Ric Bucher: I dont see a Tmac-led team winning a chip, EVER

Quoted for truth. Francis and James are just what the Rockets need to light a fire under their asses.

 

Agree 100%. Someone has to snatch that "title" from TMac. He's tried to be that leader but it's just not in him. It can't be taught. He doesn't have it. Yao doesn't have it. The only people I see who might be worthy of claiming the position of team leader are Francis and James.

 

I'd say Yao has a chance to be the leader, a 33% chance. Let's wait and see...Oct.31...88 days...

 

I agree with him......I don't think this team wins it all until Yao steps up and takes charge.

I mean the team was calling Juwan Howard the team leader...JUWAN FRICKEN HOWARD.....Tmac is like Scottie Pippen a great side kick.

DD

 

As much as I hate to say it, we are probably doomed if Francis and especially Mike James are or best leaders.

The only chance we have to win a title is to quite literally out-talent the opposition because we are not going to beat them with heart or confidence. We have a mix of players who are great at some things but don't have the total package to lead. In a way, this team reminds me of the Adleman's Kings teams. Plenty of talent but no clear, defined leader.

Here's what we have:

Battier - grit, hustle but just too damn nice
Scola - looks like he will be a Battier type
Francis - heart, confidence but lacks maturity and focus
Mike James - see Steve Francis except Mike's ego makes him less equipped
Bonzi - LOL
Tmac - has the talent to lead by example but does not, he really lacks any other tools to be a leader IMO.
Yao - seems to crack under pressure...he puts too much pressure on himself. Leads by his work ethic but just can't command respect during the games IMO.

In Yao and Tmac we have two guys who could go down in history as two of the greatest Robins. We need a Batman.

 

I stand by what I said. If what Mac said, that he was totally out of energy at the end of games, how can he be your first option. I'm not saying he's not the best player on the team because Yao is close but still not better than Mac. What I'm saying is we need a guy with killer instinct to put teams away. Yao is our best option if he's fresh because his post dominance, but teams know this and they surround him with four guys and he has yet to show much killer instinct.

Mac is still our best player but JVG put way to much pressure on him. He had to create and execute all year for this team to win. I'm hoping Francis, MJ, and Adelman's system can take most of the decision making and creating away from Mac. Mac uses his pull up jumper way to much as a bail out in crucial situations. He's got to understand better when to attack the basket, but I can understand how hard that is when you're gased the jumper requires a lot less energy and effort.

 

what has yao shown in his career, which has been 6-7 yrs, to tell us that he can be a championship-team leader?

he struggled mightily i nthe first playoff series as the superstar.

 

It is not a Yao vs Tmac argument. You need both to win, but I think Yao needs to be the guy, the focal point where at the end of the game, he is the primary option.

Yao has only played 5 years, and is coming from a different culture, I think the 26+ and 9+ rebounds are going to be the norm.

DD

 

that's great if yao had the stamina of hakeem or a much better stamina than he has.

yao is not a very good 4th quarter player b/c he gets tired by then.

and most close games are decided by perimeter players. kobe w/ shaq. wade w/ shaq. ginboli w/ spurs.

again, "leader" doesn't mean go-to guy nor best player. shaq was the best player on their championship days in the lakers, but he wasn't hte leader (that was ron harper and fisher).

tmac will be our go-to guy still (he's the only guy that is able to get a shot off anytime v. anybody).

but i do agree tmac can't be our main leader. i think that role has to go to mike james or steve francis.

 

When I say team leader, I mean someone who demands things of his teamates......someone who makes the guys better around them and wills the team to win.

I don't see that in Tmac, and I see it coming more and more from Yao.....

Heck, I really don't care who is the leader if the team wins....



DD

 

i want to see that in yao too but how do u see that in yao?

most of our players are dependent more on tmac than anyone else. alston, hayes head, battier, howard all play better when tmac plays better.

the only guy that really benefits from having yao is luther primarily.

again, i don't see either yao or tmac as the "leader." they're our best players. they're our go-to guys.

leadership is "overrated". usually u take the personality of the coach.

i mean, how did kobe and shaq bickering (if they're the two leaders) and they still won championships.

 

why's he an ass? The dude just being frank and unfortunately he's pretty much right about tracy "it's on me" mcgrady.

 

fx,k him!

 

No matter how strong your will or desire is , if you don't have the legs or if your legs break down or fail you , your heart and your mind will follow.

There could've been better management of the players' rotation in order to preserve our star players for the last surge but then that is water under the bridge. Rick Adelman , being a former NBA player, is very astute at managing players' minutes and conditioning.

 

I don't think you need a leader if you have players that just act like professionals.

Hakeem wasn't much of a leader, he just played. He never yapped at people. I don't think SA really has that either. Frankly, the whole leader thing is overblown in my opinion.

Anyway, hopefully T-mac will read what this guys says and it will motivate him.

 

sorry but I have to disagree with this. Yao's leadership in CNT is definitely proven, I don't think there could even be an argument against that. whether he can translate that leadership in rox, that's any question we'll be waiting for find out...

 

Most of the basketball analysts/fans outside of Houston don't rate TMac that high after the Utah playoff series.

People still remember his guarantee of the victory over the Jazz, but failed to deliver during the series. You add his history of first round failure on top of that, it doesn't give you much confidence. Everyone agrees that TMac is a top five talented player in the league, even with his bad back today, but he just doesn't strike anyone with his leadership.

Oh, the Rockets will be much worse if we rely on James/Franchise as our leader.

 

Absolutely!!! When Yao was out with the broken leg, the opposing teams would, during his last few games out with that injury, doubleteam T-Mac without the ball, thus daring the Rockets to beat them down the stretch playing 4 on 3 on offense, which they often proved they couldn't.

That is something teams are now allowed to do on defense now--doubleteam a superstar without the ball to dare other players on that other team to win the game by making the big shots.

 

i'm not gonna make excuses. as a superstar, tmac needed to dominate EVERY game in that series that was played.

yes our role players sucked. yes yao played subpar.

but tmac didn't fulfill his role.

but again, i still believe in the dude. why? for the first time, he finally dominated a game 7. he never did that b4. he showed up to a game 7 this time.

so if it comes to a game 7 again, i think he'll learn his lesson.

maybe tmac is a guy that takes A LONG WHILE to finally get it.

all i know is next yr, tmac WILL deliver. i have no doubts about that. i have no fear about passing the first round. it's how far beyond that is why i will keep watching.