I know it's easy to look at numbers and say T-Mac played well tonight, but there's a reason the team has struggled to play well as a unit with him on the floor. Although he was hot for a while, once again, when the game was on the line and the defense got tight he didn't go hard to the basket; instead he went hard to open spots on the floor so he could pass out to the perimeter. His movements at this point in his career are becoming predictable. At the moment I'll give his injury the benefit of the doubt, so I don't think trading him is an acceptable option. In the past he was killer down the stretch with his ability to elevate and beat his man of the dribble. That just isn't the case this season, he is way too predictable and to exacerbate matters he doesn't play with a sense of urgency when things aren't going perfectly his way. If I was on the floor at the same time as him it would be pretty disheartening. This affects his playmaking ability as his teammates don't move well with TMac on the court and you don't see a cohesive unit. When TMac is healthy and active his teammates will take a hint and start playing better off of him. The short term solution is benching him for Wafer until he returns to full health or plays with some inspiration. He needs to earn his way back into the starting lineup, enough with being a primadonna. Wafer on the other hand has been relentless in attacking the basket, hits big shots, and has an energy that rubs off on his teammates. I think we should see how far that can take us. It's just such an advantage to have a fresh pair of legs worrying opposing defenses, especially since speed is an element lacking with Yao, Scola and Battier.
Then what do we do with Artest? If both Artest and T-Mac comes off the bench its a recipe for disaster.
There's another Start Wafer thread, but at least this one gives supporting reasons why. I dont think Wafer should start. The current starting lineup is fine. If I had my way I'd start Brooks over Rafer even though Rafer is doing his best to rally the troops. The current lineup is the same one that won 50+ games last year, and with Artest off the bench as an ignitor along with Wafer.
Artest is such a defensive asset, alot of people say he's overrated but he really makes a difference, especially down the stretch. I think our main 4th quarter lineup should be: Rafer/Brooks (depending on the matchup) Wafer Battier/Barry/Landry (depending on matchup) Artest Yao Throw it into Yao and see what he can create with space in the middle. Come playoffs you really have to hope McGrady gets back his ability to seperate from defenders and elevate otherwise it just isn't going to work.
wafer will never start with T-Mac on this roster. the heiarchy in the nba is players over coaches. as soon as adelman benches t-mac, he's going to be shown the door. its sad that this team no longer has an identity again...but at least lisa molawski made an appearance!
I think McGrady needs to take note of the situation in Detroit. Hamilton is coming off the bench and the other day against the Rockets Iverson sat during the 4th. His current situation really isn't much different to Iverson. I've always thought of Iverson as having little to no correlation with winning (due to wasted possessions, ball dominance), but when McGrady isn't in shape he isn't helping this team considering our depth.
McGrady is progressing, I don't blame him, he will be fine. Yao's substitution was a really bad decision. ¿? RA didn't trusted in his starting 5to finish the game (why artest?), I don't know why... I like Adelman, but obviously this loss is on him for 2-3 important reasons. And we needed to win a game like that. I feel the rockets will be very very good, but by the way, man, this team is hard of cheering.
Howe about McGrady at the 3 and Wafer at the 2. T-Mac NNEDS to be guarding 3's anyways because he can't stay in front of guards anymore.
There are other players on the team besides McGrady. He wasn't holding the ball for 5-8 seconds trying to make a move, didn't jack up 3s. You just flatout can't blame Tmac for this loss. We just missed shots.. maybe didn't get the right shots... I dunno. I don't think we jacked up too many 3s, or didn't move the ball. There were like 4 or so turnovers and 2-3 blocks in that quarter. So... I dunno.
That's what I initially considered but he needs to show some drive or sense of urgency and I thought making him come off the bench for a starting spot will give him added incentive. I know it's not practical but it's pathetic watching him play in the 4th and giving up on offensive possessions. He consistently slows down the tempo of the game when the ball is in his hands and as a result the players around him slow down. A motion offense requires full commitment from the players and IMO TMac just makes his teammates question themselves... at the moment.
Other than Scola tonight I can't say anyone played well. TMac just looked pathetic in the 4th, Yao allowed himself to be taken out of the game with non-calls and Artest looked clueless. This team is just discombobulated right now. A very bad loss and right now I hope we don't make any trades because our stock is at a pathetic low.
Tracy hasn't shown he is close to last seasons form, especially the quality displayed against the Jazz in the playoffs. He needs to be pushed to gain back some of his swagger, coming off the bench is the short term solution. And if he really is a fragment of his old self, then at least we'll have Wafer pressuring opposing defenses.
This is what I don't get. What does Tmac have to do to be appreciated around here? This wasn't a Lebron-like game from him obviously, but maybe bump the FG% up a little bit and I would be estatic if he had a game like this every day. You guys expect him to put up 30 a game on 50% shooting and hit the game winner. He's not that guy anymore. He didn't jack up contested 3s, he didn't hold the ball for 5-8 seconds and try and make a play that wasn't there. Moved the ball around, went to the basket a few times during the game (5-5 from the FT line, which was more than any Rocket today). I'm not saying he had an amazing game, but damn... easily the 2nd best Rocket today behind Scola.
if you think tracy didn't play well tonight, he's never going to play well for ya. he drove repeatedly into the paint, got good shots... him and the rest of the team just didn't finish the 4th. we're going through a rough patch with everyone back, but we will be stronger and better after this. we showed stretches of dominance. just gotta make it consistent.
Some people clearly got an agenda against T-mac. Now he made a lot of mistakes tonight but some people still only blame him. Heard a few people say he was just standing around on offense tonight the whole game.
the thing is WE MISSED EASY SHOTS TONIGHT IN THE 4TH. our execution was good. we got GREAT SHOTS. tracy got a layup blocked (their blocking was great tonight), missed an easy layup, and missed a wide open shot from the baseline. rafer missed an easy layup ron missed an easy 9-10 ft jump shot. like adelman said tonight, you just gotta focus more and make those shots. we can't get better looks than the ones we got tonight outside of tracy's last shot.
Yup easy missed shots,not getting back in transition, not protecting the paint, and some bad rebounding in the 4th cost us this game.
