Tmac's fault for being a second round virgin? NOT QUITE

A friend of mine, named John Nguyen, found this article, by mcgradykid134, about Tmac being a second round virgin. I thought it was interesting so I made a thread about it, knowing it won't change the opinions of all the Tmac haters. Feel free to flame me for posting this up. Also lock this thread if there is a similar thread. Anyways other than that GO ROCKETS!!!! BEAT L.A.!!! BEAT L.A.!!!

http://mcgradykid134.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/11404322/14542439

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Of Course everyone thinks as Tracy McGrady as a second round virgin. Or a Non-playoff performer, unable to get his team out of the first round. But really should T-Mac be receiving all this criticism? Is it all his fault?

Well i have something to say to this. Lets take a look in deeper to Tracy McGrady's playoff series:

Tracy McGrady In 1999-2000, played along side his cousin Vince Carter for the Toronto Raptors . The Raptors were 45-37 that season, with Vince Carter leading the Raptors with 25.7 points per game, 5.8 RPG, 3.9 APG, and 1 steal, 1 block to go along with that. McGrady played 31 MPG that season averaging 15.4 Points Per game, 6.3 RPG, 3.3 APG, and 1 steal, also almost 2 blocks per game (Career High).

In the Playoffs that season the Toronto Raptors took on The New York Knicks who swept the Raptors 3-0 in the first round. Was that T-Macs fault? Lets take a look: Tracy McGrady averaged 16.7 Points per game , 1 steal, 1 block. Also averaged 7.0 RPG, with 3.0 APG. Lets compare that to how he played in the whole regular season. He was higher in the PPG column, Also in the RPG category. In all the other stastics categories he seemed pretty even. Now lets look at Vince Carters stastics: Averaged 19.3 PPG, 6.3 APG, 6 RPG, also a steal and block. Vince Carter shot 300% from the field after going 465% for the year!? So if you really look in this series who can you blame? Tracy McGrady who played pretty consistent in the playoffs (Or even better) as he did all season? Or the Superstar of the team Vince Carter who averaged nearly less 6 points per game and shot a very bad field goal percentage . If i were to judge who blew this series i would point at Vince Carter,
not Tracy McGrady.

In 2000-2001 McGrady became part of the Orlando Magic , through a sign and trade deal that brang Grant Hill alongside T-Mac, unfortunately Grant Hill was only able to play 4 games due to a Ankle Injury. McGrady emerged as one of the NBA elite Players and also won the most improved player award. 2000-01 the Magic went 43-39 led by Tracy McGrady. McGrady averaged 26.8 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 4.6 APG, and 1 1/2 blocks, and steals. McGrady was teamed up with Darrel Armstrong, Pat Garrity, and Mike Miller . Which Armstrong in my opinion had the second best season for the Magic next to T-Mac.

In the Playoffs that season the Magic took on the Milwaukee Bucks . The Magic went on to lose that series 3-1. McGrady arguably had one of his best playoffs in his career. He averaged 33.8 PPG, 8.3 APG, 6.5 RPG, 1 1/2 steals, and blocks. McGrady clearly played better than his regular season, and played the best in the first round than any other player in the NBA playoffs that season. Can you blame McGrady here? I definitely don't think you can. I think that the Bucks were just flat out better than the Magic that season considering the Bucks were the 2 seed.

Coming off Tracy's best season of his career to this year 2001-2002, McGrady and Hill with the Magic were expected to be of the Eastern Conference Elite teams. Once again Hill was limited in games due to injuries. McGrady was forced to be again the 1 man show for the Magic. McGrady was a first team all NBA this year, and a 2nd NBA all star. McGrady averaged 25.6 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 5.3 APG, and 1.6 blocks, with 1 steal. Once again Armstrong and Mike Miller were in my opinion the teams 2nd and 3rd best players.

In the playoffs that season the #5 seed Magic faced the #4 seed Charlotte Hornets . The Magic and McGrady once again lost the series 3-1 while McGrady played yet another great playoff series. T-Mac averaged 30.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 5.5 APG, and 1.8 Blocks per game. Can we really blame T-Mac by looking at those numbers? Or can we look at his supporting cast considering of Armstrong, Miller, Garrity. Armstrong averaged more points than he did in the regular season, but in the rebounds and assists category he failed to average as he did all season. Miller disappeared off the face of the Magic in the playoffs averaging 4.8 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 1.3 APG? Miller averaged 15 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.1 APG, in the regular season. What happened there? Garrity averaged nearly 4 points less than he did in the regular season, but he averaged nearly 4 more RPG than he did all season. So what happened here? Was McGrady's 30 points per game not enough? I think that should be enough for any team if there supporting cast plays well. My opinion is McGrady's supporting cast was not good enough to get them a win in this series.

Entering the 2002-2003 season McGrady was yet to know that he was going to have one of his best seasons in his career. In the 02-03 season the Magic acquired Gordan Giricek and Drew Gooden For Mike Miller and Ryan Humphrey. In this season McGrady won the NBA Scoring Title averaging 32.1 Points! He shot a good 457% from the field to go along with that. The Magic finished with a 42-40 record that set a match for the Detroit Pistons .

In the playoffs the Magic came in as a #8 seed taking on the #1 seeded Pistons. Suprisingly, the Magic took a 3-1 series lead but failed to hold on! In this series McGrady averaged 31.7 PPG, and 2 steals. Another 30 points performance in the playoffs? And it still is not enough!? How? Gooden had a hell of a series averaging 12 Boards per game! Armstrong averaged the same as he did all season. Giricek did not have a great series by underachieving with 4 less points averaged. Pat Garrity just kind of disappeared only averaging 4 points, 2 rebounds. So once again McGrady averaged 30 points with 6 dimes, 6 boards but that's not enough? What do you guys want him too do? Average 40? Would that be enough? This cant be T-Macs fault, the guy clearly showed up and almost took down the #1 seed.

Coming off his second scoring title in 2003-2004 for the Magic, McGrady was now a member of the Houston Rockets . McGrady was traded to the Rockets along with Juwan Howard , Tyronn Lue , and Reece Gaines for Francis, Cato, and Mobley. McGrady was now teamed up with 7 foot 6 Yao Ming . This season McGrady averaged 25.7 PPG, nearly 6 RPG, 6 APG. Yao Ming averaged 18 PPG, 8 RPG.

The Rockets entered the Playoffs as a Western Conference 5th seed that would set up a match up against the Dallas Mavericks . The Rockets lost this series in 7 games. T-Mac averaged another 30.7 points in this series, along with 7.4 RPG, 6.7 APG. Ming averaged 21 and Nearly 8 Rebounds Per game. The Rockets lost by 40 points in game 7. What went wrong? McGrady had 27 points and 7 rebounds and assists. Yao had 33 and 10. Lets look at the other members of the starting 5. Scott Padget has 3 points and 6 rebounds? Bob Sura had 0 points, 0 rebounds, 1 assist? David Westley has 7 points and 3 rebounds? The Rockets bench combined for 6 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists!? As we all can see, we now know who to blame here. Yao and T-Macs supporting cast did not show up when it counted.

Coming off injury plagued years for T-Mac and Yao in 2005-2006 the Rockets had to regain there top spots in the West. McGrady averaged 24.6 Points, 6.5 APG, 5.3 RPG. Yao averaged 25 Points along with 9.4 Rebounds. The Rockets record finished at 52-30, This would put them at the #4 Seed to face the #5 Utah Jazz in the first round.

In my opinion this was T-Macs best shot to escape the first round of the playoffs. It was the first time T-Mac was favored to win a playoff series. Could they do it? T-Mac failed to do so by losing in game 7. McGrady averaged 25 PPG, 7 APG, 6 RPG. While Yao averaged 25 and 10. In game 7 the Rockets got beat 103-99. The Rockets were unable to stop Memhet Okur from hitting two 3 pointers with a couple mins left. McGrady scored 29 with 13 assists and 5 rebounds. Yao had 29 points and 6 rebounds. They were both overcome by huge nights from Boozer, Okur, Williams. This was definitely the most emotional series T-Mac had ever lost and he showed it in the press conference after with a tear running down his cheek. T-Mac knew he had a golden opportunity and the Rockets let it slip. Could this series be T-Macs fault? I cannot blame this on T-Mac, what i can blame this on is the Jazz just out playing us. Boozer really killed us with his 15 footer that Yao could not come out and guard. And lets face the facts it was just one of those games that just went the other way at the end, because Okur was feeling it.

Entering the 2007-2008 season the Rockets and T-Mac wanted out of the first round. T-Mac averaged 21 points, 6 assists, and 5 boards. Yao unfortunately had a season ending injury and everyone thought T-Mac was not getting out of the first round again. But after Yao went down the Rockets went on a 22 game win streak that would help them have a 55-27 record finishing with the 5th seed in the West.

Entering the Playoffs the Rockets had homecourt advantage but not the higher seed due to the Jazz winning there division. The Rockets lost this series in 6 games but T-Mac had yet another great series. He averaged 27 points, 8 Rebounds, 7 Assists. Can you blame this on T-Mac? I definitely don't think you can considering he led them to a 22 game win streak and also put up great numbers in the playoffs. But without Yao, The Rockets had no other scoring option besides McGrady. McGrady got tired and he could not do it all by himself considering the Jazz through so many weapons at him to just wear him down and make the Other Rockets beat them.

Considering all these playoff series i do not think you can blame it on Tracy McGrady. In the all the playoff series combined McGrady averaged 28.5 Points, Nearly 7 rebounds, and 6.2 assists. Hopefully Tracy McGrady will get out someday and win the NBA finals. But with injuries plaguing his season yet again this 2008-2009 NBA season, by having season ending microfracture surgery. But dont give up on T-Mac just yet as hopefully he will be 100% next season and the Rockets will regain there top spot in the West. With T-Mac, Yao, and Artest next year the Rockets will give it all and oh boy will the NBA feel the power of the Houston Rockets!


"I've got a theory that if you give 100% all of the time, somehow things will work out in the end."- Larry Bird