Our team is playing gritty and over its individual talent level. Don't let that fool you, we need more than what we have to advance deep in the WC, and the PG spot is our weakest in terms of options, skill and experience.
I remember early last season during his short stint on the Wizards they played at Detroit. The Wizards led the entire game and had plenty of chances to pull away but didn't. Of course, the Pistons made their 4th quarter run and took an 8-9 point lead with about 8-9 minutes left and everyone knew the game was over. Atkins went insane and the Pistons couldn't stop him. They were completely at his mercy. He fouled out with about 3-4 minutes left but by that time the Wizards had stormed back and ended up winning the game. I don't know Atkins that well but he's mentally tough and has to be better than Rafer. He's not the kind of guy who would completely go into the tank.
The stat normalizes production so players can be compared. It doesn't take into account stamina, so it would be best to extrapolate non-linearly. For example, if you play 5 minutes you can go all out and skew the production over 48 minutes. The traits we need most at PG are (in order): IQ catch and shoot ability low turnovers defender penetrater finisher shot creator If Rafer can follow this list, which I think he's cabable of, we'll be OK. It will take Atkins too long to assimilate JVG's offense, philosophies, so we have to keep RA. Time on the court together can't be underestimated since practice is so limited during the season...SF3 has 1 year under his belt w/ JVG...but much has changed.
You put IQ as #1. Doesn't shot selection figure into that equation? If so, shot selection (i.e, the stupid runners) automatically leave Rafer lacking. And if Mike James is any indication, why do you say it would take Atkins (or any new PG) too long to "assimilate JVG's offense, philosophies?" I think we definitely will be making a move at PG, hopefully for a new starter, but at minimum a serious rotation player that will cut into Rafer minutes. Rafer is basically untradeable since nobody else in the NBA would want him.
Stupid runners are things that are fixable...that's why I said he's capable of doing it. I've seen games last year and stretches this year that show me RA is capable of playing with IQ. The slump, the coaches, and his teammate's urging to keep on shooting have affected his decision making. That said, I didn't say we don't need help at the PG position. I am for getting someone good enough to eat into Rafer's minutes or at least compete with him to make him play better. Mike James didn't really blend with the offense. It takes a PG time to blend in. I really believe one of the factors that was our downfall in game 7 against Dallas in the playoffs, was time together. When the pressure is on, you play to your collective habits and that takes time to hone.
Which is exactly why we don't need him. We already have Alston, Head, and Battier dropping 3 to 5 from 3 point land. Chucky Atkins = old, worn out veteran with skills that will only decline
Rafer Alston = old, worn out, mentally weak veteran with skills that will only decline. His stupid runners would have been fixed already if they were fixable. What should be fixable is his bad shot selection. So you've seen "stretches" where Rafer plays with IQ. The funny thing about high IQ players is they do it nearly all the time. Rafer isn't one of them and at Rafer's age, his basketball IQ won't be improving. All NBA players are "capable" of playing with IQ in "stretches". You are ****ing Rafer with faint praise which proves why we need to make a trade and bench him. Come playoff time, pressure and intensity, he will break down even more than now. He is a pain on the team that will get worse if left unattended. Why everyone can't see that is amazing.
Funny. Rafer's runner/teardrop has improved very much in the last couple games. He is finishing better. Hope it's a permanent confidence thing.
I don't think Alston is AS bad as you've described him, and he's hit clutch 3 pointers and free throws with dare I say it, consistency? Also, what happens if Alston does start hitting those runners? Then would he suddenly be the best point guard ever?? Getting Chucky Atkins would be a lateral move at PG and not an improvement, so we might as well stick with Alston, who is familiar with the players, the coach, and the coach's system already.
I agree. If Alston started hitting his runners, he would in fact be the greatest PG in the history of Western Civilization.
Awesome ...although, I wonder who is the greatest PG in the history of the Eastern Civilization then?
To answer your question: Obviously no. Rafer has way too many weaknesses to be a good PG. At best he is average. To stick with Rafer and hope for the best would be crazy. We must have another alternative in the likely case his play continues to be inadequate. He is the very last player on this team we must decide to sink or swim with. Standing pat at our neediest position would be irresponsible. If Rafer isn't as bad as I've described him it isn't by much.
It is not a lateral move (replace Rafer), a complimentary move (help Rafer). Rafer is already getting burned out playing too many minutes. High 20s for Rafer and low 20s for Chucky would get a lot more out of our 48 minutes of PG, both because Rafer could stay fresher when he is in ther, and much stable and productive bench minutes. And because we would have 2 vets, we could close with whichever one happens to be on and the most favorable match-up. This move would not be to replace Alston, but give us more legitimate options and make a deeper and steadier group of guards for the playoffs.
Rafer is not that bad at defense. Remember that game where we blew out the Mavs? A huge part of it had to do with Alston shutting down Jason Terry, who is one of the premier perimeter scorers in the NBA.
Hmm, my mistake, from the sounds of it, seemed like people wanted to replace Alston with Chucky. I guess a complimentary move would help, but isn't JLIII already filling in that 10-15 mins Alston needs for rest? I think Alston is one of those players that needs to play 30 mins a game, or he'll be cold. I think perhaps not doing anything is the best decision right now and we should wait until its closer to the trade deadline to see who what kinda player we should get.
I would hope Atkins would win the high 20s with Alston in low 20s by the playoffs, but either way the Rockets would have better depth at the PG spot if they acquired him without giving up Alston.
Dont count on it. I've given up on getting excited when Alston plays 1 good game - because its inevitably followed by 4-5 bad ones. How badass a defensive squad could we be if we had Span on the floor instead of Rafer!! solid D 1-5.
