# Rockets training camp coverage - Alston's practicing with us already??



## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/Training_Camp_Coverage_2005-152621-822.html



> On their second day of training camp, the Rockets continued their efforts to learn new systems and new players. While the team returns nine players who spent time with the organization last season, there are still some significant new faces such as guards Derek Anderson and Rafer Alston, and forward Stromile Swift. While both Swift and Anderson had completed three practices by early Wednesday afternoon, Alston, acquired in a trade with Toronto yesterday evening, was just finishing his first workout with the team. He made a great first impression.
> 
> “Today, he brought a lot of energy,” Swift said. “(He brought) speed, great ball-handling, made good decisions. He looked pretty good today for his first practice.”





> “There’s not much weakness here,” Alston said, following his first practice as a Rocket. “I bring energy and an up-tempo style of game. I can put pressure on opposing guards and I'm going to defend the ball. I know my role and I'm not coming in here to do anything I'm not supposed to do. It's the chance of the lifetime. You don’t get many chances to get a crack at the title or close to contending. I'm happy to be a part of a team that’s a contender and looking forward to playoffs.”





> Rafer Alston (on his progress as an NBA player throughout his career):
> ”The last couple of years in the NBA I've continued to make strides and find my niche in this league. Every year, I've added something to my game. I've toned it down. I'll be able to run the team and control the offense. I'm able to defend guards. I don't have that big, muscular frame, but I'm able to take the hit and keep on finishing. I added the long-ball to my game. I can shoot the three. I continue to add things to my game. I added the floater in the lane over the big guys.”


Skip sounds very confident. Could be a good thing or a bad thing. Let's hope it's a good thing....


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## CrackerJack (Jul 2, 2005)

so far so good, hopefully it'll only get better, but who will get the starting job, sura or rafe


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## Q8i (Oct 23, 2004)

I Wanna See Skip Startin * But Hes Also At His Best When He Comes Off The Bench..


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## Cometsbiggestfan (May 14, 2003)

I'm tired of reading about practice. I want to see it up close and personal. Are they having an open practice this year? Last year it was the Saturday of Game 3 in the NLDS.


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## Smooth Lotion (Jan 7, 2005)

Has anyone ever seen the guns on Rafer? He's got some pretty big biceps for a guy who is constantly doing cardio activity.


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## rogue (Jul 5, 2005)

As far as who will start at PG well obviously for awhile it will be Skip. CDawson said they were going to bring Bob along slowly. If he is well enough and sound enough to come back, then I want him back. If he can play like he did those couple of months, then he should come back and play off the bench. Always good to have a veteran PG with gas left in the tank. 

But (and I have to play devil's advocate here) if he is DONE then he should just "lay it down" for good. When players start talking to reporters about their injuries being possibly a "career ending" type of injury, they are most likely done for serious competition. Charlie Ward knew he could not keep up the pace of the team, Rod Strickland knew it, and only Bob will know. But I suspect, and that's all it is a suspicion, is that he thinks it will take too long, and maybe still not be enough to be the tough scrappy PG leader we all knew. He's the one who put it out there, nobody else did, so I just always listen to the player. Juwan wasn't talking retirement, and he definitely could have. 
So I think unless Rafer shows us something telling us he can't start after the team adjustment period is over, he should definitely start. That goes for DA and for STRO too. If they show they will put the most competitive team out there at the start of the game, then they should also start. What a great problem to have guys??? :clap: 
What do you think?


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## TracywtFacy (Mar 29, 2005)

Sura is such a tough player that playing through injuries is nothing to him. However he did say stuff like he doesn't want to spend his retirement in a wheelchair and so on, so for his sake if he's going to do permanent damage by playing then he should retire, as much as I'd like to see him back. 

I wouldn't mind starting Juwan Howard, he's still a useful role player. Then bring Stro on early, like a super sub, like what Dallas does with Stack


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## Rocket Man (Jun 10, 2005)

Well I hope Sura can make it back but I don't want him to play the tough guy and only be able to give us about 75% trying to play too early. But a veteran point guard could be a very nice comfort to have to make a playoff run with fresh healthy legs and a point to prove. I have always loved Sura's tenacity to go to the floor if necessary to get on the ball and he has been one of the better rebounding guards in the league. His lateral movement to stay up with the quicker guards is probably the worse thing that I can say about him. Healthy by the time for playoff positioning should be their focus. It would give us better depth to match up with other teams second point guard off the bench no matter who was starting.


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## Peja Vu (Jun 9, 2002)

lol


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

..

:laugh: - the angle of that photo makes Tmac look about 7'1" ... that would be scary.


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

JNice said:


> ..
> 
> :laugh: - the angle of that photo makes Tmac look about 7'1" ... that would be scary.


7'1"? He's the same height as Yao in that picture! 

A 7'6" Tracy McGrady, THAT would be scary.... :laugh:


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## hitokiri315 (Apr 30, 2004)

Scary more like weird having a dude that big at the 3 would be insane. someone needs to free transform them to a more realistic proportions. Sto is 2 inches taller than t mac but he looks almost a foot shorter.

anyway i can't wait till tuesday's preseason game. Does anyone know what the missing jersey #'s will be for Alston, Stro, Head and Anderson. Rockets.com does not have it yet. I don't know what the big fascination with jersey #'s is. But who does.


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

hitokiri315 said:


> Scary more like weird having a dude that big at the 3 would be insane. someone needs to free transform them to a more realistic proportions. Sto is 2 inches taller than t mac but he looks almost a foot shorter.
> 
> anyway i can't wait till tuesday's preseason game. Does anyone know what the missing jersey #'s will be for Alston, Stro, Head and Anderson. Rockets.com does not have it yet. I don't know what the big fascination with jersey #'s is. But who does.



That is a very strange photo. I wonder what they are standing on. Stro and Yao looked proportioned close to correct but Tmac just looks huge. Tmac might actually be just about as tall as Stro. Unlike most NBA players, I am pretty sure Tmac's listed height is legit. Seems like he goes shoulder to shoulder with many of the PFs in the league.


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## TManiAC (Dec 19, 2004)

JNice said:


> That is a very strange photo. I wonder what they are standing on. Stro and Yao looked proportioned close to correct but Tmac just looks huge. Tmac might actually be just about as tall as Stro. Unlike most NBA players, I am pretty sure Tmac's listed height is legit. Seems like he goes shoulder to shoulder with many of the PFs in the league.


TMac is actually taller than Stro. Stro is about 6'9 and TMac is 6'10. TMac underreports his height.

oh, and looks like TMac put some muscle on his arms.


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## Pimped Out (May 4, 2005)

tmac is taller than his listed hieght. he is listed 6'8. he was 6'8 when he entered the league. now hes at least 6'9, probably 6'10 or over, not to mention his freakish wingspan.

he was taller than juwan last year. its kinda weird to have a taller small forward than pf.


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## jdiggidy (Jun 21, 2003)

What's the scoop on Dion Glover? With the rockets releasing Vin B and Ward retiring, does he have a chance to make this roster? Is there now a roster spot open?


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