hardaway is not what this team needs...he's another shoot first guard who probably doesn't even shoot that well anymore. But damn, back in the day he was something special.
In my mind, if Jackson can just keep the ball moving and hit the occaisional 3, he'll have done his job. Might take him a while to get into the rotation though.
So the Rox sign the poor man's John Stockton... The Rox really need to try and get something back from the Nets.
It just so happens that protecting the ball and feeding the post are two things the Rocks have trouble doing consistently well. How many times have we pulled our hair out watching some of the guys make badly timed passes, passes at bad angles, or not even recognize a passing opportunity as it's about to unfold. I wouldn't expect he'll see alot of minutes, but I'll bet Yao, most of all, will appreciate and benefit from the times MJ is on the floor.
Kevin Ollie makes $2,458,500 this year and is signed through 2007-08. Antonio Daniels makes $2,200,000 this year and is signed through 2005-06. Do you REALLY want to pay THAT much (for THAT long) for a backup guard who will play 10 minutes a game AT MOST? MJ is making $606,333 and Wilks is down for $563,679. That's OK by me. Let's not have another repeat of Moochie (and Brent Price... and Matt Maloney), please.
Mark Jackson is PERFECT, he is going to be a great mentor for Steve. Imagine the high pick and roll with Yao where the PG actually PASSES to the wide open Ming for 2.....priceless. DD
If Mark Jackson was not going to be able to contribute to this team, JVG wouldn't have grabbed him. Either he's in good enough shape, or he can get there soon. I've always liked Jackson (except when he played for Utah - I'll never like a Jazz player), and I'm glad to see this. I think he'll do a good job as backup PG. -- droxford
Baqui99: "This reminds me of when the Rockets signed Sedale Threatt at about this time back in '97. He was horribly out of shape, and would get winded running down the floor just once." That was pretty pathetic. But then Sedale was backing up Matt Maloney, so he was more exposed. MJack won't have as much responsibility. 8-10 minutes of nice solid play would be all we need.
At least Mark Jackson bring fundamental and knowledge to the game and to a team that desperately need it.
I think this is a good pickup. We only need about 10 minutes or so out of our backup point guard, so who cares if Mark is 38? I wouldn't be surprised if he does a good job of getting the ball to Yao, and maybe a few easy buckets for others as well. He's not going to have an adverse effect on Steve as a point guard, and could possibly help him. If he does none of these things, he'll probably just sit on the bench, so what's the big deal? I doubt seriously he'll be worse than Moochie.
I agree. WE don't need Jackson to score. We need him to setup the offense, protect the ball, and dish out assist. He very good in the post, he's a decent at lay-ups off glass, uses the pick and role great, and those short little runners down the lane. Jackson is ambidextrous. He can use both hands. He's very versatile. If you set a pick for him he CAN find the open man and is good enough to hit the open 18 footer. The one thing you will notice about him is that it's very hard to steal the ball from him (like Stockton). He's got some great hands and ball control. Too bad that MJ is 38. I hope he can get in shape.
PS2's NBA LIVE 2K4 test so mark jackson was added as the back up point guard (we even gave weatherspoon minutes) and he lit up the sacramento kings for a win. so its confirmed: mark jackson rules also, dont feel sorry for wilks...wilks seems like a player who has some court vision skeelz so imagine what mark jackson could help him get to.
People who know basketball know players, people who don't know basketball know numbers. Karl Malone will soon be the All-Time leader in points in the history of the leaugue, yet everyone who knows anything about this game knows that he is one of the biggest losers ever to play it. Here are some questions to consider for your own enlightment: Why did the NY Knicks got to the Finals AFTER MJ left? What do the names of Reggie Miller, Antonio Davis, Dale Davis, Rik Smits and Larry Brown have to do with the success of the Pacers. What do Danny Manning, Ron Harper and Larry Brown have to do with getting the Clippers to the playoffs. Why did a guy named Haywood Workman and a guy named Travis Best finish games for the Pacers in the playoffs if the team had the historical leader of asissts? You are not going to learn about these things from reading Rockets.com. Remember the purpose of that site is to sell tickets and t-shirts.
Listen, if I was getting a sweet taxpayer deal on the Toyota Center and got the biggest transcontinental marketing phenomenon in sports on my team, and was charging a leg and two arms for tickets, and traded Kenny Thomas for a decent SF and then refused to sign that decent SF to the market price, then yes I would at least have the conscience to get a decent backup for my team.
It will be a revelation for Steve watching the Brothers Jackson run a fastbreak properly. Also, from now on when Steve has one of his turnover hemmorages, Van Gundy has someone reliable enough behind him to bench Steve for 10 minutes so he can sit and learn.
I love this deal! Not only is Mark Jackson a veteran PG, and a solid back-up PG, but he is like a coach on the floor, and you can guarantee that Mark Jackson WILL get Yao the ball. Take that to the bank. And Kayman, you're an idiot. All of those talented players you mentioned on New York and Indiana, guess who got them the ball? Notice that the Clippers have only gotten to the playoffs once since Mark Jackson left, and Indiana hasn't gotten to the Finals since Mark Jackson left. And Travis Best DID NOT finish games for the Pacers the year they went to the Finals. Why don't you actually look up info before you making a fool out of yourself. Best played well 2 years before, in the ECF against the Bulls in 1998, I don't even know if Best was on the Pacers in 2000. I know he wasn't finishing games, Mark Jackson was.
whatever "brah" , yr just spoutin off like all the rest as if there arent enough unqualified cynics stinking up this board. choose to ignore the stats unless they work in your cranky favor which they overwhelmingly dont so....have some respect for the game. me personally, mark jackson was one of the most exciting players to watch in the mid 90s. fear when he brought the ball down the court against the rockets, fear if he let fly an open shot..and selfless player that took all the talent that brought around him and brought it together into a team with wicked smart basketball. the guy just plays the game pretty. the guy just makes the game pretty. im happy he is a rocket now and i think that you calling him a pathetic loser is sort of...middle school. here's a quote i like from a huge mark jackson fan with his own mark jackson fan site: "I feel that he is very underrated and I think that it's about time everyone started to realize what type of player he is. Mark may not score 30 points a night, but that's because his style is to find the open man for the easy 2; he is a winner, and he does what he has to do to win. I'm sure many more people have enjoyed his style over the past few years since the Pacers have been deep in the playoffs! But for all those who don't know much about the man I consider "the best playmaker in the NBA"....."
True, I don't think our Stevie is too capable of learning anything but how to sign the dotted-line for an endorsment. So in terms of Mark Jackson, his only job is to come for 10 or 15 minutes and get Mr.Ming the ball and have no turnovers. That's is the only reason he is here. To do the basic things that our All-Star guard can not do. Why do they sell Yao and Steve together in promos, have they ever even passed the ball to each other this season? uuuhhh no! __________________ In the mean time let's watch the old man break a sweat and try to get Francis to learn from a veteran.
