[Chronicle:Richard Justice]So that's why the Rockets could still use McGrady

http://blogs.chron.com/sportsjustice/archives/2009/04/so_thats_why_th.html

So that's why the Rockets could still use Tracy McGrady
by Richard Justice

The Blazers were worried about Yao Ming and no one else in Game 2. OK, that's a bit of a stretch, but not much.

Portland's defense swarmed Yao, running two or three defenders at him on almost every possession. No one else really worried them. They were willing to gamble that Ron Artest, Luis Scola, etc., couldn't beat them.

The Rockets will look at the video and see moments when they were impatient, moments when they missed getting the ball inside. On the whole, though, what the video is going to remind them how much they miss Tracy McGrady.

''Teams can't do some of the things they've been doing to Yao if we've got Tracy,'' Rick Adelman said. ''He would make them pay.''

Ron Artest is really talented and really strong. He's capable of putting a team on his shoulder. But he's erratic and loses focus. On the night the Rockets needed him to hit some shots and draw the Blazers off Yao, Artest was 2 for 11 after the first quarter.

It has become popular in recent week to say the Rockets were better without Tracy McGrady. That was never, never, never true.

The Rockets were better without an injured McGrady, without a player going in and out of the lineup, never quite knowing what to do about a left knee that was never right.

McGrady attracts do much defensive attention and is so good at creating things for others the Blazers wouldn't have thought of trying that defensive strategy with him on the floor.

I've heard Carroll Dawson may have some one-on-one tutoring sessions as soon as Tracy is able to do basketball work again. He did great work helping Yao refind his low-post game the last couple of summers and would like a chance to help Tracy on an assortment of things.

McGrady will be on the bench Friday night at Toyota Center when the Rockets and Blazers play Game 3. He'll be in street clothes. He hasn't been around much since getting injured, but his presence will remind the Rockets why they still need him.