If I was a paying customer to Friday's Chicago Bulls vs. Orlando Magic game, I'd be pissed. After the first few minutes, Orlando stopped trying to play. They should have just forfeited the game. If I was a GM, I wouldn't pay Steve Francis ne' Stevie Franchise what he thinks he's worth; he just isn't that good at team basketball. The Houston Rockets with Francis never even went to the playoffs until they drafted Yao Ming; Houston is in the playoffs again this year, but Orlando isn't. Hmmmm.
Even the usually dense Bulls announcers noticed how few touches in the post Dwight Howard got; “Three touches, three scores - why don't they give him the ball more? We watched Yao Ming's first year, where the pattern was the same.”
In other words, Faux-franchise Francis is more worried about his own shots than setting up teammates, especially teammates who might consistently score 20 and grab 10 boards nightly.
I also watched the Philadelphia 76ers on my other TiVo receiver; and as GM, I'd keep Allen Iverson. What a little speed demon! AI is basically my size, and none of the giants on the floor can stop him from getting right to the rim, over and over. If Chris Webber could only pass a few more times per game to a wide-open Korver, the Sixers have a chance. For my own amusement, these are the two teams I'd most like to see play in the Easter Conference Finals, unlikely as it may be (especially since I think they will end up in the same bracket).
Detroit & Miami are the teams that will most likely emerge, but I'm starting to light my voodoo candles already.
{NBA}
