Will someone explain to me the Rafer Alston love affair?

I really think you're completely off base here. He shot more than he should've but that's because that was the order from JVG. Right or wrong, that was Van Gundy's directive, not Alston. Alston looks to pass a lot more often than Steve or Mike James does.

 

you are definitely wrong about Rafer. If Rafer can run offense, Rockets won't be the worst offensive team.

also, you are very sure that SF and MJ won't change playing under Adelman and with TMAC. why? Are they idiots?

 

He's a very good looking guy.

That's what it's all about.

 

The Rockets had some major offensive woes last year - there's no doubt about that, but to blame Rafer for that is pretty off-base. We didn't have the offensive firepower last season that we seem to have now after the off-season. Chuck was our starting power forward - I love Chuck, but he can't shoot. Battier rarely looked for his shot. Out side of Yao and Tracy, who were always double teamed (namely because we lacked offense elsewhere) we didn't have offense. You can't blame Rafer for the poor shooting of others - that just doesn't make any sense.

As for SF and MH not changing under Adelman. First off, I know Steve has changed, he's not AS shoot first as he was when in Houston. But, that's not my biggest concern about Steve. He's had a rough 3 years, is still battling with knee injuries and I just don't think he should be starting - I'd rather he be instant offense off the bench. As for Mike James - go back and watch his interviews. He's unappologetic about shooting first - he says he "makes plays" Adleman is known to be the type of coach that works to the strengths of the players - not to change them. I don't think he'll change Mike into a pass-first point guard. Moreover, no other coach has broken him out of that mold - so while I never said he was an idiot (that's all you), you tell me did every other coach just tell him to keep shooting and not look to pass? I don't think so...that was always the big critique of him!

 

two offensive superstars, 2 25-point threat each every night, in one team.-------> that is enough power if you ask me.

They were easily shutdown and double double teamed because everyone knows our PG will give the ball to one of them and the real offense starts from there.

Chuck can score occasionaly when TMAC was creating, not Rafer.

In this league, Battier and Head are good 3-point shooters, not scrubs. They are deadly offensive weapons if you give them quality passes.

A PG run the worst offense with this group of people, he sucks, any excuses are blank.

 

You can't be serious can you? You're saying the reason Tracy and Yao were double teamed is because Rafer always looked to pass to them...but you also point out that they are offensive superstars. Who would you WANT Rafer to pass it to? Luther and Battier always shot, and when they're shots went in, we won games...when they were off, we lost. You've completely missed the point of what I was saying - I don't know how anyone can argue that the team that is assembled now has more offense than the team from last year. You still have yet to refute that. Thus, with more offensive weapons - I want a point guard who will find them. So, I'm not sure what it means for an excuse to be "blank", but I'm not making excuses. Rafer shot pretty badly, the Rocket's offense struggled, but he will look to pass the ball more than Mike. If you bring Steve Blake to this team or someone like Andre Miller - then I'll say, ok fine now we should get rid of Rafer. But, I don't think its unreasonable to ask for someone who looks to pass more often than Mike James nor is it unreasonable for me to say that I'm unconvinced Steve should start next season (as I've said over and over now - I think he should play, but off the bench). You can accuse me of loving Rafer or whatever, but you're just spewing out blind hatred. I don't love Rafer, I'm just resigned to that fact that out of all of my options - PURELY from the stand point of wanting a distributer, he's the best option we've got. If Morey goes out and gets us another distributer, I'll be the first on to join the ship out Rafer bandwagon.

 

for me its not really a love affair ...

i'd just like to see some proof (read as actual games) that the new options at point actually improve the team.

or i'm more willing to throw away the old shoes when the new ones are broken in.

 

I think it's more of necessity than love affair.

Right now, we actually need Rafer, because he is the best (only) passing point guard on the team unles someone knows a better pg out there.

James and Francis, both good scorers, but realistically both are fairly similar and can't see both staying with the team beyond trading deadline. Big ballhogs, good scorers without the passing mentality.

We do have glut of third scoring options....James, Francis, and Wells. Someone is not gonna happy.

Still, we are easily the most improved team West and this is for a team that only won 52 games last year with only Yao for 49 games and 4th seeded team.

I see high 50s to lows 60s and possibly 2nd or 3rd in the conference.

 

Well, that will be very interesting. When you look at Rafer Alston's career stats, he's only had two seasons in which he shot better than 40 percent from the field in his entire eight year NBA career.

Right now, I find it difficult to think that a team would be willing to take him and what is remaining on his contract in a trade. This means that I believe there is the distinct possiblilty that the Rockets might be stuck with him.

 

The Heat seemed interested in him but I don't think they want to give up Haslem. The Heat are really looking for a point guard though so I hope we can get some kind of deal done.

 

With all of the SF3 love going on now, it appears that poor Rafer has become something of the antichrist around here. Of the 3 guards (James, Francis & Alston), he's the closet thing to a traditional PG on the roster. By that I refer to his ability to run an offense. Both Francis & James are very talented guards but are actually shooting guards trapped in PG bodies and their ability to run an offense - to make good decisions and protect the ball in crucial game situations - is rather suspect. In fact, it was Francis' terrible decision making during games that helped drum him out of Houston the first time.

I think that Alston gets a bit of a bad rap because he was only doing what he asked by the coaching staff. Remember, the focus of the offense for the past 4 years was on two players (Yao & Tmac) and Rafer's primary duty was to get them the ball - his own offense was secondary. His flaws became magnified when he was asked to do too much when Tmac & Yao faltered. Not that Alston is what one would call a topflight PG but Rafer is a pretty good backup PG who was forced into a starting role. Rafer is what he is and folks here want to tear him apart because he's not an elite PG. Well, everyone knew that when he was signed - witness all of the Clutchfan threads back then questioning whether or not the Rockets could win with Alston as the starting PG. If blame has to be assigned it should fall on the heads of the organization that has consistently failed to find or develop a better option at the PG spot.

Note to DaD: Even V-Span is no V-Span anymore...

 

Iknowi was not the only one, because everytime Rafer shot the ball, I yelled NOOO! & everytime Deron Williams shot the ball I yelled NOOO! again.....

Rafer was pure Garbology during the regular season, playoffs, training camp and even at home right now

.....I would trade Rafer for an Hakeem bobblehead doll, and that plastic cover that goes at the end of your shoe strings

 

The need for someone like Rafer is similar to the need for a personality change in coaches. These things usually go in extremes. Is it any wonder we hired an offensive guru in the wake of a defensive guru? You see the kind of yo-yo of disciplinarians and players' coaches all the time. It's part of the business. I know I've experienced success as a coach (high school level) because my style is the opposite of the proceeding coach. However, there will come a time when my style hits its maximum effectiveness. In the same way, Rafer was a natural progression from Francis and James. Both of those guys are explosive, but make a lot of mistakes. Rafer doesn't make a lot of mistakes (ie turnovers) but just doesn't make a lot of things happen. He is technically sound in terms of running an offense, but you don't want him to be an integral part of the offense.

The combination of the change in coaches with the need for more offense from the one precipitated this change. I don't hate Rafer. I realize him for what he is. He'd be an excellent backup, but our situation is already full. He was a good teammate here and I wish him well elsewhere.

 

Fact is Rafer was the starting PG for a team that went to game 7 in the 1st round of the playoffs. SF3 was the backup PG that had to fight nate robinson for PT on a team that was under 500. It really doesn't matter how well SF3 played with rockets 2 years ago because this is a totally different team. Rafer has shown that he can run a team with Yao, T-mac, Battier, and Hayes. SF3 showed nothing positive these past 2 years.

 

I personally feel that Rafer Alston is worth no more than a second round draft pick in a trade. When you look at his career numbers, they pretty much look like second round material at best in the NBA draft. Besides, to begin with, he was not selected until the second round of the NBA draft nine years ago by the Milwaukee Bucks at #10. I sure find it interesting as to what Pat Riley would want with him, though despite their current point guard problems.

 

Why does Adelman go for Steve and trade Alston if it's going to hurt us?

 

We're also forgetting about Brooks in this equation. All three of these players were acquired under Adelman's watch. Morey pulls the trigger, but don't you think he's at least Adelman about what kind of players he wants? Is it a coincidence that we now have three "shoot first" point guards? Someone in another thread pointed out that Adelman's good teams had multiple players with five plus assists per game. We know Tracy can pass and Yao is capable too in the right system.

I think JVG liked Alston more because he is a better defender than the other two (marginally). Good coaches know that once you get to a certain point you don't ask them to do anything they don't do well. You simply get guys that have the strengths you want and you deal with the weaknesses as they come.

 

shooting the 3 was the best thing alston does on offense besides advance the ball quickly...he was open and he took the 3's. what did you want him to do...drive and miss his floater

 

Pass the ball