There are many who believe that is Yao Ming and the Houston Rockets are to flourish Steve Francis will have to be in another uniform.

Francis has heard it all before, from the media and from the fans.  He has been labelled selfish, someone who doesn't pass enough.  He has had his disagreements with his coach Jeff Van Gundy this season too, but if you ask Van Gundy the critisisms against Francis are unwarranted.

Francis has been the key to the Rockets this post season, recording a triple double in Game 3 in Los Angeles before registering 27 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in Houston's win Friday, pulling his team within one game down two games to one.

"I'm not really a big statistics guy with him," Van Gundy said. "I think he's done a good job involving his teammates. When Steve shoots he gets criticized, when he passes he gets criticized. People talk about his scoring numbers going down; at the same time, they talk about he should pass more. Well, if you pass more you're going to shoot less.

"You can't get caught up in how people perceive you, other than if your team wins you're going to be perceived well and if you don't win you're not going to be perceived well.

"I think Steve's done a good job all year making sure we have five guys in double figures."

Francis was animated as well, hopping around and pounding his chest.

"As far as our team in general, not Steve particularly, I think emotion and passion is good," Van Gundy said. "I think if you get emotionally drunk, it's bad. I think in general, what's more important than emotion is belief, intensity, concentration, discipline and poise."