[ESPN Daily Dime] Rip To My Lou: Alston Slams Teammates After Loss To Knicks

Some people don't understand the game. They just take things too personally/let their emotions decide what they think happened. Basketball is an art and a science. You can't look at it just one way. Their are so many factors to conscider. We lost for alot of reasons, but to just blame one guy for ball stopping? That's just based on someone's personal opinion about one particular player. Its oversimplifying what actually happened.

Our execution and our ball movement was poor in the fourth quarter becase we didnt present the knicks with any overwhelming mismatches down the stretch when it became a possession by possession game. The team looked confused and out of sync which usually happens when you're missing your go to guy. That's exactly what happened, and thats what mcgrady was saying. He's not in sync right now, and its pretty obvious that he is struggling closing out games. Honestly i would have loved to see Brooks finish off the game. People are calling for Wafer but he really didnt matchup well from what I saw. Brooks was giving the Knicks problems, but Adelman clearly doesnt trust him enough to let him take over a game.

 

Its Tracy’s inability to move without the ball that causes his teammates to stand around. The motion offense needs people to move. When you move to a different part of the floor, you are doing two things, you are drawing your defender or defenders with you while your teammate goes to your spot. If Tracy is just standing in one spot, when he does not have the ball, it limits the amount of options. For instance, why would Shane Battier run over to where Tracy is standing if Tracy is not going to move.

When Tracy does have the ball he stifles the offense by holding on to the ball for a long time or by calling so plays for himself. This is what causes the motion offense to be a motionless offense.

 

You would think that Ron and TMac would have figured out that the rest of the Rockets are pretty good and would let them into their little fraternity and trust them enough to pass the ball and play team ball.

I guess not.

 

McGrady said he'd play hard. I didn't watch the game, so you tell me. Did he run hard in transition? Did he make cuts in the half court? Did he hold onto the ball and survey the court a lot, or did he make a quick decision -- shoot it, pass it, or drive it? These are things that Von Wafer did very well in McGrady's absence.

If McGrady didn't do those things, knowing full well that that's how you win games, then why is he talking about missed shots? Why doesn't he ever want to take any real responsibility when things go bad? That irks me. And moreover, I don't understand why he'd be saying one thing, an excuse, while his teammates and coaches are talking about playing selfishly and not moving the ball. Guys need to be on the same page after losses, if they're to learn from the mistakes.

 

You misrepresent the stats... I remember at least 3 or 4 of those 3s being when the game was starting to get out of reach for us (meaning we were trying to score quick and put up as many points as possible). And there were a couple that were within the offense. If you are wide open at the 3 point line... and you can hit that shot, you take it.

 

Rafer's shot sucked last night, but in his defense at least he is not a ball stopper which absolutely kills the motion offense.

Tmac's shot sucked last night. Always settles for jumpers at the end of games (fact). But in Tmac's defense he is still not fully there mentally and physically, which is primarily his fault.

Ron's shot sucked last night. He reminds me of a car in drive mode (uni-directional). Pass the freaking ball. But he obviously has not fully recovered from that bone bruise.

Rafer's defense was nonexistent.
Tmac's defense has been nonexistent the whole season.
Ron's defense is totally overrated.

That is a non bias response for you guys.

 

One more thing some blame has to be placed on Adelman. He needs to command his players to play within the system. If they are not doing so, sit them down.

How hard is it to get control of your players.

Adelman needs to grow a pair and get in their faces. I understand he is a passive coach, but come on man you are the head coach and both Ron and Tmac have clearly shown with their body language that they refuse to play within the system.

 

That's so true.

 

Ron Artest made only one of his 10 three-point field-goal attempts in Houston's loss to the Knicks on Monday night. It was only the third time this season than an NBA player took at least 10 shots from beyond the arc and made no more than one. The two others to do that were also 1-for-10: Nate Robinson and Chauncey Billups.

 

Kobe and Tracy should never be mentioned in the same breath ever again. The main difference between the two is Kobe hates losing more than he does winning. Tracy, on the other hand, is content with "just getting by".

 

wafer shouldve been shooting those threes.. or at least shane battier

 

18 shots taken in the 4th quarter....8 of them 3 pters....5 of them by Tmac, 2 by Ron.....2 other near 3 pointers by ron......and one by Rafer I think.

The controlled the ball, and the game, Ron and Tmac....look no further for why the offense faltered and the team choked the lead.

DD

 

According to ESPN play-by-play, once Ron, Tmac and Rafer all on the floor, here is the list of shots:

7:13 Tracy McGrady enters the game for Brent Barry
6:28 Ron Artest enters the game for Chuck Hayes
6:13 Tracy McGrady makes 26-foot three point jumper
5:43 Ron Artest misses 20-foot jumper
5:41 Rafer Alston enters the game for Aaron Brooks
5:24 Tracy McGrady makes jumper
4:50 Rafer Alston misses 24-foot three point jumper
4:22 Luis Scola misses 5-foot jumper
3:59 Tracy McGrady misses 23-foot three point jumper
3:34 Tracy McGrady misses driving layup
3:11 Ron Artest misses 25-foot three point jumper
2:38 Luis Scola makes layup (Ron Artest assists)
2:00 Ron Artest misses 24-foot three point jumper
1:24 Tracy McGrady misses 25-foot three point jumper
1:07 Rafer Alston misses 24-foot three point jumper
0:54 Luis Scola makes layup (Tracy McGrady assists)
0:27 Tracy McGrady misses 25-foot three point jumper
0:23 Tracy McGrady misses 23-foot three point jumper
0:19 Luis Scola misses layup
0:14 Ron Artest misses 24-foot three point jumper
0:06 Ron Artest misses 23-foot three point jumper

total 18 shots, 11 3pts (Tracy 1-5, Ron 0-4, Rafer 0-2), 3 jumpers(Tracy 1-1, Ron 0-1, Scola 0-1), 4 layups (Tracy 0-1, Scola 2-3).

 

Wow, I never realized it was that bad. I can't understand why we went away from the PnR with Scola, which seemed so successful against Detroit.

 

We played our best stretch of basketball with T-Mac and Artest out of the lineup and Wafer and Barry getting 30+ minutes. you can't deny the facts.

 

except that we still have only seen a handful of games with all 5 of our starting lineup together....

I can at least deny that you have facts to begin with.

10 games, 10 games with the big 3 and Shane + Napolean, then lets see where we are, and who, if anyone gets the blame.

 

did we win 22 in a row like last yr? should we play last yr's lineup then?

 

Wow - I guess I underestimated how badly they settled.

DD

 

more whining about the offense... where is this teams DEFENSE ???

 

You need both to get anywhere. That said there's nothing wrong with b****ing about the offense, especially after the abomination that was the NY game.