Rafer needs to get benched:

Battier gets dumped on for not shooting enough, with some justification. I wish we had that "problem" with Alston.

 

If we could only switch Battier's reluctance with Alston's shot-happiness, imagine the possibilities.

Alston with 4-6 shots a game and Battier with 11-19 shots.

 

umm ur the one that needs to get a clue..i dont even know what your talking about in the above quote... why dont you figure out what your trying to say and make some sense. I dont even know how to response cause i have no f'n clue what your saying here..
all i was trying to say was Rafer is sucks as a starting PG. i dont think id have a problem with him coming off the bench. .but he just isnt starting PG material. I truly believe he is one of the worst starting PG's in the league..

 

Can we stop dumping on Alston for taking bad shots or shooting too much, because that simply isn't the case. It's not Alston's fault; it's JVG's. Rafer isn't going against the system and running plays for himself. He's taking what the defense gives the Rockets and it's usually the last option. Battier isn't shooting enough because they aren't running plays for him and the defense doesn't collapse off him as much as they do off of Rafer when T-Mac drives. Rafer doesn't take bad shots anymore than any other Rocket. It's a result of the system, his minutes played, and how the defense is playing.

When Head was getting big minutes, he was getting almost as many shots as Rafer. And defenses don't want Head to shoot open 3's more than Rafer. So guys, stop saying Rafer is not a pass first dumb player. I watch the games and in my opinion Rafer looks for the passes, but the passes aren't there because teams want Rafer to shoot. I support Rafer's positives that he brings, but I also hate his deficiencies. At least, don't hate Rafer for being dumb, because he's not being dumb...he just sucks. Hate Van Gundy for making bad decisions, because the decision is on JVG. Rafer is doing the right things when he plays, but he just sucks.

The 7 games with only Yao and no T-Mac
Rafer Alston

• 39.6 mpg
• 15.3 fga/game, 44.1% shooting
• 8.4 2pt attempts/game, 49.2% shooting
• 6.9 3pt attempts/game, 31.3% shooting

Luther Head

• 39.4 mpg
• 12.9 fga/game, 45.6% shooting
• 6.8 2pt attempts/game, 44.7% shooting
• 6.1 3pt attempts/game, 46.5% shooting

The 7 games with only T-Mac and no Yao
Rafer Alston

• 35.1 mpg
• 15.3 fga/game, 30.8% shooting
• 9.7 2pt attempts/game, 27.9% shooting
• 5.6 3pt attempts/game, 33.3% shooting

Luther Head

• 26.1 mpg
• 7.7 fga/game, 40.1% shooting
• 2.6 2pt attempts/game, 55.6% shooting
• 5.1 3pt attempts/game, 33.3% shooting

When the team is healthy, Rafer will play less. I'm sure of it. Rafer will also shoot better on his 2pt shots because Yao demands so much attention inside that Rafer should be able to get even more wide open from 5 feet in than he is now. Rafer shot the ball decent inside when Yao was healthy...Rafer was getting better.

Ultimately, and I've been saying this from day one, it will all come back to 3pt shooting. Rafer's 2pt shooting should be okay when the team is healthy...it's all about 3pt shooting. Rafer's 3pt shooting will justify his playing time in my opinion. 38% or higher, he gets 40minutes. 36%-38%, he gets 30 minutes. Under 36%, he gets 20 minutes. Just my opinion.

 

I have been saying all along that Rafer needs Yao Ming to be effective, that he does not play well off of Tmac....

At this point in his career he is a better spot up shooter than creator or finisher.

And, yes, I do blame JVG for his lack of accountabilty concerning Rafer...he should have gotten the hook in LOTS of games...

DD

 

I think you've got a legit point Kim. For the life of me, I do not understand why JVG hasn't developed the idea of the pick and roll around VSpan. He uses it with McGrady and Yao and he lets JLIII use the pick and pop to a certain degree. But he has never installed the pick and roll with a true pick and roll point guard that can be creative and finish well. JLIII can finish but he is not creative with the pass. Rafer can pass but he cannot finish. VSpan can pass and finish. Why in the world he gets out there and stands in the corner playing the 2 guard is beyond me. I don't understand that one.

 

So who pulled the trigger for the Rafer and James deal? I want to hang him.

 

hahahaha classic

 

A few bright souls had the foresight to pine for Rafer as early as January 2005:

http://bbs.clutchfans.com/showthread.php?p=1658840&highlight=Rafer#post1658840

 

Bonus points for adding Jimmy Chitwood!!

Thanks for the stats Kim

So Luther shoots much better without Tmac on the court.. and of course correspondingly get more minutes because of the position. Is it that Yao opens him up for better shots because people are doubling down? Or because of some other reason?

I want to say that Luth is the answer to the Rafer issue, but with Mac in the lineup that doesn't seem to be the case. For one thing Luther has shown some problems with half court pressure and from the stats we see he doesn't shoot as well with Tracy back. But is his decrease in made fg percentage because he isn't getting the benefit of having a star on the court at the same time (who demands a double team and leaves him more open)?

I know this isn't a Luther thread, but it would be interesting to see the difference in his FG percentage when he and Tmac are on the court together vs not on the court together, rather than just per game analysis.

I know there isn't enought of a sample size to get JL3's stats in there, because I am not sure how much he played, if at all when Yao was in the game.

Until there is a better solution, maybe we should have Tmac tell Rafer to stop shooting, since apparently that's why Rafer continues to go at it. I don't mind Skip's drive and teardrop because then at least the rebound is closer to the basket, better chance at an offensive rebound. When he shoots those three's the rebound comes off the rim with a hard clang and the other team is more likely to head out on the fast break.

 

hmm...well i copied down the 1st number wrong, but the 2nd one...well, you're right..hmm 32/107 is not 30.8...i used a calculator too...i guess i just hit the wrong button whoops.

I think the 37.2% on Rafer's 2's with both TMac and Yao are hopefully just a bad start to the year. From what I remember, dude was blowing layups like crazy. His inside finishing was really getting better until Yao went down. It can't get any worse or Rafer would be D League material...his inside shooting is rock bottom now..it has to be, oh please it has to be.

So i hope and expect him to shoot better inside from now on. That will really be vital in the short term and can still help the team when it is healthy.

Jopatmc, I don't like JVG not using VSpan in a pick and roll more either, especially now that Yao is out and the Rockets are really having trouble scoring. I wouldn't be surprised to see VSpan out there if our offensive woes continue...but I understand JVG not using VSpan when the team is healthy...I somewhat disagree with it, because a good and flexible coach and team should play towards a players strength, but JVG isn't going to change his ways to adapt to VSpan when the team is healthy. Maybe now he should adjust a little tough, because even the dumbest of observers can see clearly that Rockets are having a terrible time scoring when T-Mac is resting.

And VSpan is staying...he has to. He is very flawed now, but still very talented. His court vision is better than most and he's able to make passes that very few point guards can. I remember Yao b****ing at VSpan one time for messing up the play, but I remember the result of the play being VSpan throwing a great lead pass for Yao that ended up in an AND1 or something. I don't think Yao was looking for that pass, but it was still a great pass. VSpan needs time together with this team, because as flawed as he is, in many ways, the team isn't ready for VSpan. He is the future. Rafer is the now.

 

Hahaha, DD is pawned. I remember the general mood after the trade herewas we got the better the end of deal. I was one of the minority that hated the trade. Oh, well, James isnt tearing the world apart in Minny right now. His not returning here was his sweet payback to us. I just dont understand why Minny went after him with T.Hudd, Jaric, and drafted Foyle. Man, talking about screwing others and not do oneself a favor.

 

chess mate!

hahahaaaaaaaaaahah!

 

hahhahahahhahaha

dang, it doesn't get better!

 

I definitely agree with you that the pic and roll is what Spanoulis is best at and I was initially very annoyed that he was not more involved in running it early on. However as Spanoulis got more PT and displayed how inconsistent, unreliable his jumper is and the fact that he DOES not finish well in traffic... I quickly got over it. Simply becuase I realized, teams will quickly adapt to his one strength, which is making the pass in traffic off the pic and roll and thus play to his weakness. Which can easily be accomplished by playing off Spanoulis and going under the "pick" thereby giving the 18foot jumper and denying penetration and the interior pass to the "picker" due to a lack of switching or showing.

As to whether or not Spanoulis is staying, it is very unlikely he has much trade value nor is his contract a hindrance, so it would seem likely. But unless he shows he can consistently hit an 18-20 foot jump shot and knocked down the three at an average rate, the only future for him with the rockets in it will be as an opponnent or as a spectator from the NBDL or Euroleague.

 

But nobody has expected Rafer to degenerate so much....

 

2 of freaking 14 so far. Alston is on FIRE!!!!

Keep on shooting buddy!!!!

 

One solution is to have Rafer gain 10 pounds before the playoffs. It will help his post up defense and stabilize his layup attempts. Hopefully he can do this while still maintaining his quickness/strength ratio. But man...it's gonna be a lotta eatin', a lotta time in the weight room...

He reminds me of Yao as a rookie, or playing against some girls during pick up. Lack of weight or strength is such a disadvantage.

 

I haven't cursed so match at a rockets player since Moochie Norris. Rafer=Moochie that shoots a whole bunch more.