what is alston's deal? i saw him talkin on espn,something about getting into it with teammated,not playin,takin the yr off, i dont know,anyone catch this,i think he played ok,if i recall, have him run the point here,what do you guys think?
considering he's been playing well enough to get a 6 yr/$29M deal this offseason and i thought was doing well in toronto, i don't know where this came from. on the other hand, sam mitchell is starting to annoy the hell out of me, and i don't even watch toronto games. we're gonna play as a team no matter what and spread shots around. i'm gonna bench carter. i'm gonna bench woods and alston for getting technicals and then talk about embarrassing the team in front of 19,000 people and some other crap. i don't know exactly what happened with alston and woods outside of the techs, but for some reason i find this coaching style to be annoying. and it also doesn't seem to be the kind of strategy that works long term. maybe with a team of scrubs but ever using it with a real team doesn't seem to be a good idea. oh well, not like i care what happens to toronto so i hope they suck some more.
Wow, yeah. Looks like Toronto may need to make some changes, and fast. http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSun/Sports/2004/12/04/764803.html Raps unravelling ALSTON IN TEARS AND THREATENING TO PACK IT IN By STEVE BUFFERY, TORONTO SUN THE RAPTORS are a team on the verge of self-destructing, with their starting point guard threatening to quit and a furious head coach vowing to bench two starters. Following a 91-89 loss to the Boston Celtics at the FleetCenter last night -- a game the Raptors led well into the fourth quarter -- the Toronto dressing exploded into an atmosphere of anger and confusion. It all began late in the third quarter, with the Raptors ahead 68-62. Starting centre Loren Woods picked up a pair of fouls and, after Boston crept to within two points on the free throws, point guard Rafer Alston was issued a technical foul when he tossed the ball down the court. Woods was then issued a technical for mouthing off to the referees. At that point, head coach Sam Mitchell stood up and began yelling at the pair and assistant coach Jim Todd had to physically restrain him from getting in their face. After the game, an angry Mitchell vowed to bench the two for tonight's game in Cleveland and possibly beyond. Alston went one better, threatening to quit playing this season. "It's tough right now for me," Alston said, while fighting back tears. "I'm hurting so much inside. I'm going to talk to Sam. I'm going to talk to Rob (general manager Babcock). I think it's time. I'm tired of getting into it with my teammates. I'm tired of getting into it with coaches. I don't know if I'm a good fit for this team, I don't know if I'm a good fit for this league any more. "I'm going to take some time and I may just not even play any more the rest of the season." Alston, who signed a six-year contract worth between $25-$30 million US as a free-agent during the off-season, suggested that there are problems in the Raptors dressing room, pointing out that his previous team, the Miami Heat, was much closer, always there for each other. "My mother didn't raise me to be this way and I'm not going to continue to embarrass myself," he said. "I'm not going to continue to embarrass my family and carry their name on my back every night and everybody's looking at Alston on my back and saying: 'He's an a--hole. He's a problem.' "I'm not doing it any more. This is my fourth team and the only time I've really had fun was last year when I was on a team with a bunch of people where we just played hard together, we enjoyed being around together, and we didn't worry about who shot the ball. Even when we had an off night, the guys still pulled for each other. I'm tired of looking like the bad apple in the tree. I'm looking like the bad guy, and it's not right." Woods, for his part, said he deserves to be benched tonight and expressed remorse for his actions on the court. "That's what I fully expect," he said. "I was very immature out there and probably cost my team the win." Mitchell didn't disagree. "It really hampered the way we coached the game because we could have used them both," he said. "I can't accept that. You're not going to conduct yourself like that in front of (more than 15,000) people, your teammates and the coaching staff."
Saw the game. I have to say, the Raptors coach overreacted to those two technicals. Alston was just having a bad shooting night. It's a symptom of a greater problem. The Raptors are in trouble, because the players don't get along and know that the roster is in for a major overhaul. They don't have anyone that could pass as a franchise player, and have no depth. Their only player who can man the center position is Loren Woods.
He's not r****ded. The situation is so bad, that he doesn't care about giving up that money. Of course I don't really expect him to walk away from the money, he was just emotional during that interview.
I love reading Mitchell's comments during the AP gamers. He just doesn't care, and his riff on Stephon Marbury was particularly entertaining.
We should take advantage of this opportunity (after Dec. 15): Houston trades: PG Reece Gaines (2.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 1.0 apg in 15.0 minutes) PF Juwan Howard (7.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 0.5 apg in 19.6 minutes) PG Charlie Ward (5.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.2 apg in 27.2 minutes) Houston receives: PG Rafer Alston (14.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 6.6 apg in 32.9 minutes) PF Donyell Marshall (8.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 0.8 apg in 20.8 minutes) Change in team outlook: +7.2 ppg, +1.6 rpg, and +2.7 apg. Toronto trades: PG Rafer Alston (14.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 6.6 apg in 32.9 minutes) PF Donyell Marshall (8.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 0.8 apg in 20.8 minutes) Toronto receives: PG Reece Gaines (2.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 1.0 apg in 15.0 minutes) PF Juwan Howard (7.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 0.5 apg in 19.6 minutes) PG Charlie Ward (5.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.2 apg in 27.2 minutes) Change in team outlook: -7.2 ppg, -1.6 rpg, and -2.7 apg. TRADE ACCEPTED Due to Houston and Toronto being over the cap, the 15% trade rule is invoked. Houston and Toronto had to be no more than 115% plus $100,000 of the salary given out for the trade to be accepted, which did happen here. This trade satisfies the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1938303 BOSTON -- Toronto Raptors coach Sam Mitchell benched Loren Woods and Rafer Alston after each was charged with technical fouls against the Boston Celtics on Friday night, and Alston said he might not want to come back at all. "We were playing well, moving the ball, and we had semi-control of the game. Then two of our players' immaturity showed up," Mitchell said after the 91-89 loss at Boston. "I didn't even want to look at them. It was inexcusable how they conducted themselves." Toronto led by nine points at the start of the third, but Boston had cut it to six when Woods was called for two quick fouls in the final two minutes of the quarter. Alston objected by throwing the ball downcourt, resulting in the first technical. Woods chimed in and got a technical of his own. Paul Pierce made just one of the technical foul shots, but Boston continued to close the gap and took the lead early in the fourth, with Alston and Woods out of the game. "We could have used them both, but I wasn't going to let either one of them back in the game," Mitchell said. "These guys cannot conduct themselves like that in front of 19,000 people and get rewarded by playing. You cannot do your coaches and teammates like that." Woods was repentant, saying, "I let the emotions get the best of me. I lost it, and I lost the game for us." But Alston said he wanted to take some time to think about his career. "It's tough right now for me," he said. "I'm going to talk to Sam and [general manager Rob Babcock]. I think it's time. I'm tired of getting into it with my teammates and my coaches. I don't know if I'm a good fit for this team and I don't know if I'm a good fit for this league. "I'm going to take some time off. I might not even play the rest of the season." Mitchell said neither would start Saturday's game against Cleveland, "without a doubt." "I don't know when they will be back in," the coach said. "We are supposed to be professionals. Nobody has the right to do that in a close game. They embarrassed themselves and the Toronto Raptors."
OK, so Alston isn't called for any fouls, gets pissed off because he is upset and chucks a ball. He's then benched for being immature and says he might "take his ball and go home". And everyone here is DEFENDING him? What the hell? Did I miss something? Look at how Woods handled the benching. That's being a man and sacking up. Then again, I'm not an Alston fan. I hate the "street ball" type of basketball and that junk.
How about rafer alston/woods? ESPN.com reports that both rafer alston and woods were benched by raptors coach sam mitchell for inappropriate behavior. We could use alston's pg skills, and woods's athleticism on our lineup. I see wood's as a poor man's chris bosh. In my estimation, Woods could make a better 4 than both MoT and Juwan Howard. So how about a tyronne lue, and Juwan Howard (the consummate gentleman) deal for alston and woods? http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1938303
I would take that deal because of woods atheltic ability. Alston is a good point with good shooting range and would be a good backup to Sura.
Look, we don't know what's going on in that team's locker room. Alston might have legitimate gripes. You know that the only reason that King Carter is still there is because the Raptors need to get back a player that can fill seats, or a very high draft pick and cap relief. I do know we could use a good point guard. Whether Alston is that player.....????
