We Always Loved You, Skip

Maybe I was wrong. Maybe.

A while back, I heavily criticized Rafer Alston, almost escorting him out of Houston by my damn self.

Two months later, I'm kinda warming up to the idea that he may be one of the biggest keys to how far we go this season. Look, he's our most experienced true point guard and he's always been a decent shooter, albeit an inconsistent one.

He started the first two preseason games and looked good. He made good passes, hit his open shots, ran the fast break well and just looked good in the offense. I never thought I'd say this, but he's the best choice to be our starting pg come the opening night ass-kicking of the Lakers. Reasons being:

- Unlike last year, we won't be depending on Skip to play 30+ minutes a game. Mike James, Steve Francis, and Aaron Brooks can all step in and run the show for stretches of the game.

- The style of the offense allows him more room to be a creator and get open shots and layups. This way, he won't blow close shots like a women's team in the SWAC.

- Brooks is too inexperienced; Francis is too far removed from being a primary ballhandler; and James still goes one on one a little too much.

- No matter what the offense is, it still runs through T-Mac and Yao.

So yeah, I was wrong. But, to be fair, I was the main one calling for him to come to Houston in the first place. Everything that happened between then and now is water under the bridge. Deal?