How bad does Rafer and JLIII have to play before you think VSpan deserves a shot?

He brought in those guys because thats all we could get. You act like we had chances to get Jason Kidd, Steve Nash or TJ Ford. We are over the cap for some time now so it's hard to land a so-called "creative" PG.

 

HAHA, you must know nothing about basketball. Ask any person with any basketball knowledge and they'll tell you, a bad shot is better than not taking one at all. At least Rafer's horrible shooting gives us a chance to score, while turnovers are always negative.

 

Bingo, that is exactly what I would do if I were another teams coach. I would force Rafer to beat me on the offensive end and I would really like my chances. I cringe every time he takes a shot that is not a 3 pointer. I'll guarantee you come playoff time, Rafer will cost this team a game or two in a series once an opposing coach locks on to the rockets weaknesses. With a solid backup PG or starter, Rafer should not be getting more than 25 minutes a game.

 

Didn't the good doctor or IC come out and say that VSPAN actually sucks?

I seem to recall something like that...but could be wrong.

 

Also Billy is just fantastic with the pick and roll play, that was unstoppable this summer. Why doesn't JVG just bring in Billy to run that play for a bucket or two when this team is struggling on the offensive end is beyond me. Billy would really help this team more if he could directed towards attacking the basket on P&Rs and cutting more to the basket. If you notice when this team is attacking the basket they very rarely lose.

 

would Yao be benched a season for he is not strong enough to be a nba player in his rookie year if it's JVG coach him?

 

I will take KillBill at his word when he says that JVG is trying to make him a spot-up shooter. VSpan's strength is (probably?) getting to the basket.

We should have seen this coming. We probably did. JVG was none too thrilled about bringing VSpan over. So he gives him some playing time, tells him what he expects of him, and when he doesn't get it, he can lean into the microphone and say, "See? I played him and he sucks."

Of course I'm oversimplifying. VSpan turns it over too much. But he isn't a 3 point shooter. He's a hustle and energy guy, plays some D, can make it to the rim, and will never, ever, ever showcase these skills as long as JVG is coach (unless every other guard has the flu; hell, he'd let Chuck Hayes play the point before VSpan).

JVG doesn't play rookies unless they're outstanding and doesn't play Euros (see also: Mirsak Turkcan ["you three, me fired"], Boki Nachbar) unless Mark Cuban got really high and traded us Dirk Nowitzki.

 

Look most of Vspan's TO's were from euro-palming and from hot passes that hit guys hands too fast, and bounce passes to Mutombo. I don't remember mistakes being made that were not correctable - as I mentioned before Luther got some palming calls last year and then he obviously corrected it and has moved on.

I would think by now Billy would have learned a few lessons and would be ready for another 8-10 minutes. Heck he may have also improved his shot a bit. or we could do the unthinkable and allow him to take it to the rack or shoot short range 2's, or drive and dish. Lucas takes it to the rack - he was successful at first as it was a surprise to other teams - but it is less so now as teams have scouted him.

Rafer takes it to the rack and uh oh nevermind.

 

After his 0 point opening game, JVG would have benched him. After marbury crossed up yao and made him fall, JVG would have benched him saying he can't play defense.

 

The main issue of JVG not wanting to Play V SPAN are
1.Turnovers
2. Low FG%
3. Fouls

I personally think the issue of V-SPAN turning the ball over is relative. If Alston is our Bench Mark then it begs the question should that be the way we judge him? Let us say V-SPAN is Not an elite PG- and let us look at their Turnovers. It is not just plain turnovers- but turnovers at crucial points in the game which are either game losers or momentum breakers. So how does Rafer fare in those areas?

My theory is if say V SPan turns the ball over 4 times versus an average benchmark of 2 TO- how terrible is that.

Low FG percent- this is weakest point for V-SPAn, he cannot say he is a "creator" and not a shooter- not on this team. If rafer is expected to dramatically improve shooting- then why not V Span- if anything he will be all the more motivated to do better- if he does not then trade him.

Fouls- that is the weakest argument against V-span. Rookies who are new to the JVG system, will have fouls. This is not phoenix. If I remeber Yao used to foul out a lot- that does not mean the talent is not there.

V Span is a hell of a lot better driving to the basket and one-on-one defense.

The big question is will JVG be here next season? And should we be sacrificing talent that does not fit his system.

All I care is we win consistently against premium competition- whatever the issue is let us fix the problems that are very obvious.

Hell if V-Span is not cut out for NBA, let us send both Rafer and Vspan packing. But do you honestly believe JVG will let go of Rafer mid-way into the season- Absolutely not. IF JVG stuck by Rybo- Rafer is an "all Star" relatively speaking!

I dont agree with V SPAN mouthing off to the press. But if he is told that he is not a fit and will not see minutes- what exactly do you expect?

We just dont believe in "creativity" at the PG position.

 

You are overrating your basketball knowledge a little bit here.
Its not like rafer missing one or two shots a game.

Rafer is missing 12 to 15 "good" shots every night. All you can say is that he is better than a guy averaging 12 TOs a night, only JVG averaging that many turnovers a game.

 

it's impossible at this time. you'll never see VSpan playing for the Rockets no more.

 

And Rafer will continue to enthrall us by his post game quotes which run something like this " yao and Mac want me to shoot" " Coach wants me to shoot" and "I dont worry about percentages"

Rafer you are one lucky SOB!

 

I know nothing about Basketball. I guess what he means is Vspan shoots better than alston which overcomes the deficits on TOs. What you means is, for same person, TO is worse than missing a shot. Again, you both are experts, I just guess.

 

I think we will see VSpan play sooner rather than later...

Just a hunch.

 

JVG has developed some wonderful chemistry on this team, where players put the team first, rather than their own selfishness, and play team defense, which will be very effective in the playoffs. We have 2 superstars on the team, who can score, distribute and do far more with the ball than VSpan. Even though they are superstars, they defer to one another, and have humility, subjecting their games to what best helps the team win.

Wells comes in with a bad attitude, because he got cocky after having a good playoff, and wanted to get a huge paycheck out of the Kings. They didn't think he was worth what he demanded, since he viewed himself with higher value than he had, and so they let a valuable, but inflated asset go, because there was no realism for common ground. This has been very hard for Bonzi, because he's been publicly humbled. So, he ended up signing with us, wanting to be with a contender, but he's sulked, acted out foolishly like a child, who's still had a hard time accepting his reality. When he's decided he's going to be unselfish and work together well with the other unselfish players on the Rockets, he's done well, but he keeps losing that perspective.

Howard has been a starter all his career. With Yao dominating, and teams swarming in double-teams, the Rockets needed their PF to spread things out, and since Howard didn't wasn't effective offensively that far from the basket, he had to take a different role, coming off the bench. It really bothered him, but he was a professional. He kept himself in top shape, contributed anytime he could, and was ready when Hayes and Yao went down. He's been amazing. Of course, part of that is because Mutombo doesn't get double-teamed, and he can play closer in. When Yao comes back, Howard will probably have to change his role again, and hopefully he'll stay the consummate pro.

Battier comes in, somewhat humiliated that he'd given all for his team, and was the face of that franchise, but was shipped off for a rookie and previous failure, with the GM gloating that this was the biggest steal since his dealing for Kobe. That had to hurt. But, he's deferred his game to Yao and McGrady, been a team player, used whatever his abilities and skills were for the best of the team, and the coach adores him, depends on him, praises him anytime he can, and he's almost as untouchable as Yao and McGrady.

Now VSpan comes in, and had this one great game, in which the USA team was beat in the World Championships. Everyone around him pumps him up, says he's the next Kobe, he gets his head filled with thinking it'll be as easy as this one game turned out, and he can't deal with reality. He's got a big head, thinks he's the McGrady of Europe, but the reality is that he's not, doesn't have the skills, and especially doesn't have the attitude or humility. This has not only got to be grating to JVG, but to the whole team.

He comes into some games, tries too hard, because he has to live up to all these people who now view him as more than he is, and when he can't pull it off, blameshifts it on everyone else, twisting what others have said, making it everyone else's fault.

How often have we dealt with people like that in business, sports, religion, politics, and even romance, where they are impossible to live with, work with, or deal with, because they are too full of themselves, and have no ability to work together in reality. It's impossible.

So, this has nothing to do with how well or bad the other PGs play. It has nothing to do with whether he has talent. It has nothing to do with JVG's being tough on rookies, or giving him enough playing time. It TOTALLY has to do with VSpan's attitude, reality, team first mentality, and humility.

How do you think TMac and Yao feel when this NBA unproven player expects the team to change their approach to fit VSpan's abilities? This has to irritate every player on the team, who has become a TEAM player.

So, this is all about whether VSpan chooses to humble himself, get grounded in reality, works on his game, adjusts to the things he needs to be effective in the NBA, just as Ginnobli and Dirk did, but Milicic and other Euros didn't. Ginnobli didn't come in right away and succeed, neither did Dirk. They are stars now, but only because they did the work. The question is, "Will VSpan do the work, will he subject himself to the team, will he subject himself to superstars, will he develop humility, and loyalty, so his fellow players admire him." I guarantee you, right now, they don't ... and that's a much bigger problem than JVG.

 

Oh, their there. But can VSpan do much better? Probably not any time soon. He needs more minutes, but it is time for a trade. We need a shooter.

 

May be you're the one who doesn't know jack about hoops!

I've played with some horrible ball hogs who kept on jacking up one bad shot after another....guess what? We always lost!