Statistic			LEAGUE RANK		ROOKIE RANK		TEAM RANK
			Francis	Brand	Francis	Brand	Francis	Brand
Games	72	75					3rd	1st
Started	72	74					2nd	1st
MPG	35.7	36.7	37th	29th	3rd	1st	1st	1st
PPG	18.1	19.5	29th	22nd	2nd	1st	1st	1st
TO	3.9	2.8					1st	1st
BPG	0.35	1.60	-	22nd	7th	1st	7th	1st
SPG	1.54	0.83	20th	-	3rd	11th	1st	5th
APG	6.5	1.8	16th	-	1st	13	1st	8th
OFF. REB	1.9	4.3					3rd	1st
DEF. REB	3.2	5.7					8th	1st
TOTAL	5.1	9.9	-	6th	6th	1st	6th	1st
FG %	44.6	47.6					8th	1st
FT%	79.4	67.4					6th	10th

Odom: The Next Magic?
The season began with Lamar Odom being hailed as the next Magic Johnson and more. He was doing it all for the Clippers. Scoring, rebounding, blocking shots all the way to the cheap seats, and handing out assists. Every game, he was a triple double waiting to happen. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that he would win rookie of the year come season's end.

On the other hand, we had our little Stevie. He was getting torched by every single star PG in the league. In his first game out, Sam Cassell lit him up for 35 points. Sam was civil about it, but we all knew what he was thinking. "This kid can do nothing but talk." There were others. Gary Payton showed Steve a thing or two about talking trash. Shoot, he taught him some on the basketball court too. The guys over at Vancouver were sure as hell enjoying it. They thought they had left us with a guy who would never amount to much due to his character. He would break nothing but turnover and trash-talking records...

In Chicago, there was Elton Brand. From day one, experts all over the country were doubting this one. As the season began, many of the guys over at the Clutch BBS couldn't help but laugh. The dynasty had ended and their rookie was a bust. Brand was putting up decent numbers, but nothing special. Already, this kid was regarded as one of the biggest mistakes made in the draft.

Elton Brand: No matter what happens, he'll be there
Brand has had a great rookie season. His numbers have reached the same level as guys like Chris Webber and Shawn Kemp. Heck, sometimes he even beats those guys when they play against each other.

Brand is everything the Bulls have. Other than him, they've got nothing. They brought Matt Maloney back into the NBA, for crying out loud! He's the only positive point the Bulls have had all season. Unlike Lamar Odom, he doesn't lash out due to the Bulls losing ways. Patience is one of his greatest virtues. He knows the Bulls will get better, and he also realizes it will take some time. He's not your usual NBA player...he's willing to wait for glory. Believe, if he gets what he deserves, he'll retire with a ring or two. Hopefully, the Bulls will be stupid enough to trade him...I've had enough of the Bulls winning it all.

Steve puts on a show
By December, though, Francis had settled down. The turnovers had gone down and he was putting up some amazing numbers. Close to a triple double several times, he became the team leader when Charles Barkley went down on that fateful December 8 game against the Sixers. Fortunately, Charles had given his lessons well. Steve was ready for the challenge and he stepped up. Big time. By the end of the December, he was named rookie of the month.

The guy is simply amazing to watch. He is constantly competing with guys like Vince Carter for time on the ESPN highlights show. Always showing up for the big games, Steve has become the media's darling.

Brand starts to put up solid numbers
The entire NBA called him a bust. People in Chicago were losing faith. But not Elton Brand. He always knew he had it in him to become a star in this league. All he needed was time. Slowly but surely, he began to show the league what he was all about.

These days Brand almost averages a double-double. In Chicago, he gives the people hope. Some believe that soon the Bulls will once again achieve glory. With Elton Brand at the helm, it is not out of the question.

Head to Head: Who wins it?
Both these guys are having great impacts on their team. However, the league is going to have to make a choice by the end of this year. Barring an award for both these guys (like in 1995 with Jason Kidd and Grant Hill), one guy is going to walk away disappointed.

By looking at the stats, you'd say that both of these guys should win it. They are just too damn close. Elton averages 20 points and 10 boards a game. Steve averages 19 points, 5 boards, and 6.5 assists. There is no clear winner here.

However, we all know it's a little harder than that.

Steve Franchise: Highlights R Us
Stevie Wonder had been just that...a wonder. The guy never ceases to amaze me. I just can't believe that, on top of everything, he still manages to stay humble and willing to improve. When he first came, I thought he would be like Allen Iverson. Undeniable talent but a head case. Boy, did he prove me wrong. He can be a bit cocky, but he is a class act and a future All-Star.

Brand, though, has the right to try and do it all. Ron Artest is the only other decent player on the team, and he only averages 12 points a game. Granted, the #1 pick has been doing a terrific job, but he does have a lot of freedom. Francis, due to the facts that he's a point guard and has other good players on the squad, has had to learn how to pass the ball. Something he wasn't really used to in college. His average of almost 7 assists per game serves as limited proof of his unselfishness. Watch him on the court, and one can see what a great relationship he has developed with the other guys on the roster.

Brand has also had the time to learn. The Bulls, being out of contention from the very beginning, could afford having Brand playing badly. Francis, though, had the pressure on him from almost the very beginning. He displayed great character by taking over the team like a true leader once our two superstars went down.

Steve always shows up for the big games, and has shown several point guards around the league that he is a force to be reckoned with. Against Vancouver, he was always ready to step up to the challenge. Almost torching the Grizzlies for a triple-double, he took Canada by storm in his first game back. Against the elite point guards, such as Jason Kidd and Gary Payton, he has proven that he can walk the walk as well talk the talk.

Who will win: Steve Francis. Why? Even though both of these guys deserve this one, Steve has one vital advantage. Steve has personality (and the moves to go with it). When you have a close race like this one, the voters usually go for the media darling. Against the Jazz on NBC, we sure saw it. Every time Stockton flopped, the announcers weren't afraid to say it. They praised Franchise until even some of the Rocket fans grew tired. Hell, it might not be right, but at least we're finally getting some overdue respect.

Who should win: Steve Francis. The man is the heart and soul of this team, and all our hopes rest on his shoulders. He led us to an amazing record considering the circumstances. Who would have guessed that the Rockets had a mathematical chance to make the playoffs so late into the season having both Barkley and Hakeem Olajuwon on the bench?

There you have it, folks. If it goes my way, Stevie will end up as ROY.

Francis has now established himself as one of the better point guards in the league. Teams are now fearing the Rockets' point guards, which is a strange thought. This is one of the few times in Rockets history where the opposing team is willing to double team Francis to try and stop him. This makes his accomplishments all the more impressive. While Francis' team is actually competing against the opposition, Brand is often not double- teamed and allowed to score at will, seeing that the Bulls almost never a challenge. Francis has to turn it up to the next level, and often he has done just that. The stats are similar, but Francis has had to work much harder to achieve those stats. Having almost everyone against him, Steve has come out and shown his true winning spirit.

As many have said, Steve is always solid, but sometimes he's just spectacular. Brand, on the other hand, rarely makes the eye-popping play or has a big game against the big boys.