Tracy McGrady: Making Most of Minimal Minutes, Aiming to Prove Worth

For now, he is handling this well. But whether or not he'll get frustrated if his minutes still don't increase after 8-10 games will be another question.

And despite what anyone says, I still can't shake the feeling that they're trying to showcase McGrady out there.

The best case scenario's that he comes back to a respectable level of play this year, expires with this team, re-ups for the MLE or thereabouts and comes back at full strength next season together with Yao. One healthy season from the full crew and let's see where these bunch of players will take us.

 

Thats what Iv'e been hoping for, but it seems now it may take yao 2 years to recover, which would change everything.

 

If hes still playing 8 minutes a game after another 10 games, I think he would have the right to be frustrated because it would mean that Adelman and Morey have no intention of him being a part of the team.

 

Student's blog:

http://bleacherreport.com/users/155664-denton-ramsey

 

Why do you think that?

I fully believe what Weber said that video posted here a few days ago. In that working on the knee too much too quickly ended up hurting him a few months later, and that Adelman had a first row seat to seeing that happen, literally.

If any coach knows how to handle a seasoned player coming off of microfracture, Ademan is your man. Even if he does so extremely conservatively, it is likely for the best in the long run.

 

And boom goes the dynamite.

 

McGrady has definetly handled his situation well so far, as compared to Iverson, who got frustrated for being benched after returning from an injury. T-mac's minutes will eventually go up to where it deserves to be (around 25-30 minutes at least in my opinion), but he'll just have to be patient.

 

I see your point, but its not like im expecting Adelman to give McGrady 30 minutes a night. Increasing his minutes to around 12-15 minutes isn't going cause much more harm than the 8 minutes he is already getting (assuming it is bad for his knee). And they are never going to know whether hes going to be fit to play big minutes consistantly throughtout the season unless they do give him more than 8 minutes and see how his body reacts to the strain.

 

Surely if they were showcasing Tmac they would be playing him more than 8 mins a game. If they were really trying to show other teams what he has left, they would care less about his health and more about trying to get his name out there. ie. more playing time.

RA is being so strict on his minutes though, it has made me believe that they still have plans for him on this team, at least for now. That may change as the season goes however.

In fact, I expected his minutes to increase to about 15-18 mins already and they haven't so I thinking the Rockets are just being overly cautious so that he is healthy when they need him.



On that note, why dont we put an exercise bike or some other machine on the sidelines that he can use to keep warm?? RA has said he plays only 8 minutes so that he doesnt cool off and re-injure himself, so why not keep him warm while he is sitting?? Just an idea....

 

Shhhh!

Don't say this too loud! Somebody around here might think you're ruining our plans to dump McGrady on some unsuspecting team that hasn't been paying attention to McGrady......

....we've got plans of our own, you know.....

 

Denton Ramsey's profile picture is very creepy.

 

Bleacher report needs to be banned. Or at least the OP should be required to warn posters if the article is from that website. I don't like to waste time reading that stuff.

 

And you couldn't tell from the writing?

 

The trade deadline cannot come fast enoough.

 

McGrady is also learning how to play as a role player in a scheme that is not centered around him. This is a huge adjustment for him, especially since the rest of the team understands their roles within Adleman's system.

The physical aspect of his rehabilitation is a big part of the reason why he is being limited in his minutes. But McGrady is also being mentally rehabilitated as well. Has Tracy McGrady ever played in a system that was not designed to largely revolve around him? Not that I can recall.

It appears that McGrady is making every effort to learn how to fit in and and be a constructive role player within Adleman's team concept. Eight minutes a game seems to be challenging McGrady quite a lot from a mental perspective.

Easing him in by giving him small, fixed increments of playing time is a smart way to introduce him into this new team system that has obviously been working quite well without him. I believe that McGrady will successfully adapt. And when the light goes on, he will player to be reckoned with again. And the Rockets will be a better team because of his contribution.

 

This is a great post, not sure I agree with the conclusion, but he premiss is well thought out and accurate.

Repping you up !

DD

 

THANK you!

I think by this point T-Mac has EARNED certain levels of <cough>RESPECT<cough> from ALL fans n.b.a.

so RESPECT, haters.

 

Great? How so? You mean getting trounced every 1st round series in the playoffs? You mean getting injured every season, because he was too soft to play all 82 games or close to 82 games? I don't know what your definition of great is, but he's been good....at best. He's done nothing but give us regular season accomplishments and nothing more.

He posts empty stats in the playoffs and by that I mean he posts stats like Zach Randolph posts. Stats that are produced but don't help your team win games.

 

I don't buy this at all.

No one earns anything.....I can respect what they have done in the past, but guess what? That is in the past.

All I care about is what can you do for my team today....if the answer is nothing, then cash your check and don't let the doorknob hit ya where the good lord split ya.

Everyone's time comes, you have to recognize it before the next guy.....Hakeem was traded, Francis too....at some point....the time to move on happens to us all.

There is no credit, when it comes to respect, it is a one year renewable energy.



DD