think of putting this into the bench Rafer thread but may be it deserves a new one. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=270108004 Scroll to the bottom for the Game Notes: Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy delivered a strong message to those hoping for a change at point guard: Forget about it. Alston is staying in the lineup. "This has always puzzled me," Van Gundy said. "When you lose Yao and you go 5-2, I'm not looking after losing an overtime game to blow somebody up. ... Rafer's our point guard. He's gonna be our point guard. If anybody has a problem with that, wants to see a change, it ain't gonna happen. Everybody can stop all the questions about who's next. There ain't no next right now."
Alston was averaging 13.2 points but had shot just 36.4 percent entering Monday's game. He was 32-for-107 over the previous seven. Rafer Alston missed his first nine shots after failing to connect on his last 11 in Sunday's overtime loss to Minnesota. I was about to post the same thing in another RAFER thread, didn't think it deserved it's own thread. But whatever. BENCH RAFER!
As I said this is why veterans love him, he will stick by them until the bitter end, but I do find it ironic that he thinks it is only one game. Rafer has sucked since December. Maybe CD or Morey will give him a call and straighen him out. But, I think JVG likes the rythmn that Rafer runs the team with, and is comfortable with him doing that. He knows that Rafer can't shoot, can't defend, but he does what JVG wants...and in a year that JVG is trying to earn a new contract, he wants to minimize unknowns. DD
"Right now...." Rafer missed 20 consecutive FG attempts... does anyone know what the all time record is? That's got to be up there... usually you'd get a layup a cheaper or something just happens to fall in in 20 shots.
This has been posted in the game thread and the hate rafer thread already. But it is sad to know straight from the horse's mouth that we are stuck with Rafer. http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=122631&page=17&pp=20
I'm fine with that. We don't have a better option to start the team. I'm not buying the Luther/McGrady backcourt. I'd like Lucas III and/or Spanoulis to get some more minutes, just because I want to see them succeed and they have some skills that this team can use (Lucas -- a very good penetrator, he can fly in transition, VSpan -- solid defender, runs the pick and roll very well). But Rafer is our starter, unless there's a trade.
JVG will go down with the Rafer ship.......maybe someone can spike Rafer's tea with some flu virus to give others a chance to Wally Pipp him. DD
I'm as fed up with Rafer as anyone else but let's be reasonable. When put on the spot after game 35 of the regular season, what else would you expect JVG to say? He won't throw Rafer under the bus. He knows that the best way to answer outcries like this would be to protect the player's back. It may also be his way of psyching Rafer up because from this day forward Rafer will run through brick walls for JVG. If he ever gets it together, Rafer will be able to look back to tonight's words as a defining moment for his season. Don't be discouraged. The Rockets will make a trade for a PG if the right deal comes along. JVG's words were the right thing to say tonight. I still feel a deal is coming sometime in February.
The dreaded vote of confidence for Rafer. Must mean that we are only a couple of losses from him being benched. Tmac will be the starting PG, with Luther as the SG.
wtf is it gonna take for jeff van dummy to see that rafer is REALLY hurting this team. i think i saw he has been 32-107 in the last 7 games, when is his a@# gonna quit chuckin **** up! he does not get many assists anymore (the reason we brought him in) all he does is jack up missed 3s and teardrops. our coach is an idiot to say something like this.........if he isnt even thinkin about benchin alston he needs to be fired, to me this shows his stubborn ego(im jvg im right). i know we dont have a great second option, but my point is it CANT get any worse give something else a try. we lost to minn. by 4 i think and rafer was like 4-17 or something so he is having a def impact on our team, a negitive one. i know it is a team game and other things went wrong to lose this game but come on 4-17, quit f'in shooting. we're winnin but with rafer as our pg we cant win a championship! (at least with him shooting 15 shots or so every game at roughly .300)
It won't matter how many hate threads people start JVG has said what I've told you all along. If Rafer, JL, Head, TMac, Snyder (one handed), Bonzi injured , ec.. get hurt then may VSpan will play. Of course you have to love certain posters bashing Rafer and calling for a guy who can't shoot, can't pass, can't create offense, can't dribble and doesn't belong in the NBA. He does play ok defense though.
Looks like we're winning actually (big road win in Chicago tonight). Instead of talking about how bad you think Rafer is or how stupid or stubborn JVG is why don't you offer a legitimate option to Rafer (JL is our backup pg and isn't capable of starting). Unless you trade (which we may do) there is no choice. It's a bunch of people b****ing every day for no point. As long as we win, i'm happy.
JVG's is saying this now because he has no choice. NOt until Wells and Snyder get back will he start cutting down his minutes. Just wait until the trade deadline. We have the TE plus Sura's contract. We're bound to make a deal involving a pg.
I'd like to think of Rafer as Vince Young. Vince has a low completion percentage Rafer has a low shooting percentage Vince is better at running than throwing Rafer is better at shooting from three than easier layups and short jumpers Vince plays big in fourth quarter Rafer only shoots well in the fourth quarter Vince manages the game well and doesn't turn the ball over Rafer doesn't make crucial mistakes I know this comparison is blasphemy in Houston. But yeah I said it. What What what? Man, you would have seen the running of the Bulls tonight if Vspan was in the game. We would have been run out of the gym. The Bulls thrive on playing good defense and forcing turnovers to initiate the fastbreak with their athletes. They didn't do that at all tonight. I've been watching them on League Pass winning 17 of the last 21 games by pushing the ball with their quick perimeter players. A MISSED SHOT IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN A TURNOVER ESPECIALLY WITH DEKE AND CHUCK PROVIDING MORE SHOTS. Rafer and Tmac do a great job of getting us good looks at the basket. We have shot the ball more times than our opponent each of the last 7 games. If you shoot the ball more, you win more. Luther can't bring the ball up against pressure. John Lucas is too small. Vspan is a walking/running turnover. Tmac can't do it for the whole game. Hey Rafer is by far the best point guard and game manager on this team. What's all the fuss about? He will get out of this slump. He's not a championship point guard, but he's good enough on most nights (last 4 games notwithstanding). The only way we get better point guard play is through a trade. Hopefully, CD will go out in style and get us a PG and PJ Brown from the Bulls for Juwan. Until then, enjoy our inspirational Rockets. One last thing. We can't have All Stars at every position. When it comes down to it, every player around Yao and Tmac has to be able to shoot the 3 and there aren't many PG's with the 3 point shooting ability of Rafer. OH BABY OH BABY SKIP TO MY LOU
I agree with you for the most part, but his play of late has been driving me crazy. I just wish he would keep his dribble sometimes instead of taking the shot everytime he gets close to the rim. Rafer takes as many shots as Nash does and Nash is a two time reigning MVP. On a side note, I've noticed that Head doesn't seem to be able to take anyone off the dribble. Is it a confidence issue, does he not have the ability, or is van gundy discouraging it?
You can't argue with the quality of shots that he's getting though. Most players would love to get those shots. 6-8 foot runners and wide open 3's. His confidence is low right now. He'll snap out of it
since we're on the topic of Bulls PGs...what about Chris Duhon? And on a side note, how sweet would it be if next season we are able to land either Billups or Bibby. That would be a nice day for Rockets fans all around.
