GT: Charlotte @ Orlando 7:00pm

[amcoolio]

I agree that we have nobody that can stop Howard. He, Lebron James, Chris Bosh, we go into games just hoping the don't have a career game, because we can never stop them. Its strange, because other teams can stop them and they can't stop Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett whereas we usually have no trouble with those players.

However, its just silly for Hamilton to bring up the Felton argument in this game thread, when Felton had little to do with this loss. Sure, he missed the GW shot at the end of regulation, but....why not bring up our complete lack of defense on Howard? Poor defense by Gerald down the stretch? Sorry, it just really seems that he gives Okafor a free pass and throws the negative all at Felton and Wallace every game. I'm not saying Felton is a better player, or that he shouln't be traded now, or that I am in love with him, im just telling it like it is. Cut Felton some slack! Yes his ability to not finish at the rim is frustrating, and I cringe every time he does it, and agree with Walt Cronkite that why don't we just throw it out of bounds, but simple fact is, without Felton we lose by 20 and don't even have a chance at that GW shot.

[amcoolio]

Also, on who should take the GW shot argument:

We have no #1 option. We are a team filed with #2 and #3 options. THATS why I'm pushing for a Vince Carter or Allen Iverson trade to get a star player in here who isn't afraid to hit that last second shot. Felton isn't afraid, he just hasn't made many of them. He makes them at halftime, but not when we really need it. Raja has missed just as many shots down the stretch, and DJ is either too timid or not on the floor. I guess Radman would be our best option right now.

[Badd_Intentions]

If you really think about it, Felton is the only guy we have to take final shots when it just comes to one on one. He has the ability to shake his guy and get a good look. About the only person on our team that can, other than maybe DJ but he is so short. We certaintly don't want any of our bigs handling the rock. Maybe Diaw if he is hot, but just straight 1 on 1 at the end of the game for us Felton is as good as it gets. Unless we have some elaborate play drawn up it's Felts or bust fellas.

[spectre_]

Unless we have some elaborate play drawn up it's Felts or bust fellas.

I'd like to try that once or twice.

Agreed with the premise that our options are pretty limited. The couple times we've tried to go to Boris in those situations he had a heckuva time even getting off a shot.

[W_HAMILTON]

I think they count the stat as making a shot with the game tied, down by 1, or down by 2 under 20 seconds left. Check it out, he was (as of 2 weeks ago) about equal with Brandon Roy and similar players.

You go check it out for me. I did go look at something, and if I understood it correctly, he's about 22nd in the league in FG attempts in the "clutch," and most of the players ahead of him are All-Stars who you expect to take a bunch of shots in crucial situations. And while he was around 22nd in FG attempts, he was somewhere in the 40's in FGs made.

Homer to hater? Lol. Because I don't think Okafor is all that on defense, evidenced by last night? You can't look at Okafor/Diop's performance against Howard and say "thats ok". That was embarrassing.

Or more like you're the last one on the Adam Morrison bandwagon, then the second he is traded you let loose all the things you've been denying all these years.

[W_HAMILTON]

WEll, i understand you and agree such a thing is rare. I didn't realize at the time by in a hindsicht it was a vfiable option. We would have to foul Howard off the ball - there is no way ball woul come to him if they needed a three. It should visible, maybe hard foul otherwise those refs could overlook it - that is the major problem here, but since other four our players would defend normally it wouldn't change a thing. There was a chance Dwight would lose his mind again and would receive a second technical. Slim chance, but a chance, he was emotional that night. Howard missed last 3 of his free throws (albeit being perfect before that).

And that's the point. Players could also be confused as to what they could do, and who they could foul. If they fouled Howard, and he didn't have the ball, the Magic would get FTs + possession. You can't intentionally foul someone in the final two minutes unless he has the ball. You can only play "Hack-a-Shaq" before the two-minute mark.

[W_HAMILTON]

Sorry, it just really seems that he gives Okafor a free pass and throws the negative all at Felton and Wallace every game.

You couldn't be more stupid if you tried. I rarely criticize Wallace, and I don't even bother criticizing Felton much anymore because (1) most of his staunchest defenders even gave up (where are all the guys with UNC in their names? DaBass?), (2) other people criticize him when he screws up now, which is how it should have been all along, and (3) with Diaw and Augustin, we don't have to rely so much on Felton's playmaking ability anymore, which means he doesn't have as much of an opportunity to screw up doing the things I would criticize him for in the past. We have taken complete control of the team out of his hands (unless it's the final seconds............), and we are a better team because of it.

As for your comment about us losing by 20 without Felton, do not go overboard. Felton scored 22 points on 21 shots. How many do you think anyone else would score if they had gotten 21 shots? Augustin scored 11 points on 7 shots; how many more points do you think he would have scored if he took 14 more shots? Enough to win the game in regulation?

[W_HAMILTON]

We have no #1 option. We are a team filed with #2 and #3 options.

That's even more of a reason why one player should not be doing a poor impression of Kobe in the final minutes of every close game.

Felton isn't afraid, he just hasn't made many of them.

What is there to be afraid of? We let him miss and miss and miss for the past three+ seasons. What is there to be afraid of? That he's going to get yanked? That he's going to get benched? If we haven't done it in three years, why would we start now? It's basically a win-win situation for him, that 99.9% of the time turns into a losing situation for the team. And you don't know who the hell is "afraid" or not. You think Wallace is afraid? Or Augustin? Diaw is spacey, but I wouldn't call him afraid. Neither is Bell. But they don't get the shots because THE BALL IS NEVER IN THEIR HANDS IN THE CLOSING SECONDS. IT'S ALWAYS IN FELTON'S HAND, WHICH IS THE PROBLEM I AM BITCHING ABOUT.

[DaBassSource]

Sorry, it just really seems that he gives Okafor a free pass and throws the negative all at Felton and Wallace every game.

You couldn't be more stupid if you tried. I rarely criticize Wallace, and I don't even bother criticizing Felton much anymore because (1) most of his staunchest defenders even gave up (where are all the guys with UNC in their names? DaBass?)?

I'm still here. Still going to home games and cheering the team on.... And reading RealGM threads everyday. I just found that it was completely useless to get in on the Felton threads..which 90% are...I also thought that he would be gone by this point an I could return and not have to argue the point anymore... I still like Ray...I also like DJ...but not sure he is ready to take on the job alone....health, defense, breaking traps and doubleteams concern me....What doesn't concern me is his offensive skills( shooting and passing)...and the others he will get better at...(can't tell with the health thing...)

I will still defend Ray and I might Chime in after the deadline...also I have said long ago Ray can get his shot off that is why he is the option at the end of games. I only hate that he always seems to attempt a jump shot instead of driving and trying to get a foul...also I don't think Ray is Kobe, so if he is doing something, by taking the end of game shots, and LB doesn't want it...I think we would know.

I will say.... LB has changed a lot of Ray's game and if some could see through the hate they would notice...for instance look at how the boy rebounds now....he never rebounded like this....and rebounding is 90% effort to me...so someone has told him that....

[amcoolio]

Sorry, it just really seems that he gives Okafor a free pass and throws the negative all at Felton and Wallace every game.

You couldn't be more stupid if you tried. I rarely criticize Wallace, and I don't even bother criticizing Felton much anymore because (1) most of his staunchest defenders even gave up (where are all the guys with UNC in their names? DaBass?), (2) other people criticize him when he screws up now, which is how it should have been all along, and (3) with Diaw and Augustin, we don't have to rely so much on Felton's playmaking ability anymore, which means he doesn't have as much of an opportunity to screw up doing the things I would criticize him for in the past. We have taken complete control of the team out of his hands (unless it's the final seconds............), and we are a better team because of it.

As for your comment about us losing by 20 without Felton, do not go overboard. Felton scored 22 points on 21 shots. How many do you think anyone else would score if they had gotten 21 shots? Augustin scored 11 points on 7 shots; how many more points do you think he would have scored if he took 14 more shots? Enough to win the game in regulation?

Sorry, I meant to put Wallace in the "free pass" catagory and not in the Felton category...I remember going back and adding Wallace in but put it in the wrong spot