# where do we rank now?



## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

are we still better then the rockets at this point? Steve Francis signed with em and I think a lot of people forget how good he can be...he already knows how to play with Yoa and T-Mac aint heard to get into a groove with...were in trouble this year...


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

The problem with Francis, T-Mac, and Yao is..... WHO'S GOING TO GET THE BALL???

Francis on the Rockets might hurt the continual development of Yao. Rockets, as a team, will benefit with Francis, but Yao is going to suffer with Francis on the court. 

Even with the signing of Francis, Houston's "power ranking" hasn't gone up much..... mostly because Yao's performance will surely dip. Of course, IMO.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Don't you remember how Yao's numbers dropped because that good-for-nothing Rafer Alston started hogging the ball and jacking up those prayer shots....

I mean..... when you play with T-Mac, GIVE THE BALL TO T-MAC! McGrady is a pretty darned good at distributing the ball!

Who's a bigger hog than Alston? You guessed it! Good ole Steve Francis!


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

We're #1, Houston's #7.

Period. :biggrin:


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

Even if Mother Teresa told me I wouldn't believe it where we rank right now. This team can be as good as it wants in the regular season, but nobody will care about that anymore unless they prove to be the same caliber in the playoffs. And rightfully so ...


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

croco said:


> Even if Mother Teresa told me I wouldn't believe it where we rank right now. This team can be as good as it wants in the regular season, but nobody will care about that anymore unless they prove to be the same caliber in the playoffs. And rightfully so ...


Yes sir. :worthy:


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

croco said:


> Even if Mother Teresa told me I wouldn't believe it where we rank right now. This team can be as good as it wants in the regular season, but nobody will care about that anymore unless they prove to be the same caliber in the playoffs. And rightfully so ...


you talked to Mother Teresa?

Her son wants me to tell her hello if I saw her.....


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

edwardcyh said:


> you talked to Mother Teresa?
> 
> Her son wants me to tell her hello if I saw her.....


Huh ? :lol:


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## jworth (Feb 17, 2006)

edwardcyh said:


> Even with the signing of Francis, Houston's "power ranking" hasn't gone up much..... mostly because Yao's performance will surely dip. Of course, IMO.


Houston's offense won't be based around Steve Francis as it was several seasons ago. Francis will be the third wheel, meaning Yao and McGrady will continue to get the bulk of the offense. 

And despite me being a Houston fan, I can assure you the Rockets have improved quite a bit from last season. Francis hasn't been the only addition in Houston this offseason as the Rockets have also welcomed coach Rick Adelman, guard Mike James and forward Luis Scola to the fold.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

jworth said:


> Houston's offense won't be based around Steve Francis as it was several seasons ago. Francis will be the third wheel, meaning Yao and McGrady will continue to get the bulk of the offense.
> 
> And despite me being a Houston fan, I can assure you the Rockets have improved quite a bit from last season. Francis hasn't been the only addition in Houston this offseason as the Rockets have also welcomed coach Rick Adelman, guard Mike James and forward Luis Scola to the fold.


The biggest improvement will be Adelman. He's a great coach and picking him up is the best move by any team in this offseason.

Mike James and Scola.... how can anybody make any judgment on their pick up right now?

James was non-existent last year (yes.... people can argue the team, fit, style, etc... but Houston will be different?). As for Scola, if Pops doesn't want to keep him around, I am sure he's got his reasons.

Moving on to Francis, his track record doesn't support that he's willing to be the "third wheel."

Don't get me wrong, I like the Rockets, especially Yao. I think he's one of the best #5's out there, and maybe that's why I don't like Francis there. Houston will definitely have more offensive weapons, but Yao's development into a GREAT center will be further delayed.... IMO of course.

Just out of curiosity, how many FGA do you think Francis will get each game? Anywhere between 10-18 per?

Whose FGA is he taking from? T-Mac? Yao?


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## Block (Apr 22, 2007)

xray said:


> We're #1, Houston's #7.
> 
> Period. :biggrin:


Because expectations and rankings determine success am I right Mavs fans?


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

Block said:


> Because expectations and rankings determine success am I right Mavs fans?


That's a power ranking, not a perception based analogy. 

Computers don't have emotions. :biggrin:


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## jworth (Feb 17, 2006)

edwardcyh said:


> The biggest improvement will be Adelman. He's a great coach and picking him up is the best move by any team in this offseason.
> 
> Mike James and Scola.... how can anybody make any judgment on their pick up right now?
> 
> ...


Mike James is a quick point guard who can get up and down the floor and knock down the open jumper. That fits directly into Adelman's gameplan.

It wasn't a matter of Pop not wanting to keep Scola around in San Antonio. Pop never signed Scola because he didn't want to pay the luxury tax that would have come along with signing Scola. 

I don't believe Francis will further delay Yao's continual development. In fact, I see the addition of Francis being positive for Yao. Adelman will have Yao playing in the high post more often, and having a cutter like Francis will open up quite a bit of offense for Yao. Also, I'd rather have Francis taking those third-man shots than less-capable players such as Rafer Alston, Luther Head, Chuck Hayes, and Juwon Howard, who were Houston's main offensive options after McGrady and Yao last season. 

Yao and McGrady won't take all the shots (two players never do) and you need other guys who are capable of putting the ball in the basket at a high rate. Francis can do that; and James isn't too bad himself. 

Francis' track record may not show him being capable of being the third option in the past, but it does show humbling experiences that have likely changed his perspective on the court. Francis has plently of talent and I find it hard to believe that he signed with the expectation that he'll be the No. 1 option in Houston. The Rockets already have something working for them in Yao and T-Mac, and Francis will only add another piece to the puzzle.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

jworth said:


> Mike James is a quick point guard who can get up and down the floor and knock down the open jumper. That fits directly into Adelman's gameplan.


.... Once again, I can't make a judgment on that after James' most recent season.



jworth said:


> It wasn't a matter of Pop not wanting to keep Scola around in San Antonio. Pop never signed Scola because he didn't want to pay the luxury tax that would have come along with signing Scola.


You must be referring to the buying out of his Euroleague contract. Just a thought, if Scola is the player with that much promise, Pops would simply let him "sit" and play Robert Horry instead? People can talk about the buyout of his contract or what-not; there are obviously two sides to every story.



jworth said:


> I don't believe Francis will further delay Yao's continual development. In fact, I see the addition of Francis being positive for Yao. Adelman will have Yao playing in the high post more often, and having a cutter like Francis will open up quite a bit of offense for Yao. Also, I'd rather have Francis taking those third-man shots than less-capable players such as Rafer Alston, Luther Head, Chuck Hayes, and Juwon Howard, who were Houston's main offensive options after McGrady and Yao last season.
> 
> Yao and McGrady won't take all the shots (two players never do) and you need other guys who are capable of putting the ball in the basket at a high rate. Francis can do that; and James isn't too bad himself.
> 
> Francis' track record may not show him being capable of being the third option in the past, but it does show humbling experiences that have likely changed his perspective on the court. Francis has plently of talent and I find it hard to believe that he signed with the expectation that he'll be the No. 1 option in Houston. The Rockets already have something working for them in Yao and T-Mac, and Francis will only add another piece to the puzzle.


I really really really hope you are right. Rockets need to get rid of Rafer, and Francis will be a huge upgrade. Once again, I hope that upgrade doesn't come at a cost of downgrading at the #5.


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## jworth (Feb 17, 2006)

You make some good points, and only time will tell if everything comes together for Houston. I think it will, and a lot of that is because I believe Francis will work out very well. But honestly only time will tell.


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

I also think Dallas just became the worst team in Texas...Francis wont be a starter...hes now off the bench instant offense, and if the Rockets are behind in the 2nd and 4th quarters its the TMac and Francis show with Yao cleaning up any left over mess...


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## Jizzy (Aug 24, 2005)

Houston is stacked and San Antonio is still San Antonio. Dallas needs to step up to the curb quick. Teams are quickly learning how to play Dirk and make him ineffective. Resigning Stack and George isn't going to get it done.


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## Pimped Out (May 4, 2005)

the rockets still have to prove a lot before i put them before the mavs, suns, or spurs.


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

Pimped Out said:


> the rockets still have to prove a lot before i put them before the mavs, suns, or spurs.


I think it's the Mavs who have a lot to prove - maybe more pressure on them than after the finals...


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

xray said:


> I think it's the Mavs who have a lot to prove - maybe more pressure on them than after the finals...


the problem is now they have to prove it to themselves...the psyche of this team has got to be shattered...do they still believe they are one of the best teams in the league...


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

Dragnsmke1 said:


> the problem is now they have to prove it to themselves...the psyche of this team has got to be shattered...do they still believe they are one of the best teams in the league...


Maybe it would be easier to get them motivated if they won 47 games.


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

xray said:


> Maybe it would be easier to get them motivated if they won 47 games.


if they had won 47 games and bowed out in the 1st I could see where they could find the improvement...damn near 70 wins and no real offseason movement...thats just stagnant...


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

Dragnsmke1 said:


> if they had won 47 games and bowed out in the 1st I could see where they could find the improvement...damn near 70 wins and no real offseason movement...thats just stagnant...


...and that's where Mavs fans have been since the end of Game 6. We've been waiting for impactful (is that a word? :biggrin: ) movement, and the result thus far has been nothing. Maybe they're wanting to develop the talent already on the roster...

...and maybe Avery is just dying to raise that trophy next June, and say in front of the world that those Maverick fans out there who doubted,

*"This one's for you, baby!!"*


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

The only "movement" that I've seen is Cro not re-signed. He was the ONLY player playing with any sort of heart in the GSW series.

Speaking of Cro, is he going anywhere?


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

xray said:


> ...and that's where Mavs fans have been since the end of Game 6. We've been waiting for impactful (is that a word? :biggrin: ) movement, and the result thus far has been nothing. Maybe they're wanting to develop the talent already on the roster...
> 
> ...and maybe Avery is just dying to raise that trophy next June, and say in front of the world that those Maverick fans out there who doubted,
> 
> *"This one's for you, baby!!"*


trust me..I would love to be ousted as a doubter


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## Ninjatune (May 1, 2006)

edwardcyh said:


> The only "movement" that I've seen is Cro not re-signed. He was the ONLY player playing with any sort of heart in the GSW series.
> 
> Speaking of Cro, is he going anywhere?


Ugh, I sure hope he's going somewhere. He showed up to play in one game last year ( .vs Seattle ) and did nothing but dissapoint every other time. I'm so sick of us having a slow white boy for Dirks backup.


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## Jet (Jul 1, 2005)

Ninjatune said:


> Ugh, I sure hope he's going somewhere. He showed up to play in one game last year ( .vs Seattle ) and did nothing but dissapoint every other time. I'm so sick of us having a slow white boy for Dirks backup.


Yes, Im thinking the same thing. Anyways, I've always considered the Rockets to be a threat, but now with the Francis trade, on paper they may look better, but that doesnt show anything until it hits the floor


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Jet said:


> Yes, Im thinking the same thing. Anyways, I've always considered the Rockets to be a threat, but now with the Francis trade, on paper they may look better, but that doesnt show anything until it *hits the floor*


..... or the fan!


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