Case for Brooks as the starter

Here is what you are missing. Every championship team in the last bazzion years has had a hall-of-fame quality player near their peak.

If TMac puts up 25/6/6, then we have a legit shot at the title.

If TMac puts up 4 points, then Brooks or Rafer are irrelevant anyway.

If our stars need AB for inspiration, then we have bigger problems.

Bring AB off the bench and sit Rafer down when he plays like crap. Shaking my head at last night. But TMac was our biggest problem. Rafer story is just a footnote.

 

These are regular season games that the team can be winning while they wait on Tmac to get in shape.

And since when do you ignore one problem because you have another?

That is just stupid...so what you are saying is...well, we don't have any players playing like all stars so we should ignore all the other problems?

HUH? WTF ????????????????????????????

Fix what you can fix.....and then hope that someone starts playing like a hall of famer, but don't give up.

You are looking at this in a defeatist manner.

DD

 

Don't even compare Adelman to Pop. Totally different coaches. Pop is in complete control of his team and will yank a player out of a game and chew them out when they stink, no matter who it is. Adelman won't say "boo" to Tracy or hardly anyone else. Pop is also twice the strategist Adelman is. Unlike Adelman, when one of his starters plays like a dog the first few minutes of a game, Pop doesn't always give them a free pass to the end of the 1st quarter. I wanted to applaud Bullard when he said Tracy should have been pulled out of the game when he made a totally stupid/lazy pass to Scola that was an easy turnover. Pop will do that. Adelman won't. Pop demands his players focus and concentrate while they are in the game; Adelman will just roll his eyes and put up with it. A couple of years ago (without warning), Pop called Manu in his office and told him he was coming off the bench. It was a short conversation. There was no debate. He did this even though the Spurs had won championships with Manu as a starter. At the end of games, Pop will indeed go with the hot hand instead of sticking with what worked 2 years ago.

So don't bring Pop into this. Adelman doesn't deserve to be mentioned with him. BTW, I'm just ranting and I know you probably agree.

I will also repeat that I don't mind Rafer starting as long as his minutes are reduced when he isn't effective. He shouldn't have played half of the 1st quarter last night, must less the entire quarter. He should not have re-entered the game with 3 minutes left in the 2nd quarter after AB has scored 7 points in his short stint. And, like most of us understand, Rafer should not have been re-inserted into the game with 5 minutes left. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid move.

krosfyah, try reading the thread title again, please? That's where the "energy" of this discussion belongs. There are a number of threads about Tracy's injuries for you to post in. The coach cannot determine when Tracy is healthy. It's beyond his control. What's the point of discussing it? He CAN control the distribution of minutes and playing Rafer 31 vs. 17 for AB is something he can change. Nobody is "missing" anything about Tracy.

 

I'm trusting Adleman that he knows whats better than all us shmucks.

If he's bringing Brooks off the bench, then he's got his reasons. Everybody on the outside hates Rafer but multiple coaches seem to continue to play Rafer. It can't be a coincidence.

I still have faith that Yao and TMac will round into shape. If they do, I KNOW we have enough talent to contend. That will be the difference in our season. AB/Rafer is a subplot but it WON'T define our season.

TMac and Yao will be the defining peices of our season ...one way or another. Mark my words.

 

Coaches are just like other humans, they can make mistakes, just because Adelman has made the right decisions elsewhere does not mean he is making them now in this case.

If he continues to start Rafer, it is clear he has lost the plot.

DD

 

...except Adleman isn't the only coach as JVG also defended Rafer. Stan Van Gundy also supports Rafer as he's the one who first started Rafer. Thats 3 very solid NBA coaches. I'll take their word over yours.

Rafer has his faults ...I know. But we have an instant solution on staff ...so I'll defer to coach.

The problem that WORRIES me is TMac.

 

If you have to go back to 03/04 to support your point about here and now, you are truly desperate.

And the "I'll take their word over yours" has nothing to do with the discussion. If the coach is always right, why even talk about it?

 

I'm going back to last night. Adleman went with Rafer ...last night ...as the starter.

...and JVG went with Rafer.
...and SVG went with Rafer.

All those guys took a crap yesterday and expelled more basketball IQ into the toilet than any of us could hope to ever have.

...just looking at FACTS. You guys are hoping that starting AB will solve all our problems. Maybe it'll help a little ...maybe it won't. Adleman thinks it won't.

My point is, it's a minor issue anyway. AB is there and available if he need him. Is TMac there and available? Is Yao? Is Artest? If you want to stay up late worrying about something, those are the things to worry about. AB/Rafer question isn't a big deal.

 

I thought this was Bonzi's greatest highlight as a Rocket:

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Firstly, I'm not saying AB should start, just that Rafer's leash MUST be shortened. This reminds me of 2 seasons ago when he was just terrible, yet JVG trotted him for 30+ minutes/game anyway because there was no viable alternative. So really, your point about JVG is irrelevant because the situation is not the same and the SVG point is stupid because it was 5 years ago when he had Rafer. Can you not see that? Do you not want to?

Also mentioning that because Adelman is the current coach and therefore knows best is a complete retreat of last resort used by people who's point has been blown out of the water. I'll ask you again: What's the point of discussing any coaching decision if he's always right?

The PG issue is not minor. It is a big deal. But nobody here is saying it's more important than Tracy, Yao or Artest, so pleeeease spare us the distraction from the thread. Injuries aren't the responsibility of the coach. The subject is playing time between Rafer and AB, not injuries.

 

Again, Adleman understands basketball ...and his decision is apparent.

TMac putting up 25/6/6 (which he's averaged with Rafer as the starter, btw) would OBVIOUSLY have a bigger impact on our team's success than starting Rafer or AB.

 

I totally agree with you. 5 star post.

 

krosfyah says that McGrady sucking is a bigger issue.

The entire forum agrees.

Now, back to the thread topic...

 

I don't disagree at all ...especially last night. But this thread is about STARTING AB.

If Adleman was the only basis for my argument, then it is a cop-out answer. But since we have at least three NBA coaches who came to the same conclusion ...at some point, you can't continue to ignore the decision made by multiple very smart people.

The PG issue, if my only two options are starting AB or starting Rafer, will not decide if we are in contention this year. Now if we could trade for Devin Harris ...now we are talking. But I'm not convinced that starting AB and bring Rafer off the bench will make much difference. That said, I wouldn't have benched AB in the 4th last night since Rafer clearly was having an off night. But overall, I'll defer to coach on who starts.

 

Actually DD seems to think this AB/Rafer business is more important.

Rafer gets into trouble when he tries to force up shots ...which is what he does when one of our primary scoring options isn't available. When we have legit scoring options, Rafer mostly defers pretty well.

I say if Rafer can consistently hit OPEN 3's and keep turnovers down, he'll be fine. He does that. Even last night, Rafer's only shot was a wide open OPEN 3.

If we feel we can't keep scoring options on the floor, then play AB because he'd DEFINATELY a better scoring option. Right now with TMac playing like crap, he's deferring and somebody has to shoot eventually. So Rafer ends up taking more shots than he should.

If TMac/Yao/Ron were healthy, then it's better to bring AB off the bench for scoring punch. With Ron and TMac both useless, it lets the defense sag onto Yao which makes him useless too since Yao isn't effective at breaking double teams.

So I'll concede the point that if TMac is not healthy, AB is a better option. But if TMac isn't healthy, then our outlook is bleak and starting AB won't make up the difference anyway.

That said, I still hold out hope that we'll turn it around cause we still in the thick of good playoff seedings ...despite our health. So if we get healthy ...look out!

 

Adelman's loyalty to the starters is perplexing.

If Tmac is struggling and giving half effort due to whatever reasons, give him the hook. We are deep enough in the wing position even with Artest out.

If Rafer is struggling with his shot from the onset, then shorten his minutes. And play the hot guy in the 4th.

Now is not the time to worry about getting someone up to speed by giving him game time minutes or making sure chemistry is developed by leaving starters in.

We just need W's right now. However and whatever way we can get them, we just need to get them. (not advocating changing PG starter yet)

 

I'm Krosfyah and I approve this message.