change by any stretch, but switching on a pick and roll or at least flashing is fundamental....ya, when they do it as much as Utah, you will get burned sometimes...but, geez....seems like we defend it about 20%....that seems kinda low for such a telegraphed play....
Behad, of course you know I'm going to say i don't care or i don't get mad at petty stuff, but it what i'm saying is strictly what i see. You can ignore me or whatever, but one of the reasons Steve doesn't get his due is because of the tech's, plain and simple. I agree some are undeserved, but there is no way he shouldn't have been on the world championship teams. No Way! Jason Terry, Andre Miller, nor Baron Davis should have made it before Steve, but after the 96 debacle with LJ, Kemp and Guys grabbing their crouch and yelling and stuff, the nba has made a effort to send only "good attitude" players. Does Steve have a bad attitude? No. Does he pick up needless and careless tech's? yes. Its then perceived , just like with Zo a couple of yrs ago that he has a bad attitude. Get chance to watch Rasheed and some of the T's he got last yr was a farce, but reputation preceeds individuals. The game we lost the other night when Steve and Cato got a T and we lost by either a point. He was called for a offensive foul, got up, said something to the ref and got a T. that was pretty petty too, but thats besides the point. It will be a point in Francis career when he won't get those t's like malone, jordan and company, but until then, he needs to just keep playing at his high level and don't let anyone or anything intefere with him leading this team. He's our Francis and with him we stay in most games, without him, we're like the Bulls or Grizzlies. Plain and simple.
i can't blame steve at all for getting about 98% of his technicals. i can't even remember the last one he got for arguing a call or if he has even ever gotten one for going rasheed wallace on a ref. he gets his techs for being excited, not even in a way that shows up people. if the league wants to support t's for excitement then screw the NBA. that's what puts fans in the seats. some people still see steve as a bad person and if they don't know him or see him play on a regular basis then they pass quick judgement on him.
I don't think we have been going through years and years of having our best player, on his career night, being kicked out after only one half for pretty much nothing. As long as that happens, I can guarantee you I will complain about it. It is one thing for it to be little calls, like fouls or traveling, etc. But this was huge. And as for Steve getting technicals, from what I have seen this season, he was REALLY cut down on the stuff that got him technicals. He doesn't really slap the backboard anymore, and he doesn't argue with the refs as much. Hell, he didn't really even argue last night, just left because he knew there was nothing he could do about it. That is a sign of maturity. And if you are using last night as proof that Steve needs to stop getting technicals, do you really think that Steve did ANYTHING wrong last night? What the hell could he have done differently? Until last nights debacle, Steve had 3 technicals in 17 games played. That works out to about 14 total techs for the season. Maybe that is still a little high, but he is definitely cutting down, and I see no major reasons to criticize his technical numbers based on what he is doing on the floor.
Our best player may not have been kicked out, but shady calls are part of playing in Utah. Just like playing the Larry Bird led Celtic's, not only were they good , but the refs used to give them so good calls.Until we establish a rep as being a good team and continuing being good, we will not get the respect of the officiating. We have a superstar in the making in Steve, but he's not there yet as far as the overrall respect yet. He'll get there and then teams will be complaining about us getting calls.. I remember when Hakeem scored 48pts against Denver and didn't shoot a single ft! He was like made something like 24 shots with no ft's in the entire game. Please explain that one to me.
Rudy should have just called the team into the locker room and left. All teams should start doing this. These officials think they are baseball officials or something.
haha, i always remember that game when i think of how little respect hakeem used to get. i still talk about it, 40+ points and not one freethrow.
