Does Any One Contender Have as Big a Weakness as Houston at PG?

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Did you not watch the Dallas-GSW series in April? Or perhaps you missed the part where the Mavs sent him back to summer league to try to develop some semblance of an offensive game.

No they can't. San Antonio has Duncan. Phoenix tried that and they have failed repeatedly. Dallas tried it and they have failed repeatedly.

Really - that's why they get killed by opposing SGs on a regular basis, and they too have failed.

So does every other team's weaknesses. The only two teams that have come close to putting "complete teams" out on the court are San Antonio and Detroit.

At the very least, we have a point guard whose hands are sure enough to control the pace of the game during crunch time and take care of the ball. This issue is overblown to say the least.

 

Myth.

The four conference semi finalists last year included two absolute grinders -SA (26th in pace) and Detroit (slowest pace in NBA), a slower paced than average team in Cleveland (18) and the median- paced team in Utah (15th)

The fast-paced teams were at home watching on TV

Miami two years ago were grinders, the Spurs before them were grinders, Detroit obviously were grinders. Etc.

 

/end thread.

 

Cleveland and Detroit last year were not really elite teams, probably 5 teams in the West were better last year. The Spurs and Jazz do play a slower paced game, but the important point is that they have the versatility to play a fast paced game very effectively as well. If you look at the Champions for the past few years, nearly all of them besides Miami had a great PG and not a great C.

 

I want to add something else today that to....is the often mentioned which teams have one the NBA championships.

Tim Duncan and Shaq account for the last 7 out of 8 championships. Say what you will about the teams and the other players, but I strong post presence seems like a key to Finals.

Even the Lakers from 80s had Kareem patrolling the paint, in midst of fast break.

 

Some of that was due to the rule changes where you cannot touch perimeter players anymore.

JT was a SG in Atlanta.

Nash is a baller what can you say.

Devin Harris is a freaking flopper

Parker is a fllor general for the Spurs, and extension of Pop

That said, we can do better than Rafer Alston, I don't care how well he dribbles.

 

Ok let's bring up only the western conference teams then. The five best records in the WC last year were SA (27th) Dallas (28th) Phoenix (1) Houston (22) and Utah (15).

Not sure how you can look at that list and say "the days of the slow pace teams are over!!!!!"

Also this really has little to no relevance with anythng specific to Alston or James - they are both pretty good at running a fast break. I don't really understand how this aspect somehow enhances the argument that there is some magical significance to PG.

 

Like i said before, it's not really that frightening to me that San Antonio can afford playing without a seven foot tall guy next to Duncan. While that might be a favorable matchup for them against some other teams, it's not something they're going to try much vs. us, and judging from their inabilty to rebound last week I'm not sure if this is looking advisable.

Also - the rockets have been playing w/Bonzi at the 4 spot lately, so we can do the same thing - so I don't see how this is a significant advantage for anybody over the Rockets

Finally, considering that the Rockets don't rely on their point guard to initiate the offense, other than to make the initial pass to Yao or McGrady, I don't see how we can't effectively play "without" a point guard essentially by using James/Alston/Francis etc as a ball bringer-upper and spot up-shooter. I mean we're sort of just getting into a semantic realm here which is why I don't give thatm uch credence to that argument. When Giricek gets burned on defense or Alston gets burned on defense - the points count for the same amount each time.

 

The short answer to your question is no. Rajon Rondo isn't that bad, but even if he was the Celtics play in the East and have 3 all-starts to make-up for it. A pg in today's game has to do more than just "run the offense." Look at Rafer Alston tonight. He played horrible as usual (not that MJ played any better), but his defenders will say that he "ran the offense well." It is absolutely true that you can't have an all-star at every position, but you can't have somebody like Rafer Alston either and think that you will win the titile. All his liabilities will eventually catch up to you and you will be eliminated.

 

Our PG situation has always been a concern of mine. We need a stable consistent and trustworthy reliable helsman.

We do not need (nor can afford) a Nash, Parker or even Kidd but someone that has great court vision, past first, but most of all a reliable player that you can trust with the ball to make the right play.

All 3 pgs we have we can NEVER trust in the post season. All have strengths (often inverse to each other) but all 3 guys are unstable, and not trust worthy to "make the right play" in tight games particulary the pressure cookers of a post season run.

With 5 mins left how many of you can honestly say you can trust either Francis, James or Reefer to make the right play in a post season game or a game in the finals? If the answer is no then you would have answered the question posted by the OP. The gap is too significant compared to the top teams that we know of.

The often nightmare scenerio I have is 5 mins left (7 gamer WCF): Rafer dribbling the ball off his foot or dribbling to the corner and getting cornered , James thinking he his MJ chucking it up one against 5 or Francis dribbling it off Rafer's foot parked at the bench. These 3 guys are more than fine in the regular season but Not one of them can you put your trust in in the post season.

Just scary.

 

I think it´s obviously a weakness, but a weakness we now can overcome.

I still believe in Tracy and Yao getting it done now when they are not out of gas after burdening too big of a load.

Rafer and Mike James won't shoot this bad every game. I think eventually Rafer gets to 38% from field and 35% from 3 while providing solid ball handling and low turnovers. Mike will shoot at least 42-45% and 35-40%. I think that should be enough.

Of course Bonzi and Scola etc. will have to help, so Yao and especially Tracy aren't overused.

 

I think this is a very good question, but not the right time to ask it.

The immediate answer, of course, is that Houston's PG situation is a major liability. We don't have a player who you can trust to even "manage" the offense.

For the first time in years, however, the Rockets have decent trading pieces. Around January, some would-be-contenders will be willing to part with serviceable, veteran PGs. If the Rockets think this is the year, the team can pick up one of them.

Hello Derek Fisher!

 

does any one contender have such a superior advantage at sg/sf/C?

 

So simply let T-Mac play PG for us, if PG really that matters!

 

Like Clyde said, Rafer lays so many bricks he would build a condo when the season is done.

 

Actually we do, and his name is Rafer. His problem is his poor, streaky shooting.

And this is the guy you want to bring in to manage an offense? What does he give you that Mike James doesn't?

Amusing.

 

are you saying that Mj has the same attributes as Fisher? now thats amusing

 

For his career - Fisher averages 10 ppg and 3 assists on 39% shooting in 25 minutes a night. If that is the kind of production you are looking for I'm pretty sure James and Alston can provide that level of mediocrity.

 

At least he didn't hit the side of the backboard with a jumper and bank in a trey.

If Mike James isn't hitting his shot.... he's even more worthless than Alston. He needs to shoot better.