I know a lot of poster on this BBS don't care much for Rafer Alston. The Rox have been lucky about getting great centers...on the other hand...we haven't been so lucky getting great point guards. As far back as I can remember, we've been looking for one! I made a list, from Clutch's own player profile list, of all the PG in Rox history. How many of these guys would you rather have than Alston? Let's not try to replace him with PG's on other teams, just PG's from our past. I think he stacks up quite well. Andre Barrett - not better than Skip Melvin Booker - no Scott Brooks - a back up at best even he was on the team right now Rick Brunson - who? no Sam Cassell - yes I love Sam, it still makes me sick to think about the day we traded him and Horry for that fat b*stard Barkley, but the truth is he never started here and he never came close to the 10 assists game he averaged after he left...but now the less - yes, I'd take him over Skip Sean Colson - no Emanual Davis - email...no Bryce Drew - you call him a point guard? no Gerald Fitch - no Sleepy Floyd - He was my most hated Rocket...until Pippen - the most selfish point guard I ever saw...at a position where you can't be selfish - I say no, but some of you might say yes Steve Francis - well...OK yes, I guess Winston Garland - I loved his game - I even named my cat Winston after him - but sadly - no Tom Henderson - he was old school, not many of you will even remember him, he lead the Bullets to back to back NBA finals, and then led the Rox to one too, (in 3 consecutive years I think), but no I'd rather have Skip Mack Jackson - if we would have had 10 years earlier, then yes - but no Avery Johnson - AJ was good...almost a toss up, but I think I'll still go with Skip Frank Johnson - I don't think so Bradin Knight - no Allan Levell - I liked his game, but if he was on the team today wouldn't he be a backup? Randy Livingston - I can only dream what he might have been had he knee not given out, but no John Lucas - the old man...best PG we ever had, but drugs did him in. I'll never forgive him for getting suspended during our playoff push John Lucas III - a back up - no Tito Maddox - give me a break Matt Maloney - he got paid like the best PG, but he wasn't Moochie Norris - if you like PG to dribble the ball out of bounds, I liked his hair though Brent Price - he was the perfect PG for Rudy's system, but injuries kept him from being anything at all - no Kenny Smith - he played a good game about once in every 4 or 5 games. I don't think he ever led the Rox in assists...it's a toss up Rod Strickland - see Mark Jackson above Andre Turner - I don't think so Charlie Ward - hardly and I'm not even jewish So based on Rockets past PG Rafer is no worst than top 2 or 3 best PG's we ever had. I'd say Cassell, Lucas, Kenny Smith maybe...OK Skip is no Nash or Kidd, but he's the best we have!
I agree. Rafer's not all that bad. If he could just string a few baskets together, he would be an awesome PG.
You know, the Lakers haven't exactly been blessed with great point guards in recent times either. Of course, PJ's offensive system doesn't demand having a great point guard anyway, but what's good for the goose is also good for the gander.
I like your spirit, Flame Bait. Personally, I'm a big fan of Jerry Sloan. Oh, and I STILL like the Barkley trade.
You like the Barkley trade? I understand it...the team thought they needed to win now...with Hakeem in his prime, but we traded away two GREAT players, who by the way are still playing. What do you think would have happened if we didn't make that trade and kept those guys instead?
There is so many possibilities that one could think if we didn't make that trade. Remember what Abraham Simpson said to his son Homer Simpson, "One little change in the past can change the future drastically" I suck at remembering quotes, but I hope I get my point across.
oh would you? You wouldn't take the undisputed best PG of all time over a center who is only in the top 5.
Things have slowed down at work...sorry about that. I work for a living so I don't get to post as much as I like, but these are two threads I've thinking about. Cut me some slack!
I'd say more like top 3...but it's a tough one...I love Magic...but I still say centers are more important and harder to get than point guards. Or should I say you can win a championship easier with a great center and a OK pg than the other way around. Don't you think?
Back in Magic's time, centers were a lot easier to obtain and good PG's were harder to find. In this period of time it has completely changed the other way around, for god's sake they are treating oden(who has proved/shown nothing) like a god. And on Hakeem being a top 3 is disputable because all those centers are so interchangeable you cant go wrong with any of them in any order. And lets not make this into a "who is the best center of all time" debate. Magic is capable of making everyone better(then again so was hakeem) but i think Magic is more important when you take in to consideration that the pg brings the ball up the court all the time and the offense has to go through him. So if you have a great center and crappy pg like luther who cant get him the ball what is the point of having the center then? Just look at Yaos game against golden state. And also Magic is probably one of the top 5 players of ALL TIME.
