funny how all the haters are trying to downplay rafer stepping up...once he has a bad game they'll be all over him again. for shame.
you guys are just too funny i bet most of you are who bash refer, shouting we need a better PG, even said a rookie is better than him, now what? suddenly , he is a best PG? i agree refer is playing the best rox game ever, but we have to notice, because of tmc absence, the freedom of handing the ball, the chance of allowence of lay out are much increased. there is no way when TMC is out there, Refer is the one who take the ball to the basket. his role playing with TMC is shoting the 3 and long 2. so, soon or later, the old refer will back, so you guys, enjoy TMC's absence.
Rafer has really picked up his game and he's scoring better than ever. But his passing game has always been sub-par and frankly still is. Take a look at how Brooks played tonight by comparison. You can't deny though that Alston is productive now that he's driving to the basket. A combination of using Yao as a giant decoy and Adelman's offense has really opened up the lanes for both him and Bonzi. Given his performance in the last four games he definitely deserves his minutes. I just wish that Brooks could get a little more playing time. To me he's the future and when he's on the floor he nicely makes up for Alston's deficiencies as a passer and play maker.
Here's the important question: Is Rafer's performance over the past few games just a hot streak, or is it the result of certain changes in our system, personnel, and/or the roles they're playing? If it's the latter, we may be seeing the first good signs of the Adelman era. If it's the former, even though I'm generally a Rafer supporter, trade him while he's hot. We do have Brooks, and we need more help.
When Rafer yields to TMac, he's inconsistant. When TMac isn't there, Rafer assumes the primary playmaker role and does well. That's what I am seeing. Maybe TMac should come off the bench.
i think the biggest thing has been rafer's ability to finish once he gets into the lane. the coaching staff has been working with him on his tear drop and the work really has shown the last few games, he has shot probably around 80% from within the lane, when in the past he'd make 30% of his tear drops/layups. its never good when a team is depending on rafer alston to play like he has been, but until tracy is back that is going to be the way it is, and as long as he continues performing as he is right now, the rockets will be in good shape.
At this point, Rafer has bumped his shooting percentage to the third best in his nine year career. Unfortunately, we won't know the answer to that question until the playoffs... assuming we make the playoffs. I would be suprised if this sticks, but I have to admit that I'm surprised what he is doing right now.
funny how the rafer lover finally has something to say. people arent stupid, yes he's playing well now. key word is NOW.
Props to Rafer for playing like someone else! He is impressing all of us, haters and those who like him alike. NO ONE thought Wafer could play like this. But I agree with some of the posters, doubt it will last all year and into the playoffs, so trade him will his value is high. (doubt that is going to happen though) But Brooks is who we should be getting ready to really help us in the playoffs.
rafer has always been able to play this way. the and1 clips and the clips of him with the raptors and heat show it. he's been in a funk because the past 3 years, 90% of the offense was through mac and yao. all that crap about them having to step up when yao and mac are not hitting their shots is bs. your confidence is gone at that point not to mention your in-game offensive skill level. this type of play is what rafer is all about. he's not your no. 1 player but he shouldn't be one of the 3 reserves that start with yao and mac either. that brings me to another point. never again should they try to go to yao and macgrady more than 2 times in a row. thats what is stagnating the offense. if they are having an unstoppable night it looks pretty damned good. but it allows the teams to easily find a defense to stop it. the team gets the lead by moving the ball and everyone scoring and then we lose the game because it goes to just yao posting up. that's hard to watch all these recent games lost because of that. and all these good performances by rafe and scola and bonzi going to waste. deep breath. i'm finished.
Huh? The passing game has always been Rafer's strength. He had 8 assists last night. Granted he had an uncharacteristic 4 turn overs, but turn overs are going to go up if you are handling the ball the majority of each possesion. I like watching Brooks develope too, but it's hard to give him a ton of additional minutes when he gets abused by Jameer Nelson and picks up 3 fouls in 19 minutes. At that pace he would have fouled out if he got Rafer's minutes. I certainly am not saying that Brooks doesn't help the Rockets, nor that he is not a good passer, but saying Rafer's passing game is sub par makes me question what games you have been watching. Rafer leads the team in assist to turn over ratio and is .1 assists per game behind Tmac while handling the ball considerably less. Maybe Brooks will eventually be better, but it's Rafer's shooting and scoring, not his passing that has always been his weakness
I don't think Rafer's game has revolutionized. He's always had this in him, he just was not expected to score so much (and close games!) like he is now. Rafer didn't wake up one morning in 2007-08 and find himself suddenly better or worse. He just went through a little slump. RAFER HAS A HIGHER CAREER 3PT% THAN T-MAC AND SF. The guy is better than many (except JVG, Adelman, and his teammates) give him credit for.
Trying to trade Rafer would be silly. For one trade value doesn't go up significantly after a mere 5 great games in a row, in a season where the first half he was significantly below his career average. Second of all who are you going to trade him for that is better? Let's get Brooks up to playing 20+ minutes a game before even thinking about giving him a starting job. Maybe in a year or so Brooks will be the best option starting, and he certainly deserves all the back up PG minutes, but even poor shooting Rafer is still a better option right now at the starting role. Brooks looks good in limited minutes, but clearly showed defensive liabilities and would foul out if given Rafer's minutes right now.
I'm sorry, but TMac and Tracy did not limit Rafer's offensive skills. The guy played years in the NBA without Tracy or Yao... and his career fg% is under 40% during this time too. Tracy, Yao or both were out a lot the last couple years, too, and Rafer didn't start shooting a much higher Fg% during that time, did he? If anything, the movement provided by the new offensive system is giving Rafer better opportunities. Once you learn to exploit the various holes created by the offense, Adelman's offense has help players shoot better by giving them easier less contested shots. In the past, Rafer has often been a shooter of last resort-- i.e. clock running down, Yao and Tracy heavily defended. Those shots hurt you fg%.
Yes and no... I agree that his 3pt % is generally way over criticized, because JVG's offense required him to take 529 3 pointers last year which leads to alot of misses for any player. In comparison Ray Allen only took 443 three point attemts last year and shot 1% better. That being said, if Rafer has always had this ability to take the ball to the rim, he has never shown it consistently in even one game before this, much less a stretch of several games while being a Rocket. In the past regardless of whether Tmac was in the game or not, Rafer has either taken the spot up 3 pointer, the wide open jumper or rarely the wild tear drop. He practically never penetrated towards the basket and took the ball to the rim, and usually the only time he would get fouled was at the end of games when teams were intentionally fouling. So I agree that his over all shooting was just in a slump at the start of the year which this hot streak is correcting, but the way he is finishing around the hoop and the shots he is attempting near the hoop are much improved over what we have ever seen here before.
