and my point is that he is just too inconsistent to be the point guard on a quality championship team. The point guard, you know, the guy that actually runs the team and sets up the plays and is supposed to give the ball up early in the shot clock so the offense can get set....he cannot be as inconsistent as rafer has been this year.
All I can say is I hope all the potential trading partners are only watching Alston's "good" games. Otherwise, the team is stuck with him. At best, he could lose minutes or be moved to the bench, but who on the current team is going to take his min? It was clear that he was not the answer at PG after a few games last year. He does tend to play a bit better when TMac is in, but everyone does. Alston brings the ball down quickly, but then wastes time dribbling around the perimeter. His poor defense, poor shooting (most of the time), and poor decisions really frustrate many fans, but, for some reason, JVG must love him or sees no alternative.
The only thing that has been inconsistent with rafer is his shooting. If you look around the league, there are no pg's outside of the all star caliber pg's that have been consistent. I would love to have a Steve Nash or a Chauncey Billups, but we have Rafer and he is just about as good as any of the second-tier pg's out there.
On average, Rafer Alston is not going to give you high % shooting. The same, actually, goes with Tracy McGrady. What they do, however, is often allowing the rest of the team to have good shots. Both of them take a number of crap shots when the offense couldn't find anything better. A lot of Alston's crazy drives into the lane happens when the opponent takes away Yao on D and the offense couldn't find any better shots. Take away Rafer's shots after the offense bogged down, his % should look considerably better. The same goes with TMac's jumpers... Also, some of TMac's crackhead Js serve the purpose of keeping the D guessing as to what he's going to do. You gotta mixed up your fastballs with offspeed pitches to keep the batter guessing. Anyhow, despite both of these guys shooting a below average Fg%, the team's scoring efficiency rises with each of them on the floor. They are both good facilitators overall, so the offense doesn't bog down as much with them on the floor. Last night, when Rafer was sitting with 3 fouls, the Rockets offense was pretty bad. That's why I can't really complain too much about each of these guys. On the other hand, what I do blame Rafer for is when he starts to try too hard (like 7 TOs vs Lakers) and go a little crazy. There absolutely needs to be someone who can sub in for him and run the offense while Rafer chills his head on the bench.
Again - a lot of this is a function of who Rafer is palying with and the abysmal performance of the backups. His plus minus would be a LOT worse if Spanoulis wasn't sitting on an abysmal 5.1 PER (which makes Rafer's mediocre PER look better). Rafer's adjusted +/- would account for this and take him down quite a few pegs (but I don't have that stat this year and don't know where to get it ) Last year there was virtually no difference in Rafer being on and off the floor - because his primary backups, Head and Wesley, were just kind of mediocre statistically and not as awful as Spanoulis has been. Also it's no excuse for his not being able to make a layup or shoot free throws. I doubt his crazy drives to the lane (which infrequently culminate in foul shot or converted opportunities) have the effect that you assume.
Good points on Rafer's shooting percentages and how bad VSpan has been. I know the crap shots that Rafer is forced to take probably does take 5 or so percentage points off his averages. My biggest problem with him is when he starts having trouble bringing the ball up the court like against Smush Parker the other night. Smush seems to have his number defensively. Seems like the last few times we have played them, Smush has dealt him fits. As good a ball handler as he is, Smush is a little bigger, a little quicker, and a little stronger. And if Rafer can't get us into the offense, he is basically useless out there. Some of this was probably due to TMac not being there to take the pressure off. But still. I put some of that on Van Gundy. He's got to see when the matchups don't favor us. He should have tried VSpan if not for 3 or 4 possessions to see if he would be any better. Because it couldn't get worse with Rafer. We were throwing up trash shots to beat the shot clock and in a couple cases not even getting it off in time. The thing with Rafer is......it's all if he were just a little bit better in almost every aspect. If he were just a little better shooter. If he were just a little better finisher. If he was just a little bit better defender. All those ifs add up to backup. His game screams of backup point guard. He has no outstanding abilities, at least playing in Van Gundy's system, he doesn't.
Just imagine how devastating the Rockets offense would be if Jason Terry was there and not Rafer....he shoots slightly more but is a much higher % shooter, and not only that but he barely turns the ball over ever.
VSpan isn't even Rafer's primary backup.... in fact, did VSPan even play at all the last 2 games? Head is his primary backup as far as I know. The difference between Head and Alston is passing and ball handling. Specifically, Head hesitates more before making his passes, which makes the offense more liable to run less efficiently without Rafer around.
So true. Rafer will have a really good game often enough to tease, but that's all it is, a tease. He would thrive as the backup 1 with the Rockets. I wish that were his role.
It's almost moot -Alston plays so many minutes he gets to pretty mcuh toady off of the rockets overall success. THe top non-alston lineup that the Rockets have used most frequently this year is Head-Spanoulis-Battier-Howard-Yao. (Head is also hurt by the fact he has to play with Spanoulis a bunch, no matter who you call the PG in that lineup; - whereas Alston gets to play with Head next to him a fair amount). After every single decent game that Rafer has, people pop up and say: "See? I told you Rafe wasn't so bad" The problem is that this happens only every 3 or 4 games.
The on/off +/- analysis has a lot of noise in it so far this season. That's true. However, you can't just put it all on that... There's a reason why Rafter plays so many minutes for a successful team. If he was dragging the team down overall, the coach (who seems to like his job and his pay) wouldn't have stayed with him to committ career suicide. You also can't just put it all on VSpan. Last night, I believe the lineup on the court when the offense looked bad in the 2nd qtr was Head, Wells, Battier, Howard/Hayes (each playing a part of the minutes) and Yao. This is not to say that Rafer is really great... all I'm saying is that the Rockets just don't have anyone better on the roster now. If they get, say, Mike James on the team, I'm all for reducing Alston's minutes, but as of now, there isn't a better option.
Are you kidding? JVG plays Howard tons of minutes despite his dragging the team down. He plays alston now because the only other options are worse I don't have to put it all on Spanoulis - it's really the Rockets lack of depth overall that is the culprit. can't argue with that, which is sad.
It's time for Houston to get involved in the AI sweepstakes. Minnesota needs another team b/c of AI's ugly contract. Houston has the biggest TE left. Combine that with Minnesota and Houston can come out of this trade with good components for the post season. Even w/out the TE, Houston still can provide value w/expiring contracts, specifically Sura's. Houston-Minnesota-Philadelphia Houston Trade Breakdown Outgoing Juwan Howard 6-9 PF from Michigan 11.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.4 apg in 31.7 minutes Rafer Alston 6-2 PG from Frenso State 12.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 6.8 apg in 38.6 minutes Bob Sura 6-5 from Florida State No games yet played in 2005/06 Incoming Mike James 6-2 PG from Duquesne 20.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 5.8 apg in 37.0 minutes Eddie Griffin 6-10 PF from Seton Hall 4.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 0.6 apg in 19.4 minutes Kyle Korver 6-6 SF from Creighton 11.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.0 apg in 31.2 minutes Change in team outlook: +12.4 ppg, +1.5 rpg, and +0.2 apg. Minnesota Trade Breakdown Outgoing Mark Blount 7-0 C from Pittsburgh 11.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.2 apg in 27.7 minutes Mike James 6-2 PG from Duquesne 20.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 5.8 apg in 37.0 minutes Eddie Griffin 6-10 PF from Seton Hall 4.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 0.6 apg in 19.4 minutes Randy Foye 6-3 from Villanova No games yet played in 2005/06 Incoming Allen Iverson 6-0 PG from Georgetown 33.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 7.4 apg in 43.0 minutes Change in team outlook: -3.2 ppg, -10.2 rpg, and -0.2 apg. Philadelphia Trade Breakdown Outgoing Allen Iverson 6-0 PG from Georgetown 33.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 7.4 apg in 43.0 minutes Kyle Korver 6-6 SF from Creighton 11.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.0 apg in 31.2 minutes Incoming Juwan Howard 6-9 PF from Michigan 11.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.4 apg in 31.7 minutes Rafer Alston 6-2 PG from Frenso State 12.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 6.8 apg in 38.6 minutes Bob Sura 6-5 from Florida State No games yet played in 2005/06 Mark Blount 7-0 C from Pittsburgh 11.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.2 apg in 27.7 minutes Randy Foye 6-3 from Villanova No games yet played in 2005/06 Change in team outlook: -9.2 ppg, +8.7 rpg, and -0.0 apg. Successful Scenario Due to Houston, Minnesota, and Philadelphia being over the cap, the 25% trade rule is invoked. Houston, Minnesota, and Philadelphia had to be no more than 125% plus $100,000 of the salary given out for the trade to be accepted, which did happen here. This trade satisfies the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Doesnt mike james have a trade kicker with the wolves? if so, im not sure they want to pay that fee. Also i don't think they are ready to give up on randy foye this early.
