This is the kind of **** @tinman lives for. I would of thought he would of brought it up along with mocking all the past traitors (Quitten, Me-Mac, etc).
You know he was our rookie. That's why people still love Steve. He started here, he wasn't a veteran who joined in free agency. Steve's issues were his own fault, including the alcohol.
francis wasn't really that inefficient. at least for that era. pretty average. also i remember the time he missed some games and the team went on a 15 game losing streak without him. never had the height or shot to really be a dominant player and didn't have the ability to really run an offense (he was either in shoot mode or pass mode, couldn't do both like elite players), but still a 20/6/6 guy when that meant something and still important to winning. also, never though we'd reach a day where my username would be a preference, not a joke.
Part of the problem was coaches aren't used to having to teach fundamentals to people that make it to the NBA. Usually, if you don't have fundamental skills, you aren't going to be a star in the league, but Steve's athleticism was so insane, it got him to that level. So now you have a kid with a 42-43" vertical that you can't keep contained but can't figure out when to pass and when to take over the game running the offense. It was a curse and a blessing.
I loved watching him when I was a teen, he was a lot of fun. I do find it funny he talks about Harden dribbling a lot...
Man I was so hyped when he got traded to the rockets. We’re from the same area and watching him dominate at Maryland and then coming to my team was just oh so great.
I was under the impression that Francis liked playing for Tomjanovich and that he took it very hard when Tomjanovich had to step down because of cancer. I remember he didn't like playing under JVG and the two just never saw eye to eye that started the slide in his career.
I'm glad to see he still considers Houston and the Rockets his home. Francis would frustrate me a lot but I always knew he was a Rocket. It's too bad he couldn't adapt his game enough to have a great and long career.
Rudy T was the greatest Rocket coach ever. The fact that Francis fell off the planet when Rudy wasn’t his coach is proof .He couldn’t understand JVG
Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady, Luis Scola, Mike James, and Steve Francis were all on the court together at some point in the 2007-2008 season. Check out the crazy names on that season's roster by the way https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/2008.html Even Gerald Green was there.
What do you think about the Rockets’ postseason chances playing small ball in the tough Western Conference? Say what you want about James Harden — he does take up a lot of clock and he does dribble a lot at times — but he’s gotten better, and the team has gotten better by adding Russell Westbrook. Even though we’re playing small ball right now, I can see us getting past the first round and eventually getting to the Finals. Everyone says it’s going to be L.A. — the Clippers or the Lakers. Just don’t sleep on the Rockets. I think it’s going to be the Rockets and Clippers in the conference finals. I really dig the way he says "us" and "we" here. Glad to see that. Despite his years in Houston being kind of rough, I still have fond memories. But I must say his comment about Harden taking up shot clock and dribbling a lot was kind of funny.
Early Steve Francis years were as fun for me as any season I’ve ever watched. Including the championships.
My favourite Rockets roster. Too bad T-mac wasn't himself anymore.. Rick Adelman with his genius, AND1 legend Rafer, Euro maestro Scola.... CHUCKWAGON becoming offensive threat with rolling with McGrady.. Shitload of threpoint shooters and hotheads like Mike James, Bobby Jackson(remember him fighting T-mac in his Sacramento days?). Guys like Novak who were shooting like 69% from three, grabbing offensive rebounds and nothing more. the great SHANE BATTIER who gave Kobe fits.... Yao with his midrange butter and blocking ****ers standing on his toes. Remember that block by Carl Landry that he saved from going out of bounds?? **** i have a meltdown this roster was genius but things didn't align unfortunately edit: and of course Luther Head sorry my dude I forgot to write you down. ok back to crying, can't believe those boys didn't win championship and this **** hurts even now
My favorite memory of Stevie Franchise was that 40-piece he dropped on the Lakers in the 2004 playoffs! I can't believe that was almost 2 decades ago...feels like yesterday that I was watching that game with my folks.
Yea but Artest and Yao was only ones could get rockets out of 1st round. Artest/Scola/Brooks took the Kobe Lakers to 7 games that was the Best possible peak of that , with artest coming in and saving face. Tmac has always been injury prone. Thou rockets lost yao in game 3 for good, but this was the best as good as Scola,Artest, Battier & Aaron Brooks rockets were! Thats when that C team came in later afterwards with Kevin Mart/Lowry crew.
