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This guy relieves so much pressure for the team and McGrady, and allows him to play off the ball. He also brings defense, solid point guard play, three point shooting, and moreover is a motivator and a leader of this team. Without him, this series was well-over and we'd be packing our **** back home.

WHO THE **** SAID WE DIDN'T NEED RAFER FOR THIS PLAYOFFS? SAY THAT **** AGAIN. I DARE YA. I **** DOUBLE DARE YA.
DON'T YOU EVER SAY WE DON'T NEED HIM!!! TRUE ROCKETS FANS DON'T SAY SUCH NONSENSE.

With this win, you guys better appreciate him.

Rafers return will change the momentum of this series-Dinky Bits

Haha, TMU Rafer MVP!!!!

Yea I am one of those guys. Don't confuse needing a player with needing a position. Rafer coming back meant Jax could come off the bench...the difference was visible. It put T-Mac off the ball. And the results of that was a man who closes out this game for us.

Rafer has never looked better then this season

he has improved in almost every way!

I also said we didn't need him. I love how Rick was still able to get Brooks and Jackson playing time. It's ridiculous how deeper we look now with Alston playing well.

Iggyemu wrote:Yea I am one of those guys. Don't confuse needing a player with needing a position. Rafer coming back meant Jax could come off the bench...the difference was visible. It put T-Mac off the ball. And the results of that was a man who closes out this game for us.

Yes, agreed. Like Kenny Smith said, he puts everybody in place. Our roster becomes much more expandable with him. Jackson can see some PT as our backup shooting guard, which allows him to knock down quick shots be an energizer off the bench.

Occasionally, he may be a liability on the defense end; but we have consider all the intangible things he brings to the game. It's incredible how he elevated his game despite come back from a injury. Most players don't have that kind of approach.

We obviously needed him.

Does it count if I said we didn't need Mike James?


It's really a domino effect

time to change my sig

I've been saying it since day 1...Rafer Alston gets hated on too much. However, just a word of warning: don't get too caught up with his performance tonight because we never know when we're going to get the Rafer that shoots 30% on horrible shot selection. I think he's ready to continue leading our team in these playoffs, but you never know...

I'll probably still be a tad worried when he has the ball, and I know he's not going to keep shooting well, but there's a lot more he brings statistically. i remember when everyone was saying he's had his chance and it was time for Francis and James to take over. I knew that he was the only POINT GUARD we had even if he lacks a brain and shooting ability. Of the 3 he was still the best one at making a post entry pass.

That being said, I do worry that Rafer will get a big head and start trying to get into a game of 1 on 1 with Deron Williams. When he gets the ball where it needs to be, makes good passes, and takes care of the ball he's golden, but he doesn't always do that.

I will admit I have hated on Rafer before but tonight he was fantastic. But I think you guys are too caught up in one game, we all know consistency isn't his thing

im impressed how smart he sounded in the post game interview with tnt...

I think it's funny how I started agreeing with Iggy that a trade for Hinrich could be a good thing (and have actually started to like the idea, though I would like to see more of Hinrich's play before 100% jumping on that ship) right as a lot of people started to warm to Rafer this season after purely despising him the the prior two while I (and vator, Roosk, TMU, and a few others) defended him.

Mind you, if we can't upgrade him I won't have any real heartburn over it (for this coming season at least), but it's going to become more and more of a good idea the longer we go with him now for reasons previously detailed.

For now, no doubt Rafer is absolutely critical to this team's performance.
TRADE HIS SORRY ASS erimeanuh GO RAFER

moofs wrote:I think it's funny how I started agreeing with Iggy that a trade for Hinrich could be a good thing (and have actually started to like the idea, though I would like to see more of Hinrich's play before 100% jumping on that ship) right as a lot of people started to warm to Rafer this season after purely despising him the the prior two while I (and vator, Roosk, TMU, and a few others) defended him.

Mind you, if we can't upgrade him I won't have any real heartburn over it (for this coming season at least), but it's going to become more and more of a good idea the longer we go with him now for reasons previously detailed.

For now, no doubt Rafer is absolutely critical to this team's performance.
TRADE HIS SORRY ASS erimeanuh GO RAFER

I'd still love it if the Rockets could bring in Kirk Hinrich. The guys is capable of shooting 40%+ from 3, plays great defense, and pretty much does everything as well as Rafer does, but until that day comes I'm pretty sure Rafer is our best option at the 1 so he should be the one starting.

It was huge getting Bobby Jackson where he belongs in the rotation.

I have said what I have to say in this thread. I'll say one more thing though. Do it again Rafer. The problem with him as been consistency. When that shot is dropping he looks like an all star. When he is finishing he looks like an all star. But all stars are born from consistency. Do it again Skip...

I admit it, I said we would be better with our him

Yeah it's obvious we needed him, he puts everybody in their place, the only player on the roster besides McGrady that can create his own shot or run an offense and he's essentially our second option without Yao.

We need everyone on our team right now. I don't think it is saying much. The Rockets just can't afford to lose anymore player after Yao. The fact of the matter is T-Mac and Rafer haven't been very efficient this season and they are the main reasons our offense has been sub par this season. Rafer Alston is important as Raymond Felton is to the Bobcats. I dont know what that means but its the truth. I would rather do without either but it is the playoffs and we dont have Yao Ming so i guess we do need him.