I'm not sure about this but I think part of that was because of the previous rules on mandatory man-to-man defense or if the rules were changed the teams were still not well versed on how to exploit the new rules. Under a man-to-man defense it is much easier to score, and it is more difficult for the defense to double team , because if you decide to double both of the players must commit or harass the offensive player. Under the current rules, players can sag or a sagging double team is allowed. Under this sagging double team , one player commits or harasses the offensive player from the outside or sticks close to him so he has difficulty getting off the outside shot while another player is planted inside waiting for the charge. In either case, with sagging defenses it is much easier to converge on the star player because not all of the players have to commit, others can maintain a safe distance to prevent the drive while the other defensive player sticks close to him outside to prevent him from shooting the outside shot or from gaining momentum in his drive. The NBA has become more team oriented as a result of the rule change. We see less isolation plays than before. Sometimes players prefer to pull up instead of taking it hard because there are more defensive players now planted in the lane waiting for the charge or the block. But the importance of taking it hard to the rim was demonstrated by Manu Ginobili when he singlehandedly dismantled the Jazz by not trying to avoid contact. Essentially, just as taking a charge on the defensive end or flopping is an intangible stat that can in some instances determine the outcome of the game ( see chuck hayes drawing the charge against fisher)... an offensive player can also flop when he drives into the lane and draws contact so the referee will blow his whistle and this too can decide the outcome of the game. This is what Ginobili did repeatedly. It is really very difficult for the referee to tell because when a guard who is naturally of lighter build collides with a forward who is naturally bulkier the natural tendency is for the guard to be outbalanced. In the series against the Spurs , you could see Jerry Sloan complaining about Ginobili flopping on the offensive end to draw those fouls. And in that championship series, the Mavs complained about Wade getting the benefit of the doubt when he drives into the lane and gets the call.
yes, i do. it was the smartest thing to do. of course he would have loved to be the scorer first, but as evidenced in more than 82 games he just wasn't able to. it's pretty hard to do here in germany where the games usually start at 2 or 3 in the morning but i was able to watch about 90 % of the rockets games of the last two seasons. if you watched the rockets like you supposed i didn't then you should know who our 3rd best scorer was. it was rafer alston. look at the roster, look what has changed. all the changes were made for a reason. if this reason only was jvg than replacing him with adelman would have done it. but it wasn't because it never really was about the coaching. sure, jvg could have done some things differently. but overall the rockets just lacked scoring talent. anybody who watched a single game in the last two seasons knows that. yes, i do. was that the point? i don't think so. i think he would have loved to do that. if only his shot was falling... while i agree with the first part i think the second part is totaly untrue. rafer never could play to his strengths because of t-mac. if t-mac could have been the scorer instead of the playmaker rafer could have done more useful things for the rockets. but that wasn't the case so rafer failed. if you really think that rafer wanted to shoot so much (and miss so much) and that it was only him taking so many shots then you really have to think again. rafer was forced into this role. opponents knew he couldn't shoot, t-mac took away some of his tasks and jvg said he should continue to shoot no matter what. the bottom line is that rafer couldn't deliver what the rockets needed. but to say that was totally his own fault is untrue. things, in spite of what this board sometimes will try to make you think, aren't that simple. we agree both on that and i really hope that t-mac gets his shot back. he is my favorite player and i would love to see him as the topscorer again that he once was. then he obviously was missing on purpose when yao was in just to make him look better? seriously, the time when yao was out was just amazing by t-mac. but he couldn't have brought that for 82+ games. plus, he couldn't have brought that with yao on the court. then just pray he gets his shot back. because otherwise he won't.
Are you kiddin' me? Did T-Mac want to be a playmaker? No he didn't. He said it a lot of times that he was playmaker because no one on the team could do that [I have the same situation, you're not alone. I live in Poland so we are "neighbours". Last season I probably saw about 99% Rockets' games and I really know it's hard to get up at 2 or 3 am. Rafer alston was our 3rd best scorer - and what, that makes him "good player"? I know he had some good shootin' games but when you look at the 3s which he used to take they're open in 80%. So he didn't do his job well cause he didn't drive and he only used to shot that fu*kin' 3-pointers which he wasn't able to knock down. I know JVG wasn't the only reason but he was the main reason. Now we have great coach (I hope he's great) but we also have some PG who can really be good playmakers and that will make Tracy a scorer. Ok we agreed on that. He didn't have normal summer. But look. He got the ball on the halfcourt and if he didn't find open temmates he has to come off the screen and try a well contested jumpers - that's also that. I think Tracy will be a player (next season) eho will post up more and come off the screens - that makes him open. Again: Are you serious. So that's all on T-Mac that Rafer wasn't a playmaker? That he shoot only 3s? Man Rafer should be a playmaker and T-Mac a scorer but last season Rafer was "shooter" and Tracy playmaker. And that's all on Rafer right there. I know for you Rafer is great and that's T-Mac's fault that he wasn't a playmaker (Rafer) but that (for me) is just funny. When Yao was out Tracy was the scorer, but when Yao was in he was again a playmaker. I know he didn't play that was that he should play when Yao was in but... When I'm readin' your post it looks like Tracy had a horrible season...I don't think it was a real horrible season, maybe not the best of his seasons but come on...Let's wait and see him in the next season I don't think that way, either
