If griff made 4 more shots we still would've lost. The 2 Rons on the pacers both had great games individually, thats one of the big reasons...especially Ron Artest, hell, he'll probably never have another game like that for the rest of the season. He didn't even score more than 9 points in any preseason game! Then he comes out with 8-13 for 20?!?! Plus 6 boards and 5 assists!?! Its the revenge of Maryland Terps!
Maybe he was a bit selfish, but hey did he get some help from the other? Don't think so! The Pacers let him score so many, because the others didn't get the chance.
Yeah. Cato shot bad, Mooch was bad, and no one else other then Steve and Cat were active in the offensive end. Blame it on the players that shot aweful.
Lets put the good and the bad together and make a solution. Who is the best scorer on the team? Steve. Who is the best passer on the team? Steve. It was clear from watching last nights game that Steve is purely unstoppable on the offensive end, you cant guard him small hell shoot over the top and punish you, cant guard him big he will sink jumpers and blow by you, getting to the line. The best part of this plan is the fact that if you have him running off screens to get shots he will break the defense down and set up open teammates when the defense helps on his penetration. I dont want to sound like an Iverson hater, but I think Steve is a better scorer than Iverson because he is more efficient with his jumpshot and is more willing(and able) to make the open pass to his team. We should go ahead and play Steve at the 2. Have Cuttino start the offense and run Steve much the same way Larry Brown uses Iverson. Cuttino can handle the ball more than well enough to bring the ball up the court and get the team in motion. I think one of the main problems that we have, when seeing the Rockets players, is the 'fools gold' syndrome, we see players with talent but they dont do much with it. The coaches know better than us how to utlize their players talents. Griffin for example has his moments but isnt ready to be a focal point in the offense at this point in his career, hes much better in terms of being a 'finisher' rather than an 'initiator or creater', catching it on the block and dominating his man is not in his capabilities at this point is young career. Cuttino is the perfect finisher because he can make the open shot and blow by defenders who are rotating him to in defensive rotations. Ming can catch and finish at 7'5 and make wing jumpers...Mo Taylor/Thomas/and Morris can all make open shots and have the athletic ability to crash the boards. When Francis penetrates and defends collapse it leaves spaces for offensive rebounds and I think our 4 and 5's can definitely be effective hitting the offensive glass. I dont need to speak about Glen Rice because they cant leave him in rotations he will spread the floor for Francis and allow Mobley more room to operate on the initial pass from Francis. The one thing that I dont want everyone to think is that I am saying we should give Steve the ball and have him dribble for 15 seconds then take his man, what I think is that we should run him through screen sets and have him catch the ball on the move with a defender trailing...its much harder to defend and takes better advantage of Steve's incredible athletic ability and skill level. Also it makes it much harder for the defense to read what Steves move is going to be and to be in proper defensive position. Steve is an amazing talent all around. He can do everything well. But I think his talent is greater in the scoring/attacking mode, as opposed to coming up and setting up a set play. We have better pieces in place than the Sixers do with Iverson and I believe Steve is built better than Iverson and posseses more scoring ability than Iverson, mostly do to the fact that his Jumper is much more accurate. The Sixers have had much sucess running the system, I dont see why the Rockets cant have more sucess than the Sixers given their talent level.
I agree that Steve should start at 2, but Cat playing at point, that won't work. I wouldn't mind having Steve and Mooch in the backcourt and have Cat go off the bunch, but that wouldn't work too well, beccause Mooch dribbles too much.
Good grief. All this after the opening game? LOL @ all you nobs hating on the team. (usual suspects, I see)
Steve played SG and shot terrific. Some of you guys that praise Iverson, are dissing Francis. You guys are dissing Franchise for shooting 13-28 and scoring 39 points, with five dimes, and you probably would praise Iverson for scoring 39 points on 13-40 shooting.
that sums it up nicely. also it's good to see andre miller is on his usual path of leading his team to a worse record than the previous year. hey if steve gets ragged on after busting his ass during the friggin first game than pure point guard jesus miller gets his coming as well.
So you're saying that Miller getting 14 assists (along with 15 points on 5-9) was a factor in the Clippers losing the game? Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant!
Francis played great. He played the way that Iverson should play. High % from the field. You guys are all crazy.
*Sigh* In response to all the negative criticism after just ONE game...i believe i'll reserve any judgement (either way) until say the end of the seaon. You never can tell for sure what the Rockets are capable of doing (this is STILL Clutch City). Am I right or am I right? jd
umm, no, but the clippers did get beat by one of the worst teams in the league. now if he can get 15 and 14 and the team loses why can't i rag on him just like steve is getting pounded on for trying to carry the rockets? i think andre miller is a fine player but maybe if he could have picked up some scoring with brand sucking ass they would have won. see how it works both ways?
Another stupid post. Steve only averaged 18 fg attempts per game last season. He tried to get people involved early, and no one was hitting jumpers. Do you expect him to throw the ball to guys that can't buy a bucket?
Not if they were threes. Not only did Eddie miss those shots, he lost confidence in his shot and didn't take some wide open threes in the fourth quarter. Griffin did not show up last night and Artest had an exceptionial game and that is why we lost. We did not lose because our best player scored 39 points.
You must be r****ded. He played the 2 last night, scored 39 points, shot terrific, and you think that he played bad. You are a stupid newbe.
Hey I gotta frickin idea ...how about Les apply to be a YMCA league or USBL league team? Go Rockets, whip the Yakima Sun Kings and the weak sisters of the poor!!!!
As far as i'm concerned Steve Francis needs to go learn how to play basketball. Getting your stats means nothing if the team loses. He never even tried to get his other teamates involved. The sign of a good/great player is making those around him better. He failed miserably at that last night against Indiana, and if he continues to play like that the rockets are going to be in for another lottery level season. Moochie Norris is no better he dribbles the ball so much that by the time the rockets realize they even have the ball there is only 4 seconds left on the shot clock. They both have talent but they both also have low basketball IQ.
