Allan Houston. How good an influence would he be?

Great influence on offense but he does nothing for our biggest problems: Lack of toughness and poor perimeter and interior defense. We'd score more and win more games but we'd still be sub .500

Again, because I don't believe in the savior principle where one player(not named Duncan or Shaq) can instantly turn you into winner I agree that we would still be a sub .500 team. Nothing in this leauge is a quick fix. But as we try to change the culture of this miserable organization that is oozing with losing, self-defeatism, quitism, undermining and pitting one man against another and blaming everyone but themselves. It would be nice to have a respected veteran, who can play that the young guys can look to and say, man that guy never complains, all he does is work hard. He would be the one capable player that would follow LB through hook and by crook.

Think about it. In Detroit Allan was in an offense that had noone over 6-9. The "system" was centered around the guards. Then he goes to a plodding offense that is built from the inside out. He is turned from a one dribble shooter to a spot up shooter. He struggles here's boos but continues to work. In time he becomes one of the league's best spot up shooters. Then due to injuries he's back to a "system" that is centered around the guards and outside in again. Then a new coach is brought that wants a "system" of run and gun. Then another coach is brought in whose "system" is designed to run through him. Then he gets hurt and is boo'd at charity games.

Through it all not one time did I ever hear this guy COMPLAIN ABOUT A COACH OR THE "SYSTEM" HE HAD TO PLAY IN. He adapted and did what he could. We didn't win all the time with this guy but there is no doubt that this guy was a winner. We have none of that on our roster and I pray that the young guys aren't infected by this pointing finger, it's not me, it's the "system" bs that is dragging us into the abyss.

Posted by Bippity10:

Silverfuel: please read the title more thoroughly before making further responses.

My bad but why did u choose only 2 years?

alan would have had a horrible year, steph wouldnt pass him the ball...i do miss him tho

Think about it. In Detroit Allan was in an offense that had noone over 6-9. The "system" was centered around the guards. Then he goes to a plodding offense that is built from the inside out. He is turned from a one dribble shooter to a spot up shooter. He struggles here's boos but continues to work. In time he becomes one of the league's best spot up shooters. Then due to injuries he's back to a "system" that is centered around the guards and outside in again. Then a new coach is brought that wants a "system" of run and gun. Then another coach is brought in whose "system" is designed to run through him. Then he gets hurt and is boo'd at charity games.

Allan Houston not a spot-up shooter in Detroit? A spot-up shooter is exactly what he was. He stood on the outside, Grant Hill drove the hole and then kicked it out to Houston. When Houston got to New York, Van Gundy put the ball in Houston's hands and said "create your own shot". And Houston had to because noone on the damn team could penetrate and set him up. And that is why his knees went to sh!t, because he spent years doing something he never was supposed to doing on a regular basis: creating his own shot.

***

To answer your thread title, yes, I believe that Houston would have been a valuable assett to this team.

oohah

In the last 2 years, Allan would have been a GREAT influence, IMO for alot of the reasons you said. The only argument I could come up with otherwise is he was a quiet leader. I think that guys like the rookies, Craw, Q1, and Q2 would have beend really drawn to the guy but I think that Steph being here would have undone alot of that. Steph would have really hindedred Allan's ability to lead in this construct of the team, IMO.

Personally, I want if I could only pick 2 guys LJ or Oak and Derrick Harper here to steady this ship. My only concern would be Oak would slap Steph so hard his tattoos would fall off.

Posted by Silverfuel:

Posted by Bippity10:

Silverfuel: please read the title more thoroughly before making further responses.

My bad but why did u choose only 2 years?

Because I didn't want to go beyond the current situation. And the current debacle started around the time we traded KT and lost Allan. Plus my memory doesn't go beyond 2 years.

Posted by Silverfuel:

Posted by Bippity10:

Allan Houston. How good an influence would he be?

couldnt disagree more! This team needs Oakley, LJ, Ewing or Starks.

What's the difference? They were all winners and leaders in their own way, and not one of them would turn this debacle around. Any of them would be good for the guys we have now. But from the past couple of years, Houston would have been perfect. Marbury seemed to follow him. Crawford seemed to follow him. The vets loved him. Not the greatest of players, but a very good leader, great role model. Nobody besides Malik can really provide this on this team right now.

Honestly people have short memories. Allan was a ball handler in college. When he got to the pros he was a one dribble stop and pop shooter. I remember reading articles every day about how he was struggling to adjust to playing with Patrick because he did not feel comfortable standing in one spot and being a catch and shoot player like Steve Kerr. This is a myth created by those people who wanted to point out how one dimensional he was so they described him as a spot up shooter. Over time in started to become reality in most peoples eyes and still is. I even remember him talking about how he had to get in the gym and work on catching and shooting in order to help the team win because he didn't feel comfortable doing it. Am I the only one who remembers the struggles when he first arrives and how the papers used to write about this issue EVERYDAY. What is wrong with you people.

You can mention me by name if you want too...

Anyway, I have watched Houston since he has a freshman at Tennessee as well. He did whatever he wanted to do for 4 years becuase he was so much better than the competition, and yes he handled the ball and took and made crazy shots. Glenn Robinson was a monster inside when he was at Perdue...not so in the NBA, two different animals.

Describing Houston as a spot up shooter is not a knock on him, it just describes his most efficient game: Rise up and shoot. Perhaps the better term would be "catch and shoot". If you mean by a one-dribble shooter that sometimes when the ball was kicked out to him he faked, took a dribble (or two) and then shot, well, that to me is still a spot up shooter. And when he played with Grant Hill, he wasn't a slasher or a ball handler, he was a shooter, he found spots and Grant Hill found him. Please don't take this to mean he just stood at the 3 point line ala Steve Kerr, that is an extreme example of the spot up shooter as a specialist. And it doesn't mean that he never drove to the hole etc. Either.

The problem with playing with Ewing was the style of play that Van Gundy imposed, he was and still is uncreative. The offense was always stagnant. There was no movement. Houston did not find his spots, he found one spot and noone was able to penetrate to free him up for easy shots. The guards were horrible at driving and kicking. It's not easy to be a spot-up shooter when nobody can drive.

But hey, if you remember Houston as a dynamic, ball handling, slashing, juke you off your feet 2 guard, I'm cool with that, I like Houston and don't mind seeing his legend grow.

oohah

WOuld have been a great fit. Someone who night in and out could be counted on to stick an open jumper. Never ealized how important that was in creating space for the team untill he was gone. Was always a class A guy too.

Posted by Bippity10:

Allan Houston. How good an influence would he be?