Is it time to change the "whole" backcourt? Including Rafer(Daily Dime)

[TrueMagicFan07 672]

I've had it with both Rafer and AJ. Rafer is not playing any better than AJ.

 

1)If you notice though, the combo of AJ and JJ play better together in a starting lineup. However, AJ starts making mistakes when he plays too many minutes, especially in the 4th quarter.

 

2)Rafer has started over dribbling and as soon as he steps over halfcourt, he always dribble to the farside of the court near the sideline. A few times he has been trapped there.

 

3)Rafer was very good when he first joined the Magic, but recently he has been indecisive and stands above the freethrow line dribbling away the time and very few times has he been able to slash to the basket and make successful layups.

 

Edit: A Boston radio announcer just said on ESPN First Take that the reason Ray Allen has been held, scoring-wise, is because JJ kept right up on him.

[Captain Hi-Top 791]

quote:

Originally posted by TrueMagicFan07:

I've had it with both Rafer and AJ. Rafer is not playing any better than AJ.

 

1)If you notice though, the combo of AJ and JJ play better together in a starting lineup. However, AJ starts making mistakes when he plays too many minutes, especially in the 4th quarter.

 

2)Rafer has started over dribbling and as soon as he steps over halfcourt, he always dribble to the farside of the court near the sideline. A few times he has been trapped there.

 

3)Rafer was very good when he first joined the Magic, but recently he has been indecisive and stands above the freethrow line dribbling away the time and very few times has he been able to slash to the basket and make successful layups.

 

Teams are applying more pressure to him to slow things down. When you take him, or AJ out of the game and go to a back court of Lee and JJ, and use Hedo at the point forward spot, the team is moving the ball more and getting better looks at the basket.

 

They tried doing the same thing to Nelson this season, but he is better at penetrating and hitting the midrange jumper, so it wasn't effective.

[TrueMagicFan07 672]

quote:

Originally posted by echo4papa:

quote:

Originally posted by TrueMagicFan07:

I've had it with both Rafer and AJ. Rafer is not playing any better than AJ.

 

1)If you notice though, the combo of AJ and JJ play better together in a starting lineup. However, AJ starts making mistakes when he plays too many minutes, especially in the 4th quarter.

 

2)Rafer has started over dribbling and as soon as he steps over halfcourt, he always dribble to the farside of the court near the sideline. A few times he has been trapped there.

 

3)Rafer was very good when he first joined the Magic, but recently he has been indecisive and stands above the freethrow line dribbling away the time and very few times has he been able to slash to the basket and make successful layups.

 

Teams are applying more pressure to him to slow things down. When you take him, or AJ out of the game and go to a back court of Lee and JJ, and use Hedo at the point forward spot, the team is moving the ball more and getting better looks at the basket.

 

They tried doing the same thing to Nelson this season, but he is better at penetrating and hitting the midrange jumper, so it wasn't effective.

 

I agree. Specifically the bolded sentence.

[Drain-O 369]

quote:

Originally posted by echo4papa:

JJ has arrived. I think what you see now is who the NBA JJ is and will be. He won't be a nightly scorer, though he will have some great shooting games and some sub par shooting games, but he plays hard, he plays smart, and he doesn't half *** it.

 

He is also one of our best players at feeding the post (Lewis had some great looks to Dwight last night too).

 

The Magic play best when they move the ball. They move the ball best with guys like Lee and JJ in the game.

 

I like that line up, Smack, but I also like this one:

 

JJ

CLee

Pietrus

Shard

Dwight

 

Question: If Hedo/Lee/JJ are the ones bringing the ball up the court half the time (like last night) while AJ or Alston are in the game, what purpose are they (AJ or Alston) actually serving? At that point they seem to be more of a liability than anything, so get them out of the game.

 

I agree completely with your post. Though I would like to see more scoring from the 2 spot in the starting lineup the things JJ has done well this series merit considerable playing time. With that said a JJ/Lee backcourt is something I favor as well. On D they would be solid and both still space the floor for Dwight and can shoot 3's.

 

I think more so than me wanting to punch Hedo in the face we are seeing how much this team misses Jameer because he can basically get to the basket at will which is something AJ or Rafer cannot.

[nbr 15]

quote:

Originally posted by SmackDaddy:

I for one have been enormously impressed with JJ's defense (of all things) during the playoffs. He seems to be the only player out there 100% committed to shutting down every single possession. His court vision and ball movement is also off the charts.

 

Having said that I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that if either Alston or AJ don't have it going, I would like to see a lineup on the floor consisting of either Lee or JJ at the point, with Hedo running point forward and Pietrus getting the bulk of the SG minutes.

I was surprised to see SVG go with this unit to close the game, and IMO it was our most effective 5 man unit.

I would also LOVE to see SVG yank Hedo out of the game if he continues to shoot nothing but step-back fadeaway 3ptrs in favor of a defensive unit. .

 

Lee

Pietrus

Shard

Gortat

Dwight

 

I hear that and I agree on the body of your post.

 

If it is a decision between AJ or Alston you go with Alston.

[DontPushMe 0]

quote:

Originally posted by TheRevTy:

Yeah, I'm all for returning to our main starting lineup. Jameer would be a huge offensive boost. Oh.

 

For the record, any remaining Meer haters better keep quiet for eternity now after seeing what a distributing PG does for this team. They desperately need some offensive leadership out there.

no doubt man

 

about the starting lineup, lee should of started yesterday, he better start tomorrow, redick is a nice player off the bench who will be effective when his shots are going but otherwise hes just a good bench guy

 

if alston sucks again tomorrow id bench him for old man river but give him a game with lee and see if that changes anything

[ma 6]

Alston.. This guy gives me stomach pain almost every time he handles the ball, and definitely when he shoots a 3 pointer. WHERE IS THE ASSIST-MAN from his first game with Magic? He dribbles, and dribbles, and wastes 10 seconds without any pass (or attempt at the basket), and then the offense has to reset from scratch with 8 seconds left on the clock. On the defensive end it is even worse. His guy is constantly open, and he misses rotations bad. AJ is not as talented, but at least he doesn't bog down the offense or defense.

 

JJ was off on offense, did an okay job on defense. We need him to shoot better for sure.

[Magicfanagain 0]

if the argument between JJ and Lee is about defense - give me a break. Yeah JJ's done well on D on Allen...but so has Lee. Not to mention Lee didn't allow House ANY room last night and the ONE shot allen hit over Lee was a contested fade away that only He could of hit - cuz he's Ray Allen and yes, he's that good.

 

That said, if you're having such a struggle with deciding on a PG, don't use one. Start Lee and put him on Rondo to match the quickness. Start JJ on Allen. Start Pietrus on Pierce. Start Shard on Baby. Dwight with Perkins.

 

That allows you to run Hedo off the bench for scoring with Alston and AJ for a two point guard look with a point forward. Gortat has been more than serviceable in the playoffs off the bench as well. Why not shake things up a bit? It'd also throw a new look at the C's, and aslong as AJ and Alston are in together against the C's second unit lead by Marbury, they can handle it til the starters get their wind back.

[Soul Bro 1,419]

nbr ... out of nowhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MrHopper 0]

Realisticly there cant be any changes in our starting lineup. Then it looks like we are in panic mode. I have to agree JJ does play his arss off on defense, but i have to dissagree with if hes not making shots take him out. For some reason hes the only one that can make it around the screens and get right in Allens face.

That being said, Lee does need more minutes. I am not a fan of who starts and who comes off the bench, as much as who is playing in crunch time and whos playing more minutes.

4-14 isnt going to cut it from Hedo-along with dumb dumb shots. Anyone remember when he got "hit" in the face, hung his head, and started crying on the floor while Allen missed that WIDE OPEN 3 in the corner? Then we got the rebound and Hedo acted like nothing happend??!?!

Also, for some reason, I HATE Pietrus and Hedo on the court at the same time. I just see them as being the same player just different skin color. Pietrus defense I thought was going to be great this off season, only to feel like its worthless now.

And as for the PG argument-Bostons game plan is very simple on them. Allow Rafer to shoot, and AJ to drive. That being said, I would rather take my chances of the old guy making layups then Rafer making outside shots.

GO MAGIC!

[AcuWill 45]

quote:

Originally posted by SmackDaddy:

I for one have been enormously impressed with JJ's defense (of all things) during the playoffs. He seems to be the only player out there 100% committed to shutting down every single possession. His court vision and ball movement is also off the charts.

 

Having said that I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that if either Alston or AJ don't have it going, I would like to see a lineup on the floor consisting of either Lee or JJ at the point, with Hedo running point forward and Pietrus getting the bulk of the SG minutes.

I was surprised to see SVG go with this unit to close the game, and IMO it was our most effective 5 man unit.

I would also LOVE to see SVG yank Hedo out of the game if he continues to shoot nothing but step-back fadeaway 3ptrs in favor of a defensive unit.

 

Lee

Pietrus

Shard

Gortat

Dwight

Agreed with this lineup. Give JJ and Hedo the backup minutes at 1-2, 3-4 respectively. (Hedo would play the 3 and Shard go to four.)

 

Edit:

 

Would also like to agree wtih e4p's post and lineup:

JJ

CLee

Pietrus

Shard

Dwight

 

JJ has actually been our best passer this series and imo tied for first as far as perimeter defense goes (Peaches, Lee, JJ). I would not mind having JJ hand the ball at the top of the key tbh and not play with any of our "PGs".

 

It seems that when nobody is "supposed" to be handling the ball, nobody does and it moves very well.

[davcivic 11]

No.