Even Mike D'Antoni didn't like House because he jacked up too many shots, that tells you something right there, a coach that encourages his players to shoot asap and even he Eddie House couldn't play. He's always been a good scorer but very streaky, it really doesn't matter because he will jack up shots whether he is hot or cold.
I think Rondo is already better at keeping defenses honest with his offense than Alston -- his shot doesn't have much range and he plays erratically like Alston at times, but he is much better near the rim. People call Alston a "pure" point-guard, but what good is that if all his points come from floaters and wide-open threes, both of which he shoots at a terrible clip? Further Rondo does the other stuff as well as Rafer ... I think he led KY in rebounds his last season, for instance. I'm on the "trade Alston for anything" bandwagon, even though I don't think he could net much, esp. from the Heat. I agree that House isn't a world-beater or even better than Rafer per se -- but I will say that he has skills that are more marketable than Rafer's. Quick, one-dimensional shooters usually stick around in the NBA as long as half-decent seven-footers. When you have star players you can never have enough guys to space the floor and lighten their load.
Um yeah, JVG MADE him shoot too much last year. He should have unloosed the chains and given Rafer the option to NOT shoot the ball when other teams dared him to. Two memos to JVG and Rafer neither one ever got: There is a reason why Rafer is open. There is a reason the lane appears wide open for Rafer to attack the basket.
About the only thing Rondo does better than Alston is finish, and he doesn't do that all that great, they are both about 50% on close shots. Alston scores more, scores more efficient (higher eFg%), shoots better from the line, has a much better outside shot, better a/TOs. For the record Alston also has a respectable 3% shot. http://www.82games.com/0607/06HOU2A.HTM http://www.82games.com/0607/06HOU2C.HTM http://www.82games.com/0607/06BOS2A.HTM http://www.82games.com/0607/06BOS2C.HTM Now Rondo is young, but Rafer is better right now. If I have a team with 3 superstars older than 30 and trying to win now, Rafer is a clear choice. House isn't a PG. He is an athletically and size challenged SG who can't guard anyone nor do anything else positive other than chuck the 3 (which I admit this he is good at). He is an OK 9th man type player.
Rafer shoots efficiently at the 3 line, 3rd on the team at 36%, equivalent to a mid 50s effective FG%. Him passing on open 3s would hurt the team. You wouldn't ask Derek Fisher to pass on an open 3 would you, they are similar in this department. Now you can argue he could have made better decisions shooting from elsewhere--the floaters, the Js inside the arc, etc. But his 3 point shot is honest and respectable and he should stick with shooting it.
I can't believe Rafer is being discussed here as well. I might as well repeat myself again but in a different way. I think i'll try convincing myself out loud why we need him. Rafer is a playmaker. That's why he averaged 5 assists a game playing with Yao, T-Mac, and guys standing wide open behind the 3 point line. Point Guards like Parker, Kidd, Nash, Billups, etc would all be averaging 10-15 dimes per game plus more points in his shoes and attack the basket when they need to make plays by themselves. But he was a great 3 point shooter. That's why he chunked up more than anyone in the league and only hit 36% when almost all of them were wide open since teams would leave him to double others. He ran the offense. As i recall JVG said T-Mac ran the offense. Maybe that's also why T-mac had more dimes per game and points than Rafer. Usually doesn't the PG average the most assists on a team? JVG limited his role and hurt his play. I guess that's why his 06-07 stats weren't much different than his career stats other than a slight point increase since teams dared him to shoot the ball undefended or try and make an open layup while they cleared the lane for him so they could get the easy rebound. He doesn't turn the ball over. Maybe because he rarely has it after he crosses the half court. He usually hands it of to T-Mac or passes it to the tallest man in the NBA who was always waiting in the same place under JVG's offense. He's a pure point guard. I guess that means pure point guards suck, and therefore i don't want one. Hmmm....I still can't see why we're having a hard time getting rid of him when so many teams needed a PG this off season.
Wide open 3s are the only shots he should take in 1/2 court. I guess Rafer was so "restricted" by JVG he was forced to take so many other shots that had little chance of going in. I didn't mean to derail the thread but I couldn't resist responding to that post.
he was restricted by JVG because he was actually played like a REAL PG. Everyone on the team was basically a shooting guard except Yao and Hayes.
House was never able to find himslef in the league and now he's borderline washed up. Pretty worthless signing. I'm stunned that PJ wants the full MLE. When was the last time he managed to play a full game? Evan
I agree with the point above, wide open 3s should be Rafer's almostexclusive shot. 36% is efficient. But on the topic at hand, Boston has no PG capable of a 3 spot up or even a nails 20 foot jumper (BTW House is less of a PG than Luther Head is, in case you were wondering). Rafer is also better defensively and in A/TOs than what they have at PG. What they will do is waste a ton of hard work by KG, Allen, Pierce, when they draw that guy in a double and their PGs can't hit an efficient jumpshot. Rafer would help them. He isn't great, we got better for what we need in the acquisitions of James and maybe Francis/Brooks, but he was by far the best we had last year and he is a better player around Boston's trio than what they have.
I honestly think that Luther Head will be leaving instead of Rafer. Rafer is a Pure PG and the only one on the team. Head, James and Francis are all combo guards. Rafer is also the only playmaker other then Yao and McGrady. Therefor I'd want Rafer to stay.
I agree with you Head could very easily leave. Head isn't a combo guard. Head and Francis are what you call tweeners, small SGs missing major point guard skill sets. Francis however at least has better handles and more versatility to his game. Mike James however, is a point guard. He can play some SG so I could by the combo guard label for him. And James is a better playmaker than Rafer. Playmakers create oppertunnities for others (or themselves) to score. I think you are confusing being a "playmaker" with being a good steward with the ball (and important PG skill Head and Francis lack), the latter I agree Rafer is but so is James. If Adelman is confident Brooks is ready for the rotation, it would not surprise me if both Head and Rafer were traded. But if Brooks isn't going to be ready, and better offers come in for Head than Alston, I could see Alston staying to back-up James while Head leaves. But if I were betting on it I'd say some good enough offers will come for Rafer and he leaves while the lower salaried and better shooting Head stays. While Adelman's confidence in Brooks (enough to back up James) will majorly impact what happens to Rafer, how much Adelman see in Francis gas tank will probably determine Head's fate since there isn't room for two small SGs (not to mention that James can do this role as well).
rafer is mentally weak and lacks heart.. he has no place on this team and tmac's exempted from this rule
