[Chron] Rockets regain a talent - McGrady doesn't miss a beat

Well, good....

Average 25/7/7/ and 2 steals a game. Be a catalyst for our shooters, get them shots...... Penetrate and get us through droughts.

BUT

Give way to Yao Ming as the centerpiece of this team. We have seen half a season of dominance.

This is the most important year is YAO's career. Get him 20 shots, and the go bonkers Tmac.

 

I think the article points out two things. 1) McGrady is healthy and excited about a strong season; 2) McGrady will be handling the ball because of his decision-making skills.

I dont doubt McGrady knows how effective Yao Ming is in the post and Im sure Yao will see a big chunk of the offensive pie. I would have liked to see Yao Ming play, if he comes back as healthy as TMac percieves himself to be, we'll finally get to see the massive potential of our stars play out the way everyone expected it to play out.

 

I agree,let Yao establish control in the paint with the offense going through him right out of the gate.
After they adjust make them pay with Tracy....and our shooters.
The Rockets should be pretty darn efficient on offense.And a healthy TMac,Battier along with our change in personnel should reap benefits on the defensive end too,leading to more easy buckets.
Rockets = high FG % and the ability to really tighten the D ( esp. if we can add a defensive/rebounding 4 at the deadline.

 

Maybe. JVG, i think, likes to use TMac in the first half to spread defenses and uses Yao in the 2nd half for a more half-court oriented game. Of course when games are on the line youll see the ball in TMacs hands because even if he cant get off a game winner he can set someone up for one.

 

Either way come playoff time our halfcourt game is going to pay massive dividends.

 

Dont doubt it.

 

It's a good sign to see T-Mac coming back. I'm excited to see him on the court. I hope that Yao and Bonzi will recover quickly. A healthy team can do real damage to the others if our players get well and gel as a unit.

 

The only thing that will hold us back this year are injuries. We MUST remain healthy. If he must, JVG has to adjust his whole game plan during the regular season to keep his key players healthy and ready for the playoffs.

JVG should take a page out of Popovich's playbook here. Pops always says that his number one concern is 'health' come playoff time, and y'all saw how little he played Duncan (minutes-wise, which resulted in almost career-lows for TD) during the season, but he still got unlucky of course and TD hurt his foot.

Judging by the little adjustments JVG is making -- canceling practices/etc -- he might finally be getting 'it'...

 

Go to Yao early, use the Pick and role, and let McGrady carve and dish and shoot. But get Yao Ming the ball consistently. No more 9 or 10 shot games. 18 a game minimum. There will be double teams on Yao, and he will get the ball out, and therein lies the true start in our offense. If he cannot score.

 

Tracy has been the forgotten man this summer. Not trying to start a war of words, but IF he is healthy this year, he is clearly our best player, no offence to Yao at all. If both of them perform in a dominant fashion the Rockets will be special. Give Tracy the NBA's dominant center, a player like Battier and role players that shoot the ball well enough and we are a contender, even if our depth doesn't match the Mavs. If injuries don't kill us this will be a fun year. If enough players develop and we have very good depth, we could end up competing for the NBA's best record.

Remember, we were 51-31 2 years ago after starting 6-11.
Tracy is Tracy.
Yao is not only better, he is probably MUCH better.
Our 3rd/4th best players are Battier and Bonzi vs. Sura and whoever.
We are younger and more athletic.

All of this is predicated on health, Bonzi working out OK, decent (not great) PG play and any of two guys stepping up between Rafer, V-Span, Head, Novak, JL3, Snyder, Hayes.

 

I think Head not playing in the first game says a lot. He obviously did not have a questionable or bad training camp. He will be a shooter, and his mid range and penetration improved a bit over the year.

A3P0- I just disagree. While McGrady might be more talented, all things considered.... (Personnel, lurking injuries, the future and the playoff run itself) Yao should be the man. If he picks up where he left off, and we add Tmac consistently being there, along with Wells, and then a bunch of shooters (or a few) in the rotation, not to mention a guy that should make Yao more effective (spacing) Battier as a 4th option and glue guy.

Kobe was probably a top 2 perimeter player during the latter Shaq years, and the offense still went to Shaquille. When they were not intentionally not sharing, thats just how it works. Inside, outside. If McGrady is on, great. But Yao, will hit 50% of his field goals and 85% of his freethrows. 20 shots, with his new crew, and McGrady. We will contend.

 

The great thing about our 2 is McGrady understands how important for him and the team it is for Yao to be the guy. Just like Magic understood what it meant to the whole team to get Kareem off, McGrady understands that if Yao gets it going, it makes his job and everybody else's job so much easier. McGrady is still a dominator.

We've got the best 1-1 punch in the NBA. I would not trade these guys for Shaq and DWade or Lebron and whoever or Amare and Nash or TDuncan and Manu. Our 2 are better.

 

Amen that!

 

I don't think Yao would be offended, but I also think there's not a GM in the NBA that would agree with you or most of this bbs.

There's is just no way you can say TMac is clearly better than Yao any more.

The first option and first option A schtick isn't going to fly anywhere except on this bbs. It's all about Yao's touches, reposts and passing.

I love Tmac, and he (when healthy) has been by far the most effective post passer Yao's seen, but by the same token I do fear TMac isn't going to feel great averaging 22 pppg, 8 dimes and 6 rbs.

I think that's ideal if we're truly contenders, but it's not likely to happen.

 

Let's wait until the season starts and take it up again after a few games. What makes Tracy great (if healthy) is he can adapt his game around Yao. Yao cannot do this in reverse. Tracy is versatile enough (and smart enough and not too full of himself) to focus on getting Yao and other players involved and pick his spots during games. Yao cannot pick his spots this way.

I guess the perimeter vs. post player debate comes into play. Also, I'm just talking about THIS SEASON, not the franchise going forward for the next however many years. I appreciate what Yao did over his last 15-20 games. He was great; he was dominant, but he is not as good a player yet (IF Tracy is healthy).

declan32001, if you polled all GMs in the NBA and asked them to choose between a guaranteed healthy Tracy and a guaranteed healthy Yao FOR THIS SEASON, you may be very surprised by the results. If the choice was either player for the long term (back and foot problems included), most would obviously choose Yao because Tracy's back problems (and his contract) justifiably scare everyone.

The prospect of both guys playing together at the top of their games makes me want to flip the calendar forward 3 weeks and get the season started. I can't wait!

 

I think Yao will have a solid and quick start. The easiest way to develop chemistry, is to dump it in, and then work from there...... Let those new players use their upgrades in "Talent, grit, etc." and Let McGrady do his thing.

I agree with a previous poster in that it really is 1 and 1A.

I would not trade this core, for any other 2 in the league.

And I think I might take Yao, Tmac, Wells and Battier over any foursome.

 

Its not impossible for them to both average 24-25 ppg...Hint to the coach...SPEED UP THE FREAKING TEMPO...thats how were going to "LIVE IT!!!"

 

Is it Friday yet