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Is Tmac saving something in the Tank for the playoffs?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by rocketshopeful, Mar 13, 2007.

  1. rocketshopeful

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    Watching the Suns game last night really made me realize how much his physical ability has appeared to have deteriorated. He does not seem to have the explosiveness in the lane, and the quickness to beat the double team the way he did previously. Everyone keeps saying "well, hes getting doubled". He used to be able to beat the double team, and was one of the best in the league at it.However, I have seen some flashes of his old self, which makes me think that some of that ability is still there.

    Who here thinks he is saving something extra in the tank come playoffs?

    If so, I think we should start seeing some more explosiveness as the playoffs approach, as I don't think that explosiveness is that easy to turn on.

    I apologize in advanced as I can't seem to make this thread a "poll"- How do you list the answer selections. This one would be a simple, "yes", "no", "not sure".
     
  2. krnxsnoopy

    krnxsnoopy Contributing Member

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    Man.. I hope so.

    But at the same time I wouldn't doubt it if he isn't giving it "his all" right now either.. Because the game means that much to him. At the same time I'm positive he knows what he's doing by not putting himself unneccessarily at risk to injury.. So yeah... I think he is giving it his all but he knows his limits.
     
  3. AXG

    AXG Member

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    TMac has always taken his game to another level in the playoffs the past couple of years. I hope he is saving something good for the playoffs to get the Rockets past the first round.
     
  4. jVgOwnsYou

    jVgOwnsYou Contributing Member

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    McGrady will be fine....It was the second night of a back to back last night so I'm not too worried.

    He has been playing great all year, and I think he's just adjusting to playing with Yao again. He'll find rhythm in time for the playoffs.
     
  5. rocketshopeful

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    True. I hope he surprises me, but man it just doesnt look good.
     
  6. doublehh03

    doublehh03 Member

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    we will see soon enough.

    if u saw yday, in the 2nd half, he had like 4 shots that BARELY grazed the front of the rim. dude had no legs under his shot. im not excusing the b2b but his legs weren't there.

    but i was disappointed in tmac yday. he has REALLY struggled this month. he needs to start playing better w/ yao. but we have to designed plays to get yao away from the basket but also be effective (more pick and roll) to create space for tmac to drive to the basket. it seems like w/ the suns doubling yao, it clogs the paint w/ 2-3 guys in there.

    tmac needs to pick it up man. but maybe its just the suns. they have guys who can guard him (tall guys).

    but luckily jazz nor mavs have none :D
     
  7. BigM

    BigM Contributing Member

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    i thought this nonsense was over. physically i think he can do anything he could ever do, he just doesn't want to absorb the contact all the time. that slam he had against the magic the night before was ferocious.

    oh yeah, he's also in the midst of one of his most impressive seasons to date. what are you worried about?
     
  8. ClutchCityReturns

    ClutchCityReturns Contributing Member

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    It's usually said that you're most likely to get injured when you're not going your hardest. For example, how many games has Battier missed this season? How about ever? I'd ask the same questions about Kevin Garnett, another player who is known to give 100% every single night regardless of opponent or playoff position.

    Not knocking Tracy for trying to save something for down the stretch and/or playoffs, but I'm just saying...there's a school of thought that says it's not a good idea.
     
  9. Dave_78

    Dave_78 Member

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    Reference the last two months. He can beat double teams, dominate, and dunk as well as ever but he just doesn't do it consistently anymore. I assume it is because of the back problem but who knows. For all the crying he does about being old he is still short of being 28. I don't think anyone has lost their explosiveness that early in their career save for the guys who have had some sort of major surgery.

    I would imagine we will see the same 30/6/6 type numbers in the playoffs unless Yao erupts and turns into a modern day Hakeem. That would be ok too.
     
  10. dntrwl

    dntrwl Member

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    He seems so sporadic at times you just never know with t-mac :cool:
     
  11. rocketshopeful

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    I have no doubt that his jumpers will start falling again, but that is part of the problem- his reliance on jumpers. The "something extra" I hope he brings to the playoffs, is his ability to get in the lane and finish strong/dish, before the double team has his cornered. In the dallas playoff series (04-05), he was getting to the lane at will , finishing & setting up Yao Beatifully with easy dunks, much like what Kobe setting up Shaq during their championship run...
     
  12. doublehh03

    doublehh03 Member

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    tmac is trying hard. he's moving, he's looking for lobs and so on. but the point is tmac does NOT want a physical collision. even patterson said it, tmac will not have back spasms UNLESS of a physical collision. if u see the dunks tmac have made, it's either fastbreak wide open (magic) or alley-oops. he RARELY now jumps over a guy and things like that. i think if this was orlando, he would have dunked several of the pathetic missed layups that he missed yesterday all over the suns.

    he hasn't missed ANYTHING athletically. he just chooses his spots to do them when there's not a lot of physical feedback by the opponent onto him.

    and when the suns packed the paint like they did yesterday, tmac resorted to being a jumpshooter.

    again, in the playoffs when it's win or go home, i think tmac would play more "recklessly" u can say. but he's not gonna do that in the reg. season. his back problems are VERY FRAGILE. one touch and it's done.
     
  13. rocketshopeful

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    Didnt catch the magic game, wish I did. I am just concerned about him settling for jumpers against playoff caliber teams.
     
  14. doublehh03

    doublehh03 Member

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    that's a perfect concern b/c it MAY happen. but ive seen tmac too many times to worry about this. remember in 04-05, tmac averages just 7 fts a game like he is now. he only avged 7 fts a game v. the mavs series that yr too. but he'll penetrate more and more using the yao pick and roll as yao gets more stamina to do that. that play was sick that allowed tmac to do whatever he wanted.
     
  15. Luffy1

    Luffy1 Member

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    I hope he's saving his jumpshot for the playoffs! 8-28 last game..10-32 not long before that!! That's rafer territory. :p
     
  16. Dr of Dunk

    Dr of Dunk Clutch Crew

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    Somehow "saving something" doesn't equate to bricking shots like he's been doing for much of the season. If it does, then he's been saving since the start of the season. TMac's shot, for whatever reason, has been off more than not. Hopefully with Yao's return, it will improve... or we're screwed.
     
  17. ABTRocketfan

    ABTRocketfan Member

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    As far as his shot that has nothing to do with it, everyone knows T-mac can either be way off or just simply on fire and thats how he will always be. Where i think he is saving some energy is near the basket instead of laying alot of the shots up i think he will just dunk most of them. The only reason i feel this way is the Dallas series.
     
  18. Luffy1

    Luffy1 Member

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    For the record, I was being sarcastic about Tmac saving his jumpshot for the playoffs, but am serious when I say rafer must be saving his shot for the playoffs and will go steve nash in the playoffs!
     
  19. Astockmarketgod

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    I think Tmac is dogging it...

    you can get some insights into his quotes when he had to take over... and be the primary threat... when Yao went out... no one was questioning if he was giving 100% or not then... but you could tell he was tired of the double teams and wanted some help...

    now that Yao is back... Tmac thinks he can just sit back a bit and coast...
    im thinking...if it helps Tmac to bring it come playoffs... who cares...

    we play 500 ball to the end pick it up the last 10 games of the year... and we make the playoffs... probably in the same spot we are right now anyways....
     
  20. Sextuple Double

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    Rafer is gonna have a playoff run for the ages. Then they'll make a movie about his life from the Rucker to the NBA Finals.
     

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