Poll: Predict The Impact Player At Point Guard

by erivera7 on Jun 9, 2009 4:00 PM EDT in Diversions

It's no secret that the guard play for the Orlando Magic has been bad in the NBA Finals, so far. The Los Angeles Lakers have been able to exploit that fact by creating foul trouble on offense and drawing more attention to Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, and Hedo Turkoglu on defense, for example. Needless to say, if the Magic want any chance at coming back in the series against the Lakers, someone that is a guard on the Orlando roster needs to step his game up and contribute.

It starts with the floor generals.

Will it be Rafer Alston? Alston has been the classic Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde player for the Magic throughout the postseason. There will be games where Alston plays great and there will be games where he plays horrible. There doesn't seem to be much of a middle ground with Alston. Orlando has been able to get away with that bipolar play against the 76ers, the Celtics, and the Cavaliers, but not against the Lakers.

Will it be Jameer Nelson? It's evident that Nelson is not 100% in any sense of the imagination. Nelson is only effective in short bursts, at this moment in time, and even then that doesn't eschew the fact he's been a bit of a liability defensively. It is what it is. Nevertheless, Nelson can provide some things offensively and that may be a trade-off the Magic need to live with, considering the circumstances.

Will it be Anthony Johnson? Johnson hasn't seen any court time in the series against Los Angeles, but that may change in Game 3 since Orlando head coach Stan Van Gundy is running out of options at point guard (or maybe not). Johnson hasn't filled up the stat sheet with veracity in the playoffs, but he's been a calm and steady force when he plays. Given the stakes, that may be what the doctor ordered for the Magic.

Poll

Which player for the Orlando Magic will have the biggest impact on the game at point guard tonight versus the Los Angeles Lakers?

Rafer Alston

56 votes

Jameer Nelson

44 votes

Anthony Johnson

19 votes

Other

19 votes

138 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 42 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

I picked Rafer

The one good thing about bipolar players? Sometime the good player has to come out…right?

by Stan in a Van (Down by the River) on Jun 9, 2009 4:35 PM EDT reply actions

Could happen. Will it happen? I don't know.

I'm the other guy at Third Quarter Collapse, with a Twitter account.

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgement." - Michael Corleone

by erivera7 on Jun 9, 2009 6:02 PM EDT up reply actions

I wouldn't mind seeing

Clee get some time at point with Turk brining the ball up. With all of the doubling CLee will got some quality looks.

"No matter where you go, you are what you are playa"-Jay Z

by Wmillion on Jun 9, 2009 4:51 PM EDT reply actions

i like having lee at the point

Never will I ever utter "never" to myself
Fall in love with defeat, throw my endeavors on the shelf
I never back up like Cleo Lemon or myself - WALE

by EX-TREME on Jun 9, 2009 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions

An option.

.. SVG has used the Lee/Pietrus/Turkoglu/Lewis/Howard lineup before. Definitely a possibility.

I'm the other guy at Third Quarter Collapse, with a Twitter account.

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgement." - Michael Corleone

by erivera7 on Jun 9, 2009 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions

JJ redick...

if he can do anything well it’s penetrate (young girls’ hearts with his charming good looks and well quaffed hair).

by Aisander D on Jun 9, 2009 5:11 PM EDT reply actions

I went with Alston.

I believe it’s about time that he shows up. We need him for this series,and after that I don’t know. What good is such an unreliable player? It’s better to have Dad,KNOWING that he will get done his job.
Also,I don’t see Nelson contributing big for a longer period. He should wear a label “use in short bursts only”. Therefore,the only logical combination is Rafer/Nelson,and hope for the best,although it sucks when you can just hope. Again,I wouldn’t trade places with SVG.
Any team can’t live w/o good PG,as we all know,for he is a coach on the ground.
Now,I have to ask myself how good exactly our PGs are,since Hedo steps up when it gets tough.
It would be much better if Nelson waited for next season,sometimes you should keep things simple. But,it is what it is,and eventually our home crowd will lift us to victory,I’m sure of that. PGs are important,but it’s not duel between them,it’s a team play.
go magic.

by Dzogi on Jun 9, 2009 5:58 PM EDT reply actions

None of the above....?

Rafer’s 3-of-17 in this series. The Lakers wil let him shoot all day. Can’t really keep him on the flor. Nelson doesn’t look in game shape yet. At this point, I have more faith in A.J., and he hasn’t played yet this series.

Third Quarter Collapse: An Orlando Magic blog at SB Nation | Orlando Magic vs. Los Angeles Lakers NBA Finals Central

by Evan Dunlap on Jun 9, 2009 6:09 PM EDT reply actions

Hah. That's why I included 'Other'.

.. for what it’s worth, that was my vote.

I'm the other guy at Third Quarter Collapse, with a Twitter account.

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgement." - Michael Corleone

by erivera7 on Jun 9, 2009 6:13 PM EDT up reply actions

exactly. That's why Alston has to step up and grab the oportunity,IMO. He has to start hitting shots

by Dzogi on Jun 9, 2009 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions

.. nothing I've seen from Rafer leads me to believe he'll start making shots.

He airballed a wide-open three in Game 2 for goodness sakes. Terrible.

I'm the other guy at Third Quarter Collapse, with a Twitter account.

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgement." - Michael Corleone

by erivera7 on Jun 9, 2009 6:16 PM EDT up reply actions

well,maybe the homecrowd has some influence on him? He was a street player,and maybe he falls for that kind of things

by Dzogi on Jun 9, 2009 6:19 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't buy that excuse.

I'm the other guy at Third Quarter Collapse, with a Twitter account.

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgement." - Michael Corleone

by erivera7 on Jun 9, 2009 6:24 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree. If you are that inconsistent,I say go back to AND-1. No room for playing Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde here.

by Dzogi on Jun 9, 2009 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions

The Rafer supporter to the rescue.

Let’s ease off a bit, if Rafer went back to AND-1, we’d have gone back to O-Town, losers against Philadelphia. Ok, if Dad/Lue led us past Philly (unlikely considering we were down 2-1) there’s no way we would have got past Boston.

Yes Rafer has sucked in the Finals, he’s had two off games in the finals, other off games in the playoffs, but without him (inconsistent or not) we wouldn’t be here today, let’s give him some credit where due.

"Shoot first, ask questions last" Rafer Alston

by DieSlowKeyshawn on Jun 9, 2009 6:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Yep. But it is awful to watch him missing those shots.

He’s got credit,but he’s spending it fast,and should do something about it.

by Dzogi on Jun 9, 2009 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Haha I like that...

Just feel that too many on this board forget about who took us here. Not saying, we’re in the finals ‘cus of Raf, what I am saying is without Raf, we wouldn’t be here, no chance. And it’s not all about stat lines, it’s about being a floor general and he did it well enough to bring us this far. Let’s just win baby.

"Shoot first, ask questions last" Rafer Alston

by DieSlowKeyshawn on Jun 9, 2009 6:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Hah.

That story begins a long time ago with a phrase:
-If Nelson wasn’t injured in the first place…etc,etc,blah,blah.
But yeah: LET’S WIN.
Regardless of the hero. It could be Pat Ewing,as far as I’m concerned :)

by Dzogi on Jun 9, 2009 6:56 PM EDT up reply actions

I give credit where credit is due.

I criticize and praise any Magic player when necessary.

Yes, Rafer Alston deserves credit for helping Orlando get this far, but he warrants criticism for his crap play, at the moment. That’s the reality.

I'm the other guy at Third Quarter Collapse, with a Twitter account.

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgement." - Michael Corleone

by erivera7 on Jun 9, 2009 7:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Hah. What to say.

by Dzogi on Jun 10, 2009 1:04 AM EDT up reply actions

Rafer deserves credit, tonight.

I'm the other guy at Third Quarter Collapse, with a Twitter account.

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgement." - Michael Corleone

by erivera7 on Jun 10, 2009 2:25 AM EDT up reply actions

Boston let him shoot all day and eventually he burned them.

Same with Cleveland, law of averages should work to his favor tonight.

"Shoot first, ask questions last" Rafer Alston

by DieSlowKeyshawn on Jun 9, 2009 6:34 PM EDT up reply actions

I hope so ..

.. because Orlando needs someone at the point to step up, ASAP.

I'm the other guy at Third Quarter Collapse, with a Twitter account.

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgement." - Michael Corleone

by erivera7 on Jun 9, 2009 7:38 PM EDT up reply actions

I have confidence in Rafer Alston

…even though he’s shot atrocious so far in the two games.

Some people thought that Alston should have been benched in the Boston series because he shot a combined 7 of 29 in Games 1, 2, and 4 and averaged just 6.7 ppg those games; but he bounced back and had a solid Game 6 and Game 7, averaging 13 points and shooting 5 for 11 on three pointers.

After the bad Game 5 against Cleveland, he was solid in the clinching Game 6, where he scored 13 points and made 3 of 7 three pointers and had only one turnover in almost 38 minutes

I’m optimistic he’ll bounce back in similar fashion here.

"Why not us... why not now?"

by Mike from Illinois on Jun 9, 2009 6:31 PM EDT reply actions

Same here, you don't turn your back on the horses that have brought you this far.

Ride or die baby, Ride or die.

"Shoot first, ask questions last" Rafer Alston

by DieSlowKeyshawn on Jun 9, 2009 6:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Exactly, DSK!

"Why not us... why not now?"

by Mike from Illinois on Jun 9, 2009 6:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Sink or swim my man...

We’ve got some holes on the ship, the water is creeping inside, but this ain’t the titanic, we’re still afloat.

"Shoot first, ask questions last" Rafer Alston

by DieSlowKeyshawn on Jun 9, 2009 6:43 PM EDT up reply actions

My favorite Rafer moment:

When Reggie Miller accidentally called him Raper during a Houston game. It’s kind of sad that that’s the thing that stands out most to me about him, but I can’t even look at him anymore without getting the giggles.

Detras de ti, imbecil.

by Diosnomeama on Jun 9, 2009 6:33 PM EDT reply actions