Still waiting for Franchise…(Photo. Gary Land)
Just one game on the NBA schedule yesterday, a back-and-forth contest between the Rockets and Mavs that had a little playoff atmosphere going. With no one outside of the Big Two putting in work for Houston and with Dallas’ home-court advantage, it was one of those games where T-Mac would’ve had to put up 40-something for his squad to win. This wasn’t that night, though, because his shot wasn’t falling. Mac is capable of having monster nights that are still efficient; this time it took him 20 shots before reaching the 20-point mark, and he ended up jacking 31 times to end up with 35 points … Key fourth-quarter sequence: Luis Scola left Dirk (19 pts) wide open on the wing for a three, and after Rick Adelman pulled Scola on the ensuing dead ball, Shane Battier and Skip misplayed a pick-and-roll and left Dirk wide open again for a midrange J … On that open three, Josh Howard turned his ankle but stayed in the game. You know he’s in some serious pain this morning. The Mavs don’t play again until Thursday, though, so he’s got time to recover … You might have seen Dallas starting J.J. Barea and Eddie Jones (who officially looks old now) and questioned whether they’re really a legit contender. But with Jason Terry (31 pts) coming off the bench playing like he’s possessed and knowing that Devin Harris is on the way back, they’ll be fine. In the meantime, Howard’s ability to create his own shot is crucial. He’s one of the few guys on that team who can do it regularly … Jerry Stackhouse also had a big couple of plays late in the fourth, sticking a three from straightaway, then hitting DeSagana Diop on a drive-and-dish. Diop scored 10, which for someone who’s been a starter for the last couple of years, is amazingly his career high. Said the play-by-play guy: “A career-high with TEN points!” He said it like it was Dirk scoring 50 … Still no PT for Steve Francis. We smell a trade. Or least a trade demand coming soon … Who told NBA TV that the super-annoying counting down of the shot clock was a good idea? It makes their broadcasts almost hard to watch. You want every team to play like the Suns just so you don’t have to hear it … After playing next to Yao for three years, Juwan Howard should know that playing D on the big fella with your chin isn’t gonna work … Uncomfortably funny segment where Stackhouse did a (slightly offensive) impression of Barea, then capped it with, “I don’t know what you’re talking about! Just give me the damn ball, J.J.!” … One of the guys who’s sparked the most debate in the office during our “Hall of Fame Watch” series has been Robert Horry. The majority of us felt Big Shot Rob’s seven rings and clutch shots weren’t enough to get him into the Hall considering all the other factors working against him. But when we put Horry’s H.O.F. resume in front of you all yesterday, most of you felt Horry was a lock to get in … Over the weekend, some of the Dime crew was in Miami for the launch of the Dwyane Wade’s signature WADE 3 kicks, which Converse celebrated with the first of its “Open Run” series — basically a day of pickup ball, music, food, free sneakers and an appearance by D-Wade himself. Click here to see how Dime and Converse turned out the Overtown Youth Center in MIA … Something we’ve noticed during this first week of NBA games: Isn’t it crazy how Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s presence at a Lakers game won’t even get a TV mention anymore, yet if Mike were at a Bobcats game they’d show him every dead ball? Bill Russell was at the Sonics/Suns game the other night, and as far as we know he never got a mention, even when the cameras showed Russell talking to Seattle’s owner. Yet Eva Longoria or Kid Rock shows up to a game and you can’t escape their face. That ain’t right … College ball is officially underway, and national-title favorite Memphis got it started by hammering Tennessee-Martin. Super-frosh Derrick Rose (Sacramento’s PG next year?) put up 17 points and 5 assists, while Chris Douglas-Roberts went for 28 points … On DimeMag.com the start of the college season means we’re cranking up our NCAA content for the next couple weeks, including our Players 2 Watch and conference previews. Yesterday we featured UCLA’s Darren Collison and Wyoming PG Brandon Ewing breaking down the Mountain West Conference … Did you see Ray Lewis‘ post-game interview after the Steelers spanked the Ravens? Baltimore’s awful offense has finally driven Ray over the edge … We’re out like the rest of the Rockets …
November 6th, 2007 at 7:03 am
knoc says:
That was a game where Francis’ scoring could have been used. Hopefully he gets in the rotation soon.
November 6th, 2007 at 7:22 am
Ashto says:
Francis is washed out.
Wont get decent playing time ever again…
November 6th, 2007 at 7:52 am
Keith says:
I bet Francis feels a migraine coming on. I think Houston has the talent to contend for the WC, but they have a lot of gelling to do before the playoffs arrive. Another first round exit for Mac won’t be pretty.
November 6th, 2007 at 8:05 am
Amar says:
they have good meds for migraines up in Vancouver, with the universal health care and lax rules on smokin’ up . . . he might have liked it there, but he was too much of a bitch to give it a shot . . .
November 6th, 2007 at 8:06 am
Gee says:
Roooooocckkkeeeeeetsss! It’s all time. Rockets will do much better this year. I have to give it to Dallas though. When you got Terry coming off the BENCH and he droppin TWENTY! That is pretty nice! I like the rotation Dallas has going now specially as they go on. Still I love watching my Roooooooccckkkeeetttsss! Houston has to do something official at the pg though. Francis should be to Houston what Terry is to Dallas. Like Al Green said….”Somethings going wrong” .
November 6th, 2007 at 8:55 am
K8 says:
i didn’t see the game. how did Barea look?
November 6th, 2007 at 9:12 am
Brown says:
@ Ashto:
You mean “washed up” right?
I don’t blame the Rockets for not playing Francis, I blame Stevie for signing with a team that was seriously overstocked at the 1 and 2 spots to begin with. Did he honestly think he was going to get significant PT there? He can sook all he wants (which has been his M.O. since entering the league), but it’s his own stupid fault for signing with Houston in the first place. He should’ve went to Cleveland or Sacramento, or maybe even Miami. Before he demands a trade or asks for a release, he should fire his agent for putting him in this predicament.
November 6th, 2007 at 10:52 am
Bron42 says:
the guy just owned in college and u really think he wanted to go to crap ass vancouver? please lol. And i wouldnt say hes washed up, he had some moments last year with the knicks that showed he could still play. I dunno about for 82 games. They should trade him to the kings for mikki moore and pic, but the $$$ dont match up. And ya his agent is a idiot. Even video games have a roster mode where you can see what team has more than enough point guards, yet he has his client go to a team that has 3 already with the same exact style.
November 6th, 2007 at 10:58 am
Duke says:
The Kings should try to get Francis.
November 6th, 2007 at 11:00 am
Bron42 says:
and you guys def didnt do pooh rose justice in his first college game. Derrick had a sick putback dunk and pinned a shot on the fast break. Not bad for someone 6′2
November 6th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
mjax says:
I agree with you Amar. I lost respect for steve when he turned down the Grizzlies draft, like he was the next coming. His career has been up an down ever since. Just not a smart guy, he continues to go to teams that have 4-6 guards and then wants minutes. If he’s that nice, go to a team whose thin in the guard area and help them get over the top. If I am Rick Adelman, steve won’t ever see the court, what’s he gonna bring that Mike James doesn’t? Ship him to Sac, Toronto, or Cleveland.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
Bron42 says:
Franchise is more athletic and has a better resume than mike james. But ya, he needs to think about where he goes. Toronto has pgs already. Cleveland can use him, the heat maybe, celtics maybe, kings def.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
T.M.P.B.W.O.T.P. says:
Francis did the same thing John Elway did coming out of college, but no one ever talks bad about Elway. What’s that all about? Hmmmm….
November 6th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Amar says:
Bron42 — the point of the draft is that the worst teams get better by drafting the best players (orlando + shaq + penny = finals, remember that?). i know that you don’t know more than the UN, they usually rank vancouver as one of the top cities to live in, in the entire world . . . they were a crappy bball team partly because the guy they drafted to be their first option (to run with a young SAR and Bibby) felt the same way you do. you’re a simple minded fool.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Bobby B says:
@ Bron42:
“crap ass vancouver?”
Are you fucking serious? Obviously you’ve never been to Vancouver. I doubt you’ve even been out of North America. As Amar pointed out, Vancouver is one of the top cities to live in; in addition, the ladies are smoking, and BC hydro is some of the best you’ll ever smoke. What more could you want? And, you know Francis would have gotten mad tick if he would have played for the Grizzlies. You have to pay your dues before you start demanding who you want to play for. Francis was just being a bitch.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Bron42 says:
lol you seriously called me a simple minded fool for not liking vancouver? who even says simple minded fool? are you like a evil super villian or something? The team sucked cuz you guys are all idiots and draft guys like bryant reeves, mike dickerson, and guys who dont wanna play there. do a fuckin scouting report before you draft a guy. The guy was used to winning in college and didn’t wanna go to your crap ass team. So what, sue him. How many guys with good careers wanna go to bad teams? Like I said before and T.M.P said, Elway and a bunch of other guys did it, but no ones rippin them.
So because the UN says vancouver is cool, everyones supposed to live there or automatically like it? And since francis was sooo wrong about vancouver, umm…what happen to your basketball team? oh ya, its bitch ass fans couldnt support it so they left and now continue to suck in memphis. So stick to hockey, go plan to take over niagra falls and save your super villian catch phrases while us basketball players talk basketball.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
Bron42 says:
lol and because I don’t like vancouver, i’ve suddenly never been out the country? where do you get these posters dime? lol, I’ve been all over canada, and the place still blows. I even ran a basketball camp in montreal so ya, i have alil idea about how canada goes. I’ve also lived in NYC, Vegas, japan, florida. So if you think i’m gonna hype up vancouver because of “smokin girls and hydro” like noooo other place in the world has that, gimme a fuckin break. Havn’t you ever see girls in cali? My girl right now is PR and hawiian, you think i’m worried about some pale ass canadian chick? He payed his dues in college, and didnt wanna play for your team. so what. still got tons of tick and tons of hype with the rockets, dunk contest 2nd place, co rookie of the year, etc…So sounds to me like you need to ice ya nuts and calm down. It would be one thing if he sucked like the giants QB when he demanded the trade.
November 6th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Coldchain says:
Don’t act like it was Francis’ fault the Grizzlies folded. It could have something to do with you guys picking BIG COUNTRY with your first-ever draft pick. And I think those ugly-ass uniforms played a part. What free agent would sign up to lose a lot of games AND look ugly doing it? What fans wanna look at that ugly court 41 times a year? I don’t like all the whiny-ass Toronto fans on here, but at least they were able to support their team and survive the losing and clown uniforms.
November 6th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
nick says:
nah it has to do with the cheap ass owner of the grizz. he would only ever give mle so once he got to memphis he realized he actually had to pay players max deals to keep them. but picking big country is a huge reason as well.
November 6th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
Kudabeen says:
Off Topic:
Great Article from ESPNmag on KG in 2002. Love this dude…
http://espn.go.com/magazine/palmer_20020715.html