The new Rafer: temporary hot streak or a sign of something great?

Well, as a 3 point shooter he is basically the same Rafer: 31% or something similar to that. He has had some games where he was more effective, but for the most part he hits just under 1 in 3. The real difference, and one that appears to be permanent is his drive finishes. According to the announcers last game, he is finishing 59% of his drives, as opposed to 49% last year.

His increase in overall FG percentage is testament to this. His 3s are actually worse, but his FG% is up about 4 or 5 points over last year.

 

Well I dont like him, and I think that is just a good streak, but I hope I im wrong, because, all I want is that the Rockets win, no matter, who scores, and who make big plays, I just want the Rockets make big plays to win games.

 

he is playing the same way he played in toronto

 

i never really watched him in toronto but i will take your word for it. those were easily his best years. in those years he also had a 44.8% 2pt%. so the secret to rafer playing well seems to be him finishing at the basket.

 

the thing people dont understand is that the floater was his shot from high school but what he did was really spent a lot of time working on his jumpshot because when he was on the bucks he couldnt hit anything im not saying he is ray allen now but he really improved from his earlier years but he really stopped making a effort to drive the basket

 

I chose the option 1: Yes, he's turned the corner and began to know what makes a great point guard. Most of all time great PGs finally understood their games after their 30s.

Ralfer might still be a streaky shooter, might still not be strong enough to hold his ground to defend a low post move, but I found he's been doing something better during this TMac-less stretch.

1. He has distributed ball better in terms of reading opp's defense. When the other team commits a hard fronting-double team on Yao, he would not force the pounding, instead, he would try to find the overlooked open man. This is the reason why more people got more involved during this stretch.

2. He has been able to finish the teardrop (with Yao in the paint) in a very high percerntage. It's always criticle for a PG to finish a shot when he's left open. What I heard from the Bill in the broadcast is that he practiced that teardrop shot hard and has began to find the rythm. Had he been able to finish the shot in the playoff a few months ago, we would have beaten the Jazz easily.

3. He began to run fast break more when he gets chance. Not just waiting for Yao. A PG should be the leading during transition game. He now begins to take the role over.

4. He shoots better during this stretch and I hope he can keep it up. But even he loses his outside jumper touch again, I still feel he's a better player as a PG now.

 

Most PGs don't reach their prime until their late 20s/early 30s. See: Steve Nash

 

The shackles that allowed him to shoot more 3's than any player in the history of the Houston Rockets?

 

LOL, I can't believe you posted that. JVG played Rafer through thick and thin, rain or shine, and was Rafer's #1 booster, a fact that you used to whine about incessantly - now you are saying that Rafer was terrified of his patron? Are you kidding?

 

A recent Chon article mentioned Adelman working with him on his layups and shooting, using some practice techniques that Rudy T brought from Michigan. Hopefully Rafer has some unused potential in the shooting department as well.

I have my plate of crow waiting in the kitchen, but I'm not voting in this thread yet. I definitely want to see him play against some better competition. He will have to perform against playoff caliber teams, otherwise it will all be another cruel joke.

I will give him credit... I've really enjoyed watching the Rockets lately, and that is partially due to his greatly improved play. I truly believe the Rockets, since Olajuwon, have been playing broken basketball. The isolation offense should have left with Hakeem, but it has taken 10 years to get rid of it.

 

LOL

Pwned!!!

I'm still iffy on his J but love that he's finishing his drives more, he still takes floaters but now he's driving all the way to the basket more

it took 2 years but now he's getting to the point where he can be accountable on the offensive side

 

Suddenly Rafer is looking very Nashish to someone.

he'd be the perfect patient for a psychiatrist, he believes his garbage posts so much it's comical and scary at the same time

 

Same person needs to work with Chuck

 

I don't want to say nothing in fear of jinxing Skip's recent play. I'll just reserve my judgment until the end of the season.

 

What other point guard is there that have done the same? Looking at the top point guards in the league today (Nash, Kidd, Paul, Williams, Parker etc), with the exception of Nash and Kidd, most are young players. Kidd is already on his way down, and while I'm not saying that Paul, Williams and Parker are in their primes, but their ceilings can't be much higher.

Rafer's ceiling, on the other hand, is much lower...

 

you know for the first time since he's been traded to Houston. He's currently shooting over 40%!!!

40.6%

could get better, or back to normal.... (36-38%)

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/rafer_alston/career_stats.html

 

No the shackles of bringing the ball up and passing it off to Tmac......then being the recipient of the final pass and being asked to make a late shot clock 3 pter, (How he played under the JVG system) ....versus this year where the shackles are off and Rafer is being asked to create for himself as well as his teamates.

More of a floor general role.

Big difference.

It seems that this year's team oriented system is better for his style than last years......at least so far.

Less 3pt shots and more drives.....which he is finishing at a much better rate.

I am certainly no Rafer fan, but you have to admit that the way he is being used now seems to suit him better, it sure looks like Rafer was being utilized incorrectly last year......

Too much focus on Yao and Tmac, and not enough on the team.....

Let's hope it keeps up....

DD

 

^^^^
agreed

 

I think that was more due to Rafer than anything else. He passed the ball off to T-Mac because he was not creating well like he is now. He rarely beat his man off the dribble and if he did, he threw up that nasty floater. Also, not all his threes were during late in the clock. Most of his threes were WIDE OPEN. He took too many threes instead of attacking like what he is doing now.

 

Recent specialist practises did help Rafer to become a better player. I hope this goes on and he will be very good one day. I believed Parker wasn't so good when he first played with SAS but he worked hard and was taught well until he became the MVP last year. I hope Rockets can provide similar specialist training to Hayes, Battier and others. Each player has weaknesses and need improvements in specific areas to be good to very good player.