I understand your question perfectly, I just don't have the right answer for it, or I would call CD. We are not talking about how cheap Sura's contract is, nor is him a bad player. He is just not a starter in this league, especially for a team like us, gearing up to be a contender in a couple of years. Sura cannot run a half court offense, he is not a good on ball defender, he is terrible at controlling the tempo of the game, his ball handling skill is average to say the best. All of above are the critical elecments we need for a PG. Sura is like Joh Barry, a great energy player off the bench with 10 to 15 minutes. Like with JJ, if we rely on them for 35+ minutes, we get a problem, that's why we are where we are, ~.500. I don't know who can fill our PG role since I haven't be able to follow NBA games much besides the Rockets, but I'm sure there are quite a few out there. It's a matter of finding them, or develop them. CD & JVG just need to get their ass up, go to work.
With Yao and T Mac being so passive this team needed a fiery and scrappy player that has many dimensions to his game like Bobby Sura. Add Barry and it balances out the personality of this team and Sura's heart (playing injured) has got to be an inspiration to the whole team and his jumper is getting better and better. This is McGrady's team and not Yao's at this time so maybe (if?)Sura doesn't just wanna lob the ball into Yao every time upcourt as matter of routine and would prefer to only get the ball to Yao when he's deep in the low post with good position and search for better scoring options it would make the team less predictable. I love Sura and think he's been a great acquisition for the Rockets and wish him the best healthwise with his knee. Dude is a total positive IMHO
to me it is just ridiculous how many "fans" on this board just care how yao does. you know what its very important to me that yao does well because for the sake of the team he has to be effective in the low post but some asian fans on here just piss me off. if you want yao only to do well instead of caring about how the team does, then keep your comments off this board because we dont need you. clutchcity and now clutchfans has been here way before yao arrived and was doing just fine and will continue with or without you.
I have been out of town, so my response is a bit late, but I love Sura's game. He has "edge." Tough, hard-nosed, all-out, certain to be a fan favorite. He is not a polished point guard, and may not start on most teams; however, for right now, he is doing his job. He is doing his best to prove that he deserves to start.
I have to agree to some extent OP is right, from time to time, I saw Sura ignored not only Yao, but also TMac. You can say he gives 100%, but for what, to pad his own stats? So that should never be an argument to say someone is not selfish because of that. Think about the game with Lakers, Rockets down by 5 or 6 with 10+ some seconds left, instead of forcing a 3pointer, or just passing to TMac, he went for an easy 2 for himself. Don't tell me Sura wasn't in the game with Spurs to see what TMac can do to save our azz. And that's not just one game. There is no doubt in my mind he is either selfish or over estimated by himself. He is not the answer @ 1.
Sura's problem is, when Yao sets a pick for him, he never passes the ball to Yao even though Yao is open. And that is what I don't like.
Watch the whole play. Sura is running a play designed by JVG. Yao never even looks Sura's way when he's open because he will set a backpick to get Mcgrady free coming around the baseline. They run that play numerous times. again, look at the NY player #5... Mcgrady is blocked out by him in that pic and about to run around and along the baseline and Yao will drop down and pick NY player #5(Mcgradys man) and spring Mcgrady free.
I've seen that play numerous times also. The differemce between a guy like Sura who will try to run that play to the hilt, and a natural PG like Nash is that even if Yao is more open, Sura will continue on with the play. A natural PG like Nash would probaly improvise and just dump it to Yao if he's wide open. I don't necesarily think Sura is doing anything wrong on htis play, I'd rather have a guy stick with the play than freelance if he doesn't have the skill or ability to improvise. very few players in the leauge can do that ocnsistently, Bron and Nash come to mind. Hard to criticize Sura's decisonmaking on this one, you just wish he could see thefloor better, but if the had that ability, he wouldn't be getting paid his current salary
It would be interesting to compare the Rockets' record before and after Sura returned from his injury (does someone have this stat?). I would bet that the record since Sura's return is well above .500. I think he's been terrific. He's brought the energy level, hard-nosed play, and work ethic that the team had been lacking. BTW I remember a thread from a couple of weeks ago about how Sura couldn't shoot the three. It's interesting that after that thread was started, he started knocking them down (What's his 3-pt percentage over the past two weeks?). He seems to be answering his critics quite well.
Hotballa- but that play, Yao never even looks back Sura's way. He always has his back to him because its hist job(on that play) to drop down and pick off Mcgrady's man down low. This delusion thats building with some of these guys that Sura is selfish, this myth is so absolutely false, so totally unjustified - It makes me sick. Its sad that some of the YOF are looking for **** and seeing what they want to see and not the actual fact of things. To say Sura is selfish, or doesn't like Yao, is so unjustified it really does uncover some things, and tells you what really is going on with some of these so-called fans. But this is the same paranoia that went on when Francis was here and when Lue was our point guard and Ward and now its Suras turn.
oh I agree, Yao doesnt look his way at all, I'm just saying that were it a real good natural PG at that spot, the other players would know to keepo their eyes on the ball as often as possible because the PG might see something open at any moment. Sura is playing out of position, just like Franchise did. As a result, people tend to exxagerate his shortcomings. I personally dont like him as a player, but in all honesty, he has played pretty well tihs season, and has done a decent job at PG. Him being labeled selfish is a combo of him not having a PG's view of the floor, and some certian people's tendency to look for a scapegoat on the team.
http://s16.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2KSLQDNT8FRAD0ZQS9W0S0MIL3 I have seen tons of plays like this one, and IIRC, Yao has never received a pass from Sura after a pick and roll. It seems that Sura doesn't really know how to pick and roll in a right way. Whenever he comes off a pick, he either keepes dribbling and dribbling to the other side or passes the ball to another player, rarely rarely passes the ball to the open pick. Though I do think Sura is a very good role player, he still isn't a good pg.
We have all seen what happens why you try to lead Yao with a pass. You can't throw lead pases to Yao, they end up as turnovers.
I randomly picked a play. No matter if it ended up with a 3 pointer or not, it will not change the fact that Sura doesn't play pick and roll in the right way. Let's wait and see what will happen when every other teams find out that Sura NEVER passes the ball to Yao after every pick&roll.
