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Alston says former coach Sam Mitchell didn't prepare his players

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Yaowaming, Jan 6, 2006.

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  1. Yaowaming

    Yaowaming Contributing Member

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    http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_y...vLYF?slug=ap-raptors-alston&prov=ap&type=lgns

    Alston says former coach Sam Mitchell didn't prepare his players

    January 6, 2006

    TORONTO (AP) -- Houston guard Rafer Alston was critical of Raptors coach Sam Mitchell before his first game back in Toronto, saying he didn't prepare his players for games.

    Alston was traded to the Rockets during training camp. He repeatedly clashed with Mitchell last year and arrived about an hour and 15 minutes before the game Friday.

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    "I loved to be prepared," Alston said. "I love to go in there and understand what we are doing defensively, offensively. I like to know what the other teams have been doing the last five or six games. Going into games I didn't know."

    Alston said there was no comparison between Mitchell and his current coach, Jeff Van Gundy.

    "I enjoy playing for Jeff," he said.

    When asked what Mitchell didn't do, Alston said: "I don't have an example of it. Like I say, preparation is everything, life, sports. No matter what you do you got to prepare."

    Alston was involved in several scrapes last season. He threatened to quit the team and the NBA after a Dec. 3 game in Boston and was suspended by the Raptors for two games for conduct detrimental to the club after he walked out during practice.

    Mitchell said Friday he's not going to dignify Alston's comments.

    "We wish Rafer well," he said. "I don't feel like I was slapped in the face."

    The Raptors signed Alston to a six-year contract worth between $27 million and $30 million before last season, but sent him to Houston in a trade for Mike James in October.

    James entered Friday's game averaging 15.9 points and 4.6 assist, while Alston was averaging 9.2 points and 4.6 assists.

    Alston was a second-round draft pick of the Milwaukee Bucks in 1998 out of Fresno State.



    Updated on Friday, Jan 6, 2006 7:42 pm EST
     
    #1 Yaowaming, Jan 6, 2006
  2. tigermission1

    tigermission1 Member

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    Oh, I wouldn't talk at all if I were Rafer. When you say something, you need to back it up to maintain your dignity. When Rafer talks and shows up and plays as great as he did tonight -- playing the role of a chicken to Mike James' pitbull -- then he stands out in a way that I am not sure his grandkids would be very proud of.
     
    #2 tigermission1, Jan 6, 2006
  3. dandorotik

    dandorotik Member

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    Jesus, let's give him a break. He had two really good games and just had a bad one today- Mike James was fired up, the Raptops are playing good, they're just this year's Charlotte Bobcats. They own us. Yep. But I'll still glad we have Rafer and I'm sure he'll bounce back from this.
     
    #3 dandorotik, Jan 6, 2006
  4. rocketsregle

    rocketsregle Member

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    :rolleyes: Get off this dignity crap. Rafer is recovering from his injury, he had two previous awesome games, it was a back to back (it had to affect his fibula) and he had one bad game since his return.
     
    #4 rocketsregle, Jan 6, 2006
  5. tigermission1

    tigermission1 Member

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    Umm...Again, it's not the missed shots or anything else, it's the way he was owned and humiliated by a player he was traded for last year.

    If he had any self-respect, he would've at least tried to his best to stop the guy on defense and slow him down a bit (MJames was penetrating at will in case you didn't notice), and Rafer just simply did not show up today, didn't hear his name once throughout the game, he pulled off a disappearance act. It's not like he was double-teamed or anything. It was so lopsided between the guy he was traded and himself that it can't be called anything but a disgraceful performance.

    Sorry, just one man's opinion, disagree with it if you please.
     
    #5 tigermission1, Jan 6, 2006
  6. solid

    solid Member

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    These players just need to "shut up" and play. Anderson took a shot at his former team, now Alston takes a shot at his. I would rather they show their stuff on the court. James talks too much as well, but at least he is proving his worth in the games, and I haven't heard him taking shots at the Rockets or the Pistons.
     
    #6 solid, Jan 6, 2006
  7. bigbodymoe

    bigbodymoe Member

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    Well.....its safe to say Rafer wasnt prepared to play tonight, whether its his leg being painful or just lack of fire to get out there and compete hard and fight for his time, all i know is he certainly was not prepared tonight.
     
    #7 bigbodymoe, Jan 6, 2006
  8. krosfyah

    krosfyah Member

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    Funny enough, Bill Worrel said multiple times how well Mitchell did preparing the team to defense TMac. Bill wondered why more teams don't defense TMac more like Toronto.

    I wish Rafer would just close his trap and play ball.
     
    #8 krosfyah, Jan 7, 2006
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