I think it's just the opposite. Deep down some people know vspan should be playing, but it would contradict what JVG says, so they are too afraid to contradict him.
Ok, I assume you have proof. I'm sure you, like every other hardcore V-Span supporter, will point to FIBA, but that is NOT proof. Since we're just sheep for following what JVG says, show me some hard evidence that V-Span, while playing in the NBA, is better than Rafer. V-Span fans are far "blinder" than those who think Rafer is better than V-Span. Saying its true, doesn't make it true. Here's an interesting stat for you, V-Span is #10 in the NBA in turnovers per 48 minutes with an average of 4.55 turnovers per 48 minutes. Oh, but per 48 minutes is an inflated stat - ok, well straight up, V-Span is #51 in the NBA. Think about that - only averaging 8.4 minutes a game (the stats look at games actually played in), he's #51! For all those who whine and say, well he doesn't get to play his natural position or he only gets to play during garbage time NONE OF THAT SHOULD AFFECT HIS TURNOVER RATE! That argument may fly for shooting percentage, but NOT for turnovers.
one other thing: Does anyone else remember that V-Span did actually make the rotation earlier in the year? He did...and he sucked....I don't need JVG to tell me that, I saw it with my own eyes. Again, I'm not saying he won't be good down the line, but this year is not it.
It's a solid theory. The JVG lovers let JVG do the thinking for them and don't form their own opinions through their own eyes. They cling to any JVG rhetoric no matter how asinine it may sound. For them to admit that vspan does indeed deserve to play and is being held out of the lineup out of spite, would mean they are admitting that maybe everything JVG says isn't true. That would shatter their world, so they cannot say vspan deserves to play, until they hear it from JVG first. Then they will change their tune to see vspan was being held out before because he wasn't ready, but now JVG says he's ready, so he must be ready now. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it.
Many people more or less say that JVG and V-Span is not a good match. I think otherwise, let me explain. Billy is without a doubt non-consistent performer, this I don’t deduct from his NBA career but from all the previous years and the preseason. In Europe consistency is important but not as paramount as in the NBA. Billy needs to learn consistency; JVG can force him in that direction (that’s a good thing) Same thing applies to his turnovers, again in Europe no one pays attention to turnovers in the NBA they do and rightly so. V-span got the message loud and clear about turnovers now I believe it’s something he thinks about very much at least more then he used to six months ago. There are areas were V-Span could help the Rox today but there are others were he can hurt them. The potential is there but also the need to learn some important differences is still apparent. JVG will make sure he knows what he needs to bring to the table night in night out before he has an important role with the team I believe JVG is a good coach and I also believe he likes V-Span and down the road there could be a very good marriage. I’m little afraid that Billy might consider leaving the NBA after this season though, I hope he sticks around because he has a lot to learn and offer long term.
Well, you got the lucky eyes since your Rafer played 40 minutes a night and O-fer you 14-18 thrillers. Also, you must have keen eyes that you can find out the greatness from the worst PG in the league. No wonder you love JVG. A lot of other eyes are hurting though when they have to recieve Rafer's suckness everynight. A change has to be made. You should try anything to improve PG position and that anything can not be worse than current Rafer as starting PG, who is already the worst. I say give VSpan the chance, you close your eyes.
VSpan's problem is that he is simply a bad passer. People may want him to replace Rafer, but he is likely to be a much worse assist man and ball handler. In Euroleague 2006, he had a total of 72 assists and 62 turnovers in 23 games. That's nowhere close to what you'd want for a point guard. (Sorry, had a problem with the link, but trust me the stats are correct). He is a relatively good scorer, as his shooting percentage was much higher in Euroleague than it has been here. In other words, he's a shooting guard who likes to think he can pass, but really can't. Hopefully he can learn some skills in the offseason. But neither his past Euro stats nor his NBA play suggest he will be an effective PG. I expect him to be more of a change-of-pace guy, like Earl Boykins or Nate Robinson (though of course he's taller).
Euroleague hands out assists differently and it is much harder to get credit for an assist over there. Hollinger talks about it when he does hit adjusted euroleague stats when he does predictions on how well euro players will do in the nba.
We can't prove that VSpan can play because there is no history with him and he hasn't been given minutes. What you need to prove is why should Rafer continue to play over 35 minutes every night when he is shooting so poorly and can't hit a layup. What you need to prove is why we should not be seeing if VSpan can play and why we should NOT be developing him in light of what we have at the point guard spot, in light of the fact that we are the team with the lowest number of FTs attempted in the NBA, and in light of the fact that we are 24th out of 30 teams in the NBA in points per shot because Rafer, Luther, and JLIII are not aggressive going to the hole, drawing contact, and finishing. What you need to prove is why you think we are going to win a champhionship with our point guards chucking up 3 balls and not driving to the basket. Prove those things to me and then we will start talking about proving whether VSpan can play or not. P.S. Some of the greatest players in NBA history had high turnover rates. .........Magic Johnson
You are probably not aware of how they count assists in Europe. Assists are only counted as passes next to the basket, if you pass to an open shooter say 10 feet or 15 feet away from the basket, guess what? It’s not given as an assist. It’s a Ridiculous way to keep stats but that’s how fiba basketball works. Look at stats of this years euroleague you will see some of the best point guards in Europe averaging 3.5-4 assists. Papaloukas who is current Eurolague mvp and euro player of the year (dirk finished 2nd)and consider by most as the top PG in Europe is averaging only 4 assists. If assists were given like they are in NBA Papaloukas and most of the top PG’s in Europe would have 8-10 assists per game instead of they have now
What are you talking about?? He had no turnovers in the last 5 games... Don't you see any progress??? Are you blind or what???
I'm tired of hearing how V-Span proved himself in the Euroleague and the World Basketball Championships. He was a star in europe, but that doesn't mean anything. Hell Anthony Parker was a 2 time euroleague MVP and he's an okay NBA player. V-Span didn't dominate at the WBCs. He had one good game against the US. Many players have lit up the US that will never be in the NBA. Hell Maleye Ndoye, who played for Furman University of all places, dropped 25 against the US. For the tournament he scored 11.7 points per game, shot 35.8% from the field, and averaged 1.3 assists per game. What's so special about that? Against the rest of the world, in the WBCs, he averaged 10.4 points and shot 32.3% from the floor which makes Rafer's fg% look great. People b**** because he goes in at the two sometimes. He wasn't even the primary point guard on Greece. He played a lot of 2. I keep hearing everyone here say how great of a passer the guy is. He was 4th in assists for Greece at the WBC. V-Span was a star in Europe. Second team all-euro league. Their isn't as far a gap between the euroleague and the NBA like there used to be, but it still isn't close. Lynn Greer plays four years at Temple, doesn't get drafted, and then goes to the Euroleague and drops 25 a game. 40 year old Arvydas Sabonis retired from the NBA to go play in the euroleague. Here is a guy who was incredible in his prime, but at 40 was not good enough to keep playing in the NBA. He scored 26 a game at age 40 in Europe! When he was 38 he was scoring 6 points per game in the NBA. Also, guys like Trajan Langdon who can't make it in the NBA go over to the Euroleague and become stars. He led his team to the Euroleague title. Stars will come out've the Euroleague from time to time and hit it big in the NBA, but V-Span hasn't shown any reason why he's poised to be a star. He did bad in the WBCs except for one game, was a star in Europe but was not a first team all-euroleague player or MVP, and he hasn't showed anything in the time he's played in the league. People just jumped overboard when he had one good game against the US. He disappeared in the next game against Spain.
Hey Einstein last year's no. 1 draft pick came from Euroleague-- so did Kukoc, Divac, Danilovic, Sabonis, Petrovic, Ginobili, Gasol, Tony Parker, Nowitzki. I've heard those guys did pretty well in the nba. Bargnani was drafted as high based on his performance in Euroleague and national team. ANd the other information you posted is inaccurate on all accounts. You just googled a bit and copied his stats from last year only without having seen even a minute of action. Your points are totally void.
How can you show you're poised to be a star while sitting on the bench? What is your basis for saying he played poorly in the World Championships except for one game? The Greek National team played a lot of trapping defense against opposing teams and they didn't need a lot of scoring because they were forcing a lot of turnovers. On the other hand, you will agree that lighting up the US National Team and playing a crucial role in their defeat is no small feat. It shows he has guts , and he turns it up another level when playing good competition.
Eh, I'm going from the Greece vs USA game that everyone keeps on referring to...if you actually watched the game, you'll notice V-span first of all... -Gets fouled from behind the arc. Twice. While his 26% jump shot was in motion. That's just stupidity on Team USA's part. -Was given open 3pt shots BY DESIGN (remember, 26%), even late in the game when he knocked some down. -Sometimes, he just seemed to be out of control; one memorable sequence, he looses the ball mid-dribble, bounces it too hard and it flyes backwards with little to no pressure on him. That said, he had some nice crossovers and seemed to finish well; even if he was given open 3pt shots he did knock them down. Also a 90% FT shooter or something like that during the tournament. All positives. Still, even "the game" (which is really too small of a sample size) that every V-span supporter claims to have proven him as a true NBA player isin't very strong evidence of anything. ... Yay, first post!
plus the crossover on Hinrich who grabbed him from his waist, outhustling Wade, playing great pn'r with the bigs, and other stuff... That said, it wouldn't be smart to judge him as a player based on one game, he has been playing very well at a high international level for the last 4 years.
But that's what most V-span supporters do, chuck that one game out as evidence that V-span IS certified NBA material because he played one good game against Team USA. Much as I don't trust Rafer's shaky shot or Luther's shaky handles, V-span is not the alternative for the Rockets...at least for now. As for a high international level, I'm not too sure. The Euroleague isin't exactly that high up...Nikola Vujčić, Luis Scola and Alex Acker ring a bell? Not really. But they're tearing the Euroleague up...one of them never tried for the NBA. Another was drafted by the Spurs, 2nd Round, 28th. The other is a washout from the Pistons, drafted 2nd Round, 30th, assigned to NBDL...
