He scored only 2 points before fouling out in 34 minutes against Memphis tonight. I didn't see the game but I can't believe how much his production has dropped off.
I guess that was just a bad bad nite for him. On his last preseason game (the game before this one I believe) he dropped 38pts on the opposing team.
He stood around in the deep corner as a spot up shooter most possessions, pretty much not doing anything, and once every quarter he would drive, pull up and miss. His game appeared to have atrophied tonight.
Everyone has a bad day, but Francis is a heart and confidence kind of guy like Barkley. He thrives on being the center of attention and getting praise. By the time he got to NY he was a trade-bait, whipped, has-no-home dog and it shows still. That's fine though. Let his trade value get so low that we can get him back for pennies on the dollar. Or Bonzi.
Actually, he hit 39 in his second preseason game against the Nets. He hit 13 in another preseason game against the 76ers, then last nights two vs Memphis.
this isn'y just a bad night for him. he doesn't fit with that team. they don't need him, nor do they go to him at all. the use him as a role palyer while marbury, crawford, and richardson get all the touches on the perimeter.
Francis, as all Rocket fans with a reasonable memory recall, is certainly an enigma. Brialliant and inspirational one game/play - terrible and uninterested the next. He'll have his good games (see his last pre season game - 39pts) and his bad ones.
He's obviously been tanking it since the beginning of last year. Same thing T-Mac and Vince did, to get out of Orlando and Toronto. Difference is once Francis got out of orlando he went to the Knicks (even worse situation for him) so he had to tank even more. Now he's tanking it fully with the hopes that he will be dealt extremely soon.
IIRC, he was never (or seldom) "uninterested." Francis had a lot of flaws. But "uninterested" wasn't one of them.
Francis should have been put at the 2 and left there.Trying to put the proverbial square peg in a round hole ala Stevie as a point was not a good move.Also Cuttino on and off the court did not help Stevie's progress IMO.
Another bad night for Francis. In fact both guards suck badly tonight against, guess whom, Atlanta! Isiah, who for long time was my idol, couldn't instill his own experience, skills, and will power into the Knicks backcourt. I can't help but feel sorry for him. At this rate, I doubt if Francis can ever return to his former all-star form. He's acting like a spoiled kid out there. I don't have much sympathy for him.
According to Yahoo boxscore, both NY and Atlanta only scored 2 pts apiece in the 4th quarter. Is it a misprint? if not, this must be some sort of record!
I thought Francis as a Rocket was good at being over-interested. Dominating the ball all the time. He thrives off doing it but he's not good enough to carry a team far by himself, now Marbury is better than him he's reduced to a role player.
3-6 shooting, 9 ast and 2 TO and 6 Reb in 34min, doesn't seem like too bad of a night. But I do agree that he is basically a role player now. Maybe he's going through another phase of deferring to other players, but it's gotta be hard on him playing with other shoot first guards/sf (Marbury, Crawford, Richardson). That and positions don't always go through him and I don't know how he'll handle that.
