I'd pick Nash over francis anyday. Yao would put up big numbers if you surround him with consistent shooters. PLayers like Nash, Finley, Bibby, Glen Ronbinson and Dirk. Yao would be averaging 25 points. Though Francis is a freak of an athlete. He lacks discipline and commen sense. The thing I like about Francis is his ability to get rebounds. He just seems know where the ball is going. I guess that makes up for some of his flaws.
But Francis would still average one less TURN-OVER than assist per game. He's got to be on pace to break the career turn-over record. 7 assists - 6 turn-overs - Priceless/Francis
I agree. When I think point guard the name Steve Francis does not come to mind. When I think best street baller, one on one, leaper in the NBA, I think of Steve Francis.
Its a down year for point guards overall. Kidd is having a down year, Parker gets yelled at by Pop every day, Nash is having so so year, Steph got 2 of his head coaches fired in 2 months , and Baron Davis shoots a trillion 3s a game .......Steve is playing better lately, and i think he is yet to play his best basketball. I dont know if anyone remembers (and i'm sure they dont w/ all the trade Steve threads), but he was playing like an MVP at the beginning of the year last year. if he could play like that the last 25 games of the year, its upset city!!!
you mean when he was averaging 25+ 6+ and 6+.... You could sure use that now!!! We would definitly make it to the 2nd round!!!!!!!
i think stupid moniker may be stupid in other ways than just name. i highly suggest league pass for a more thorough assesment of league-wide talent. francis is probably the best playing pg in the west right now. how can i say this? well, i also am taking into consideration his new found defensive prowess. remember his matador D? well, he is now a stud on D and that, coupled with the fact he is the best rebounding gaurd in the league makes up for his to-asst ratio. plus, he can still go off for 30 anygame he chooses. no other pg can do that. not nash, not bibby, and certainly not cassell, who is playing outta his mind right now. i am just looking at all around game.
Everyone knows SF is struggling right now but still putting up decent numbers (except for TO's).. he is on pace with the rest of the PG's in the league.. but once SF breaks free and starts putting the ball in the hoop his FG% will improve so will his ppg. SF is a triple double threat every game I think people underestimate him. Right now he is struggling with his shot and decision making I think his TO's come later in the game could be fatigue? thats IMO of course. I think potential SF is the top everyone else is in the decline.. Payton/ Sam C/ NVE those guys are getting old and SF could blow by them anytime. What he does after he blows by them will determine how great of a PG he could become. As of right now.. I think only Nash/ SamC rank above SF in our conference with everyone else the beneficiary of a good supporting cast. Once SF shoots himself out of his slump he will be a monster with Yao finally shaking out of his slump looks like we will have a 2 headed monster heading into the post season. J
These are Sam's numbers since joining Milwaukee. YEAR TEAM G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% OFF DEF RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG 99-00 MIL 81 81 35.8 .466 .289 .876 .90 2.90 3.70 9.0 1.26 .10 3.30 3.10 18.6 00-01 MIL 76 75 35.6 .474 .306 .858 .60 3.20 3.80 7.6 1.16 .11 2.89 2.80 18.2 01-02 MIL 74 73 35.2 .463 .348 .860 .70 3.50 4.20 6.7 1.22 .16 2.39 2.80 19.7 02-03 MIL 78 77 34.6 .470 .362 .861 .70 3.70 4.40 5.8 1.13 .18 2.27 2.80 19.7 03-04 MIN 38 38 36.4 .502 .421 .842 .40 2.90 3.30 7.4 1.11 .18 2.53 3.20 20.9 The only thing that has really improved this year is his 3 pt shooting which has helped his overall FG%. He is actually averaging less assists this year than when he was with Milwaukee. So, Cassell isn't playing out of his mind. He improvement comes from knowing how to play with a Big Man which Francis hasn't figure out yet. Also, Francis's improved defense is average at best which is why Cassell continues to light him up.
How can anyone say that Nash is definately better then Francis? Career wise, Steve's assist per game numbers are higher 6.3 to 5.8 and Steve's points per game are higher to 19.7 to 12.3. Of course Nash's assist are higher the last two years, all you have to do is compare the players surreounding him and the style of offense they play. So far this year, I would have to give the edge to Cassell being the best PG. However, if you look at the career numbers for those him and steve, the edge goes to the Fanchise.
id also take nash over francis b/c 1. can pass 2. wont dribble into double teams 3. wont go one on one when gettting fustrated or called out 4. dosent turnover over the ball constantly 5. better shot selectoin and i think he shoots a higher precent than francis(correct me if im wrong) etc...
Because Nash is better at what is a PG's ultimate responsibility: protecting the basketball. I think Francis is actually a better guard, and if he were used in a different capacity, might be more valuable.
i dunno rocky, i doubt that theres a better pg playing defense right now. and sammy is playing the best ball of his career, so i don't really understand what your saying. as far as knowing how to play with a big man, sam i am has been in the league longer and has played with big men alot longer than steve. i am talking about all around game. nash cannot play D to save his life, disappears too much and benefits from MUCH better shooters than the rockets have.
What does Francis do better than Sam except dunk and rebound the ball. I don't want my PG rebounding the ball, he should be getting back on D and forcing the break. If you think Francis is playing better D than all the other PG in the league, then how do explain opposing PG's averaging 18.1 points a game while shooting 46% against us. This is more points and higher percentage than other position on the team.
Steve Nash is probably the best out there in directing an offense, too bad Nellie screwed that squad up and Walker is playing point forward so much. I'm not on the Cassell band wagon. He's simply having a great year in a great system for his skills. He's a lot like Steve in that he's effective as a scorer first, second, and third and then at making other players better fourth. Kevin Garnett makes things click in that offense, not Sam. I say this while hoping that he makes his first ASG appearance. Payton is as good as they get, but slidding into career twilight. Tony Parker is getting there, and is a marvel considering his lack of years in the NBA, but still isn't consistent or very effective on defense. Arroyo/Lopez are something else, but it's early in their careers to say they're studs or not. I like Bibby alot, but like Sam, he's not the guy that makes his offense click. I would say Steve Nash is the best Western PG, and SF is in the top three or four. Francis has impressed me with his willingness to work at learning a style of play that is opposite what he's done for years. Evan
i actually can watch basketball without the premeditated hatred, that doesn't make me stupid. name a better wc pg that plays defense. also, you place those kids from utah, ward, etc ahead of francis. do you even watch basketball? do you watch those guys? just curious. not really into pissing matches with people, but it really was stupid to say that all those kids you listed were better than francis. i mean, we could argue about payton, nash and cassell, but andre miller? c'mon, all those other guys are garbage.
All those guys are better POINT GUARDS <--- (see the caps, that is for emphasis) than Francis. They are better at protecting the ball, getting their teammates involved, finding the open man, passing, spoting up, etc. Francis has natural athletic abilities that they don't have, but his moronic style of play limits what he can do with it. Francis is certainly more valuable than many of those players (ie I wouldn't trade Francis for Ward), but we could trade Francis for a forward who is better than Cato or Jim Jackson and bring in one of those PGs I listed and the team would be much better. Francis just doesn't have the mentality of a PG. He has the mentality of an Allen Iverson. He shoulkd be traded to a team that has no dominant scorers, especially in the post, where he can do his thing. Francis and the Rockets would both be better off. As for better defensive WC PGs, how about: Derek Fisher Gary Payton Charlie Ward Bobby Jackson Mike Bibby Andre Miller those kids from Utah and Sam Cassell
