The new Rafer: temporary hot streak or a sign of something great?

Angkor,

That was JVG's system.....inside out, with Tmac creating and passing....that was it......pass it out to the 3pt line.

When they fell, the team won...when they didn't...they lost.

This year...everyone can be a driver, everyone can be an initiator.....everyone gets a chance to touch the ball...at any moment each player could be called on to score or create.

It makes for a lot more active and engaged team.....a much...MUCH...MUCH better way of playing, more conducive to overall team success.

The JVG apologists will come out of the woodwork and say...51 games, but the bottom line is the team was too easy to guard, they were running plays that Junior high teams run.....

And in a playoff series the other team would figure it out and shut down the first option.

This team was TOO relient on TMac.....and everyone in the league knew it....there is a reason the team went 21-12 last year without Yao, because Tmac was still in there creating....which is what JVG wanted.....

However, when TMac was shut down or out...the team was toast....

This year, the team is more of a team...less relient on one person.....it will make the team better overall.......and if Tmac joins in on the party, it should make the team one of the elite.

Cue the DD Dingleberries/haters...

DD

 

i believe.

at least i always want to.

 

Oh, the Rafer Bandwagon, how I love thee.

Look, I hate to break it to y'all, but this happens every year. If I'm wrong, I'll be the first to admit it. And, honestly, I HOPE I'm wrong. But Ralston goes on these shooting streaks each year; they do a great job of masking what kind of player he tends to be. So let me state this as clearly as possible:
Rafer Alston is a career-long streaky shooter.
He's not doing anything different. He's taking the same jumpers, same floaters, same 3s as last year. And he won't be anything different this year. He'll go through this hot streak and go through one loooooong cold one.

But I really, REALLY hope I'm wrong.

 

You are probably right, but if Rafer struggles someone else can step up and create and initiate for the team....that is the beauty of Rick Adelman coached teams....

Look at the last few games and all the different double digit scorers......Not just one or two guys.


Rafer, Brooks, Scola, Bonzi, Head......

That never happened before because the ball was not shared enough...

I firmly believe this is the beginning and the team will fly from here.

DD

 

If he was just making a ton of 3s, you'd say that for sure, he'll cool off.

I'm sure he'll have games where he can't throw it in the ocean, but he really does seem to be making good decsions. It also seems like that finishing work he did on his floater has really helped...I know I certainly don't scream curses at the TV like I was earlier this season.

Hopefully, this will continue...I voted yes.

 

I've heard of the drills he's done, and maybe they're the big difference. But Rafer's always been able to make good decisions on the ball; his assist-to-turnover ratio is quite good. That said, I still stick with my no vote. I'd rather be confirmed in my cynicism anyway than get my hopes dashed.

 

2 reasons that Rafer is better. one is that he's been practising his lay up, as he mentioned in an interview that he has done some changes which helps his layup more accurate. obviously this won't go back to "Brick2mylou". the other thing is, RA is able to control the ball (with T-MAC out), he's got his confidence back. Once T-MAC comes back, ... we don't know what's gonna happen.

 

There is so much wrong with this post it's not even worth discussing.

 

Such as the fact that you can't refute it?

 

Poll results are wrong and the floor results are in: Rafer is Rafer.

 

Well, Rafer was 4-13 today, so there ya go

 

outside of his questionable shot selection he played an ok game, if he didn't take those crap shots he would probably be 4-8.

 

I agree/disagree with your post. All I will say is that it is ridiculous to blame the JVG system on why we are playing better as a team. Last time I checked, we didn't have a skinny Bonzi who wanted to play, Scola, or Brooks. Of course we had to rely on Tmac and Yao more.

Your comparison and saying it isn't the addition of better players that can score is laughable

 

What makes you think he has changed?

Easy scheduele?

HELLOOO!!! This team isn't much better since the 5 game winning streak started.

 

I'd rather he shoot threes than drive in for a floater, because after he clanks it, everybody's in a better position to run back on D.

 

Check the opponents PG and you can tell what kind of game Rafer will have. He just happened to recently go against the few PG's in the NBA that are worse than him. Match him against Paul or any/all the PG's in the West and he reverts to his usual mediocre at best game.

No way is that a sign of something great....rather a sign of a team that will have another early exit from the playoffs.

 

Lucky I haven't voted yet.

 

All that matters are the playoffs, and what Rafer can do against playoff quality competition. If he chokes in the playoffs like normal, then all the practice with the starters that he is getting (AKA-the regular season) will be a huge waste. All I know for sure about Rafer is what he has shown us in big games, which isn't enough.

All I know about Mike James is that he came through for us against Dallas in the playoffs.