Re: With smart management, how long would it take for Knicks to get go
Aces:
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Steve Francis is ready to take it to the next level in his career. That guy has more heart than any basketball player i've ever seen. I sure wish we had him back in Houston.
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Steve Francis? Huh? Just cause he played through some weird migraine [censored] doesn't make him a player with heart and desire to win.
SN Article from Jan. 06:
Remember when Jeff Van Gundy went to Houston in 2003 and told Francis that the old isolation game wasn't going to work anymore? Francis averaged just 16.6 points and shot 40.3 percent that year. And he pouted. He was shipped to Orlando that summer.
Francis posted good numbers last year, but in general, his time in Orlando has been marked by disappointment, and his immaturity has been increasingly revealed. He pouted, nearly in tears, when Mobley was traded last year. From 2002-2005, he led the league in technical fouls -- he often puts whining at referees after missed shots ahead of getting back on defense. He bristled at the notion of being moved to shooting guard this year, despite the fact that he clearly does not have the court vision to be a point guard. He seems resentful at the increase in minutes and fourth-quarter opportunities given to Jameer Nelson.
Francis seems to have taken the New Year as a chance to play lazy. He is passing up shots. He is averaging 11.8 points, 4.4 assists and 4.8 turnovers in 2006, while shooting 34 percent from the field. That is pretty detrimental to the team.
-Al
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