How bad does Rafer and JLIII have to play before you think VSpan deserves a shot?

I think Vspan was just saying that his importance to his Greek team is equivalent to how important Tmac is to the Rockets.

In my opinion, I don't think it would hurt to give Vspan consistent minutes in the rotation since management wants Vspan to be part of the Rockets team in future. Why not develop him now and give him some oncourt experience.

Yao in his first couple of years had to go through some rough times, but I think without the confidence Rudy-T and Van Gundy showed in him, and allowing Yao to play through mistakes and hardship, he wouldn't be the player that he is now.

 

Speaking up on his part was stupid. You also can't compare stats of someone that plays spots minutes and one that plays 40 a game. Players need at least a few minutes to get into the grove. So if Vspan doesn't even get enough minutes to warm up, how do you expect him to perform?

 

From Dec 22 to Jan 12 Rafer played 358 minutes in 10 games and shot 47 of 153 or 30.7% - his slump.

From Dec. 15 to Dec 26th he played 6 games, 237 minutes, and had 25 to's. Or 1 every 9.5 minutes.

Vspan's TO's had a large number of palming calls - which are correctable, and hot passes to not ready teammates - which are correctable. Rafer when he has these bad streaks has a lot of bad passes in traffic which I am sure the coaching staff then concentrates on with him to correct.

Vspan was complimented on his D on Arenas by Van Gundy. V was doing a good job of slowing zero down - I saw it. As others have commented Rafer either cannot or will not do the things V does on D. I have never seen Rafer take a charge. I did see him grab the shirt of the guy a step past him going to the rim. I think the ref did too.

This could all be solved with 2-3 weeks in the nbadl - either V begins to produce with solid minutes or he proves JVG right.

 

Good point also concerning Novak and the people who don't think he can shoot - he goes in for 2 minutes, takes 1 shot and misses. These add up over a month and then these people say - hey he can't shoot at game time!

 

i agree, if jvg isnt going to play span at least send him to the d-league. this would do 2 things: sends a message that vspan isnt ready, and give him an opportunity to show what he's got or flame out. if jvg is really that stubborn to think the d-league is useless, then he is just inhibiting vspan from ever getting an opportunity to show what he can do in an actual game. on the other hand, if he doesn't want to send vspan to the d-league because he thinks vspan learns more practicing with the team, then he clearly wants vspan on board and learning the gameplan. if that is the case, surely jvg realizes that actual game experience is FAR more valuable than practice. he can't have it both ways; wanting vspan to learn, but not putting him in a position to learn anything meaningful.

 

That's all speculation. What makes you so sure that VSpan is killing JL3 in practice? Who's the one thats getting playing time? For all we know, JL3 could be the one sticking it to VSpan. Heck, Rafer could be the one killing the other PGs in practice. The thing is, we don't know unless we are actually there. You say JL3 is too small to guard VSpan, well, JL3 is too fast for VSpan. I guess they cancle each other out as they can't guard each other. Anyways, to say VSpan should be playing because he "Sticks" it to JL3 in practice is a weak arguement for giving VSpan more time.

 

And you must know nothing about sarcasm. While it's true that a bad shot is better than not taking a shot at all (turnover), when you start stringing together 10-20 bad shots per game, you might as well just forfeit the game and stop wasting the fans time and money.

 

I have to agree. I like Vspan, but his crying to the media is premature and out of line, and not conducive to getting playing time. I hope it doesn't ruin the relationship and further his sitting out, but knowing JVG, I think it will, and it's hard to blame him... especially considering how Vspan has made use of the minutes he's gotten (which are too few imho, but again, crying in the media won't fix that).

As with most things, this he-said-"v"-said stuff is probably a pair of combination of truths, but again, calling everyone out and saying the things he did will not help things... and I'm not sure that it should.

Too bad... I like Vspan, and I think, while he's a bit of a wild one, with some streamlining he could be a good part of the team. As it is... we're doing too well for them to care what he thinks the problem is if he's going to act like that. What a shame...

He states in the comments that "now he knows what it's like in the NBA" but I think the learning has just begun. Maybe this will show him something he doesn't know about the NBA... or didn't before he said all that. He's making enough money that he should be able to put the team first and not be questioning the entire organization whether he is happy with the situation or not. He basically called them all out, and that is no way to improve your playing time with any coach... but especially with JVG, who basically replied to situation by saying Vspan misunderstood his reasoning for the lack of time... saying there was a need for a change in style of play rather than what JVG says he said was a need for a change in quality of play.

Maybe he should be playing, maybe he was about to? We won't know now... putting his own goals ahead of the team and calling management into question publicly will only make them not want to accommodate. Basically, anyone who wanted to see Vspan get more action will now have to wait longer than before, and it's his own fault... whether it was his fault before or not.

Bottom line... whenever his minutes WERE coming, they just got set back some, if not indefinitely. Maybe that makes JVG too hard, or even self centered, but it doesn't matter now. He shouldn't have said all that the way he did. He's a rookie from Euro league, and demanding things by complaining won't get him anywhere. This will only increase his problem... and make it harder for JVG (or any coach in his situation) to want to play him.

 

vspan is in no way ready to run an NBA team night in and night out. He passes are more like scud missles, he moves in starts and stops, no flow, his defense is either late or off the mark and he makes dumb decisions with the ball. out of control. He gets what he deserves. He can be a difference maker, but needs to shut up and learn. next year will be a great place for an increase in both playing time and maturity. JL3 may not be the answer, but he plays like he sees the floor and is a much better finisher. It's obvious to unbiased eyes that being schooled in the American version of hoops has helped JL3 make an easier transition to the NBA. Opa!

 

At this rate, and given VSpan's attitude, I think I'd rather trade for another PG than play him significant minutes.

The guy came to the NBA and figured he'd just be handed the minutes trophy because he was a star in Europe. Sorry, but this is the big leagues. You have much to prove, young padawan.

Too bad he comes in and says crap like "I don't have to prove anything."

 

"NONE OF THE ABOVE"...... Our backcourt SUCKS! If we dont pull off a trade, we may as well pack up the tents and wait for next year! Yao/TMAC can carry this team for most of the regular season... but once the playoffs come, its flashback to Matt Maloney postseason! We dont even need a scoring PG, just someone who can adequately manage the game and distribute. If we dont pull off a trade, I may find myself in the anti-JVG camp, for the first time.

 

I'd guess they would have to play bad enough so that V-Span actually looks good. So 20% from the field, 4.5 turnovers/game, and a .75 Assist to Turnover ration should do it.

 

What exactly has rafer proven in this league? Thats right nothing, except for the fact he is not a competant nba starting pg. Vspan has no chance to prove himself if he gets no time.

 

I think it is growing pains...you don't give up on a good player because he is frustrated...you teach him....and then you have an asset.

V-Span is a unique FIERY player...and those are fairly rare...lots of guys are satisfied to be in the NBA.....we need some killers out there.

DD

 

I don't think this poll truly expresses why V-Span won't get minutes and shouldn't get minutes. It's not just shooting percentage by Rafer. If Rafer's Assist to Turnover Ratio goes to hell and his percentage plummets, maybe I'd like to see V-Span play, but even then I wouldn't want him to take the starting job! If it was JUST that VS can't shoot well I think the posters on this board would have more legit complaints about Van Gundy.

V-Span plays gutsy and with a lot of heart, but no control. He's wild and out of control - he fouls a lot and causes a lot of turnovers, couple that with a poor shooting percentage and the fact that he's whinning as a rookie...and you've got a player I don't even want on my bench right now.

 

OK, time for all you Rafer haters to go into hiding. Just like the old Yao, TMac, Battier, JHo, and JVG haters. When are you guys going to learn that a coach that sees a guy everyday is in better position to determine who should play than you? Probably never. SIGH!

 

You people need to just shut the hell up already. I'm sick of reading your immature posts. Rafer Alston played a damn good game last night matched up against one of the top gaurds in the NBA (e.g., Tony friggin' Parker). If any of you feel that you're a true Rockets fan then the least you could do is support them (and that includes supporting Rafer Alston). You only see his faults becuase that's all you want to see. Some of you are as narrow minded as george w. bush.

Ofcoarse I understand that your minds were made up long ago. Hell, some of you still criticize the Battier trade and he's been nothing but a world of help for the Rockets.

If it walks like a sheep and it looks and thinks like a sheep than I guess you are a sheep.

 

I'm not voting because I want to say never, but I don't think V-Span sux, and Rafer helped us beat S.A. twice now by having a pretty good game both times.