About time someone with enough credibilty in this forum sticks up for Francis. His contribution to this team is everything. You have to understand we are NOTHING without him.
Do you think Steve should be more careful around the basket because he can potentially really get hurt and there goes our season.
Once he hit the three pointer to put us up 83-81 I knew we would win. Then he hits a bank shot in the lane over Dale Davis to put us up 85-83. Some amazing stuff. Even when Steve was off in the 4th (shot clock violation when it was 83-83)- which was rare - Eddie handled it on the other end by blocking Rasheed. Then Eddie blocks Sabonis to ice it. Steve is looking very impressive, I think our high scoring guard system can work if we play great defense like tonight. In our 4 wins our defense is limiting the other team to 84.25 per game. If you take out the 104 by GS then it is 77.67 per game. In our two losses we are giving up 97.5 per game. With Cato/Ming/Griffin blocking shots we should be able to shutdown the other teams in the paint and force them to shoot outside. Consider this also we are catching Portland at the end of a tough road trip through San Antonio and Dallas, where they spanked SA and hung in versus Dallas. This is a playoff level team and shows that we are making some nice progress this season. I know it's only 6 games, but it sure is nice to be 4-2 and the 5th seed in the Western Conference.
My heart stopped when he was at the free throw line and got hit by the ball and fell right over. For a second I thought he was dazed.
There are a lot of people on this forum with credability and you are one of them moestavern19. I'm not kissing 's', just speaking my mind. Also, my own note: Steve did it in the fourth quarter without being a ball hog. He made some put backs, give and goes, jump shots. He didn't score all those points by himself. He passed the ball around and used his lemons. Go Rockets! Keep it up! ESPN here we come!
I think that, at the end of the upcoming GRUELLING portion of the schedule, if we come out at .500, then we'll finish the year as 6th seed. There's even a chance we'll finish 5th with some luck. We have to remember one thing though: Francis won't always score 30 points. At some point, other guys are going to have to take over. Griffin, Mobley, and one other F, have to start hitting shots consistently to take some pressure off of Steve. I said it in another thread, I'll say it again here. We are not only witnessing greatness in Francis, but in the team. You know that Francis' ability to dominate, along with Cat's ability to be clutch, ALONG with Griffin's ability to make HUGE stops to change the momentum of the game will be priceless in the playoffs. Those are 3 essential things in the playoffs, and we have them.
somebody was saying in another thread that steve will not keep up this great shooting the whole season, but I disagree. I really think he will keep this up the whole season. With his quickness he is unstoppable. Now if it weren't for that damn McGrady he would lead the league in scoring!
Heh heh yeah. When he fell backwards acting like the ball knocked him out I actually believed it for a second.
I think the team will start playing better around him, and that will take some pressure off him. It seems that would wear someone down eventually. I mean he is the PG. So he has to handle the pressure of that (handeling the ball all the time) and being the leading scorer. I think when Ming gets a bit better, and also M Taylor will lighten the load, and you might laugh but I think Rice will start to help. He will get open shots and he will start to hit them.
He did take over when he needed too. Thats has always been my gripe about Francis and the offense. As much as he handles and touches the ball, he can get his shot off anytime on just about anyone. Thats why i would like to see him do like Jordan did in chicago and Zeke did in Detroit . MJ always made it a point to get Cartwright and Horace off early in the games setting the tone and making the defense aware of them. Isiah and Dumars did the same with Edwards,Dantley,Aguirre and Laimbeer and also when Salley used to come off the bench. What this does is gets their juices flowing and into the game. The big players play alot harder when they're involved in the game. Then just like Mike and company would do, he would start to force his will on the opposition with his offense and stamina. MJ always had alot left because he would burn the candle up in the beginning of the game. By no means am i comparing francis to MJ, I'm justr saying. Its not a clear example , but almost like Kobe in LA when he does most of his scoring in the 4th qt. I'm not going to gripe about the lack of asst and stuff like that, I'm just glad they won the game. I'm just one of those people who think the Rockets are still playing terrible offensive basketball. I do like the way they're playing defense though.
I think that his move to the "stop and pop" will be part of the natural development of his game. I forget who it was, but in the chat during the game someone predicted he would develop and mature as Jordan did (he and I both not comparing Steve to Jordan as players, just developmentally speaking). Jordan began early in his career always going to the rack, but, later on, he really developed the midrange game which has given him the longevity to still be playing at the level he is today. I am pretty confident that steve will eventually make the same transition and be a great great player for years to come.
Now that the rockets retired Dream i can say without a guilty conscience that Stevie is my favorite rocket that is still playing the game.
I think I remember Stevie visiting with Jordan in the off season. Well, I really think Jordan told him to keep shooting the damn ball and if he continues to show his team he deserves it, the rest will fall into place.
My dad and I couldnt stop laughing after that one. He fell over cause he was embarrassed and had to play it off. Thats right up there with Moochie running from the bat in Compaq Center.
