Jameer Nelson v. Rafer Alston

[Bankshot]

So far, I think Rafer Alston performed better against us in the playoffs last year than Nelson is doing against us this year.  So imo, that's two players that performed better for Orlando last year against us than this year.... Hedo and Rafer.

Nelson might be a better player, but is Rafer a better point guard? I do think Rafer was helped by the presence of Hedo though.

The combo of Rafer and Anthony Johnson was great last season.

BTW, what team is Rafer with now?  I thought he was traded to NJ, but don't remember what happened to him.

[BudweiserCeltic]

No way has Rafer performed better.

First of all, Rondo is playing 10 times the defense he was playing last year against this team.

Secondly, Anthony Johnson was having his way with us... while Williams has looked quite bad.

[Bankshot]

No way has Rafer performed better.

First of all, Rondo is playing 10 times the defense he was playing last year against this team.

Secondly, Anthony Johnson was having his way with us... while Williams has looked quite bad.

Rafer played better than Jameer played last night.  And I know Anthony Johnson had his way, that's why I said the Rafer and Johnson combo last year was great.

[Who]

No way has Rafer performed better.

First of all, Rondo is playing 10 times the defense he was playing last year against this team.

Secondly, Anthony Johnson was having his way with us... while Williams has looked quite bad.

Agreed on all three counts -- on Jameer outperforming Rafer, on Rondo's increased defense, and the poor play of the respective backup points guards.

[BballTim]

No way has Rafer performed better.

First of all, Rondo is playing 10 times the defense he was playing last year against this team.

Secondly, Anthony Johnson was having his way with us... while Williams has looked quite bad.

  More to the point, Rondo was covering Nelson last night, as opposed to last year when he was doubling off Alston and playing the passing lanes.

[incoherent]

In the playoffs this year Jameer is averaging 19 and 4.

Rafer last year averaged 12 and 4.  

The difference is Rafer's team won more.

[LarBrd33]

i certainly don't want to jinx anything by saying this... I guess Nelson is capable of a big game... but I kinda feel like Jameer Nelson is one of the biggest joke "all stars" in recent years.  The guy is average.  I'm not so sure he's better than Delonte West.   Magic fans like to say that having KG back is a wash with them having Nelson back.  Uhh.... no

[BballTim]

In the playoffs this year Jameer is averaging 19 and 4.

Rafer last year averaged 12 and 4.  

The difference is Rafer's team won more.

  Nelson's team was winning pretty well until they came up against us.

[Fafnir]

i certainly don't want to jinx anything by saying this... I guess Nelson is capable of a big game... but I kinda feel like Jameer Nelson is one of the biggest joke "all stars" in recent years.  The guy is average.  I'm not so sure he's better than Delonte West.   Magic fans like to say that having KG back is a wash with them having Nelson back.  Uhh.... no

He's a small scoring PG, similar to Mo Williams in many ways. His court vision is suspect, how many times did he miss a wide open Howard rolling to the hoop?

Rondo was been amazing at taking away most of the easy shots that both players usually get this post season.

[wdleehi]

Nelson is the better player easily.


Nelson has put up better numbers


while


1) playing against a better defense then Alston did

2) Been pointed out by the Celtics coach as a focal point of the Celtics defense where as they doubled off Alston last year.

[Greenbean]

Defensively Alston was/is a superior player to Nelson. Last year Alston's ball pressure bothered Rondo quite a bit from what i remember.

Offensively it's nto even close  in Nelson's favor but Fafnir is right about his vision. He is not a great point guard but he excels and getting in the lane and hitting jumpshots.

[twinbree]

BTW, what team is Rafer with now?  I thought he was traded to NJ, but don't remember what happened to him.

I think he's out of the league for now. He was waived by the Nets then signed with the Heat but fell out of the rotation and left to be with his twin who attempted suicide.

[incoherent]

In the playoffs this year Jameer is averaging 19 and 4.

Rafer last year averaged 12 and 4. 

The difference is Rafer's team won more.

  Nelson's team was winning pretty well until they came up against us.

Seems like Rafer got them to the Finals last year and Jameer got them out of the Finals, also Jameer doesn't appear to be able to get them to the Finals this year.

Rafer was better for their team in my opinion.

[wdleehi]

In the playoffs this year Jameer is averaging 19 and 4.

Rafer last year averaged 12 and 4. 

The difference is Rafer's team won more.

  Nelson's team was winning pretty well until they came up against us.

Seems like Rafer got them to the Finals last year and Jameer got them out of the Finals, also Jameer doesn't appear to be able to get them to the Finals this year.

Rafer was better for their team in my opinion.

And the Celtics not having KG last year had nothing to do with that?


Does anyone think the outcome of these past two games would be different if Rafer played?


Well, I guess game 1 would not have been so close.




One more thing about Nelson in this series, he is the only Magic starter that was + on the +/- for both games. 



Honestly, it is easy to see the Magic's problems.

1) Lewis went from a 20 point scorer last year to a less then 10 point scorer this year.

2) The Celtics have Wallace and Davis to throw at Howard this season vs. Miki and Scali last year. 

[LB3533]

Nelson is the superior player, no question about it.

Was Rafer the better fit? Hard to say. The Magic won almost 60 games with Nelson as the starter and swept the first two rounds with Nelson as the starter.

All that has come with many believing that Howard had "regressed" this season when compared to last.

I think as a team, we just have the better gameplan & strategy to deal with defending the Magic's 3 point shooting and Dwight down low.