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Why Do A Lot Of People Still Think That Francis Is A Gunner?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Caboose, Jul 20, 2007.

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  1. Caboose

    Caboose Member

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    I'm tired of hearing people tell me that Steve Francis is a gunner! I haven't really seen it here, but all of my buddies in PA are telling me that the deal is bad for the Rockets because Francis shoots way too much.

    Steve Francis is not a gunner and he has never been a gunner. This is the biggest myth surrounding Francis. Many members of the media and tons of basketball fans think that Stevie is one of the league’s biggest gunners. Francis might not be the purest point guard in the league and he may dribble the rock too much at times, but he has never been gunner. His shot selection hasn’t always been great, but he’s only averaged 14.5 shot attempts per game in his career. Jonathan Feigen pointed out in his latest blog post that Rudy T used to beg Francis to take more shots. A lot of people seem to forget this.

    Francis never was a big gunner. His shot selection wasn’t great and he sometimes dribbled way to much, but he was never a gunner! Here are the stats to prove it!:

    * If Steve had averaged 14.5 shot attempts this season (which is his career average), he would’ve ranked 33rd in the league in field goal attempts per game! 33rd!

    * In 2001-02, Stevie averaged a career-high 17.7 attempts per game, which ranked 15th in the league. In 2001-02 he didn’t even lead the Rockets in field goal attempts per game! Mobley averaged 18.4 attempts per game!

    * Francis led the Rockets in field goal attempts per game in 3 out of the 5 seasons he was with the team. If he was the gunner that people made him out to be you would think he would’ve lead the team in this category every year.

    * Francis has never ranked in the top 10 in the league in field goal attempts per games.

    1999-00- Ranking N/A , 14.5 FGA/PG
    2000-01- 35th, 15.2 FGA/P
    2001-02- 15th, 17.7 FGA/PG
    2002-03- 17th, 16.2 FGA/PG
    2003-04- 42nd, 14.1 FGA/PG
    2004-05- 17th, 17.1 FGA/PG

    * Stevie’s never attempted 30 shots in an NBA game. His career high is 29.

    * Francis has attempted 25 or more shots in only 11 games. He’s played in 566 games.
    1999-00: 1
    2000-01: 0
    2001-02: 2
    2002-03: 3
    2003-04: 1
    2004-05: 3
    2005-06: 1
    2006-07: 0

    * Kobe Bryant attempted 30 or more shots in 12 games during the 2005-06 season, playing in 80 games (Francis has only attempted 25 or more shots in 11 career games). Stevie’s never attempted 30 shots in a game.

    * Francis has attempted 20 or more shots in only 92 games. He’s played in 566 career games. While he was with the Rockets he attempted 20 or more shots in only 66 games. Francis played in 374 games with the Rockets.
    1999-00: 10
    2000-01: 11
    2001-02: 25
    2002-03: 16
    2003-04: 4
    2004-05: 24
    2005-06: 2
    2006-07: 0
     
    #1 Caboose, Jul 20, 2007
  2. doublehh03

    doublehh03 Member

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    not a gunner, but just holds the ball too damn much.
     
    #2 doublehh03, Jul 20, 2007
  3. rpr52121

    rpr52121 Sober Fan
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    I just think its funny that when someone is able to post something with stats to back it up. They get no posts on their thread.
     
    #3 rpr52121, Jul 20, 2007
  4. Junetastic

    Junetastic Member

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    You know I never got the vibe from people on forum that they believed he's a gunner. The vibe I get from posters is he was an overdribbling, ballhog.
     
    #4 Junetastic, Jul 20, 2007
  5. Caboose

    Caboose Member

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    yeah i haven't heard to many people here say he's a gunner. i've heard millions elsewhere though.
     
    #5 Caboose, Jul 20, 2007
  6. allforone

    allforone Member

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    he wasnt a gunner , just held the ball so long that others wont have chance to become gunners....
    what am i tryinng to say...... :confused:
     
    #6 allforone, Jul 20, 2007
  7. Dr of Dunk

    Dr of Dunk Clutch Crew

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    I've always heard he was an And1 ballhog both here and on other boards, but I can't say I've ever heard the guy was a jack-up artist.
     
    #7 Dr of Dunk, Jul 20, 2007
  8. smoothie

    smoothie Jabari Jungle

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    well the gunner myth comes from "gunner" being the opposite of "passer."

    steve wasn't able to get the offence started quickly. when the pg can't get guys in place and things moving he just stands there a dribbles. that lokos like ball hogging.

    steve couldn't feed the post well. it wasn't that he was unwilling to feed the post, just bad at it.

    steve dribbles for 15 seconds of the shot clock then doesn't get the ball to yao = gunner myth.

    the truth is, rudy and JVG use stagnant offense. adelman's motion offense will let steve get rid of the ball quicker. now i don't think he's any better at feeding the post then last time he was here, but adelman needs him to cut and finish more than feed yao. adelman's offense usually has the high post player or a wing player feed the post.
     
    #8 smoothie, Jul 20, 2007
  9. Linkin

    Linkin Member

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    Are u sure this Frances's family name is Steve?
     
    #9 Linkin, Jul 20, 2007
  10. BigM

    BigM Member

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    i've heard selfish quite often which i guess could imply gunner but neither one fits steve. i think he means well he just hasn't been the quickest or best decision maker. part of the reason he dribbles so much is because he's probably trying to figure out what to do.
     
    #10 BigM, Jul 20, 2007
  11. rofflesaurus

    rofflesaurus Member

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    thats funny because i've never heard anyone call francis a gunner. however, a low iq ballhog who dribbles way too damn much, ices his teamates, kills any offensive rhythm, and also cant run a fast break to save his life.... i've heard that plenty.
     
    #11 rofflesaurus, Jul 20, 2007
  12. TriCkz

    TriCkz Member

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    Wow I think you went a little over board about this.
     
    #12 TriCkz, Jul 20, 2007
  13. denniscd

    denniscd Member

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    bottom line...forget perceptions...is he any good? thats all that matters
     
    #13 denniscd, Jul 20, 2007
  14. dntrwl

    dntrwl Member

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    He wouldn't join the Rockets if he was going to shoot and dribble every gddamn time he got the ball. Everyone keeps acting like everyone in basketball is a friggin idiot that just does what they want. Adelman and the Organization won't let him do that, and Steve knows. He has a brain, unlike many people here.
     
    #14 dntrwl, Jul 20, 2007
  15. BackNthDay

    BackNthDay Member

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    I dont think he's a gunnder I think hes dribbleholic who does dumb things at the wrong time. An alley oop pass when a simple pass would have worked perfectly. Drive to the bucket when there are 8 people in the lane when a 15 foot pull up would have done the job.
     
    #15 BackNthDay, Jul 20, 2007
  16. A_3PO

    A_3PO Member

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    Create a straw man out of thin air and tear him up.
     
    #16 A_3PO, Jul 20, 2007
  17. wingz0

    wingz0 Member

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    Of course they could, but when a guy is ineffective that way, he's ineffective that way. Francis suffered under JVG, in part because he COULDN'T stop dribbling and set the offense up quickly and get Yao the ball. I'm no YOF, but when you have a guy who's a walking mismatch, you get him the ball.

    Let's see if Francis can prove that he's "all about winning" now as Tmac put it. I don't buy it. I think we'll all see the same old Steve Francis: ineffective without hogging the ball for 20s of the shot clock and taking on guys off the dribble while others stand and watch.
     
    #17 wingz0, Jul 20, 2007
  18. okierock

    okierock Member

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    Your stats display perfectly why lots of posters are concerned. Steve likes to be in the top two on his team in SPG... that ain't gonna work here.

    On THIS team Steve will be option 3 at best. I hope he is ok with that and becomes that third option and not a whiny cancer in the locker room.

    Lets go Stevie... complete the triangle and win us a championship.
     
    #18 okierock, Jul 20, 2007
  19. AMD

    AMD Member

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    Well, he already took less money to be here and I don't think any of us expected that...so maybe he'll be ok with bein a third option too.
     
    #19 AMD, Jul 20, 2007
  20. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!
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    I think Steve would be happy taking the same number of shots as Rafer took last year, or around that....13 a game.....

    And people don't care so much about shots when the team is winning almost EVERY night.

    DD
     
    #20 DaDakota, Jul 20, 2007
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