http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/Alston_wor...-191125-34.html<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>AUSTIN -- During the offseason, Rockets point guard Rafer Alston didn't take an extended summer vacation.He couldn't pull himself away from Toyota Center long enough to plan anything."I was at Toyota Center pretty much all summer," Alston said. "I probably took about 800 shots a day on the practice court. I kept shooting until my arms were sore."He's hoping the extra work will pay off.After struggling with his perimeter shooting last season, Alston spent the summer making sure he hears far fewer clanks in his eighth season.The Rockets point guard, who is a career 38.7-percent shooter, shot 37.9 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from three-point range in 2005-06.Since he is set to be the starting point guard for a lineup that features Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, Alston is well aware that defenses will be daring him to make his open looks. He is expecting this summer's body of work to change the minds of his opponents."I've got to help those guys," Alston said. "If you can make those open shots, it's going to make it hard for other teams to clamp down on Tracy and Yao. I'm going to get open looks and I've got to make them when I get them."During his summer inside Toyota Center, Alston essentially went through a shooting clinic.He spotted up for three-pointers from every angle. He pulled up for shots on the move. And, of course, he worked on his jumper coming off a pick-and-roll.By the end of the summer, Alston believed he improved his jumper and he heads into training camp confident that he'll make the shots that he missed last season.His coach is counting on it."He's going to be fine," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "He has worked hard on his shot and he's going to be able to do what we need from him."Despite finishing third on the team in scoring last season and providing a boost when Yao and McGrady were out, Alston was disappointed that his shooting percentages weren't better.He expects to be a 40 percent shooter, if not better, from the perimeter. "I was disappointed that I wasn't a more consistent shooter because I took a dip from the previous season," said Alston, who shot 41.4 percent from the field in 2004-05. "I always try to shoot in the 40 (percent range) and I really wanted to end up shooting in the mid-40s. I have proven in the last three years in this league that, if need be, I can hit the shot when called upon to score. I want to be the guy that does that this season."That doesn't mean that Alston will automatically be looking for his shot when he is on the floor.Since McGrady and Yao are healthy and the team has acquired reliable scorers in Shane Battier and Bonzi Wells, Alston has plenty of passing options when he brings the ball up the court.If anything, Alston believes he has the potential for a whole lot of assists. "I'm in heaven," Alston said. "I'm going to have so many options when I push the ball. It's point guard heaven." Alston, however, is prepared for those moments when his options are covered. He's done a summer's worth of work to make sure of it. "With all those options, I don't know that I'm going to be the third leading scorer again," Alston said. "I'm probably going to be more of a floor general. But you never know. You never know when you're going to have to step up and make a big shot."</div>Good Job Alston. I hope to see some improvement during the season.
I read this from another forum... well it's nice that he worked on his shot, since he'll probably take a lot of open ones this season.. but I think he thinks about his shot too much, he doesn't relax when hes shooting... last year he shot horrible... becuz he had to shoot so much... so he prolly felt alot of pressure and kept thinking about his shot
Very nice, glad to see his work ethic is in check. He was good for the Rockets as PG last season, if he can hit those 3's and make sure he is a pass first PG, it makes our incredible starting lineup even better.
