“I don’t know how he gets back into the line-up?” – Adelman

we're a top 4 team with a HEALTHY mcgrady in the west.

 

people actually BELIEVE these theories. that's the sad part about it. i have discussed with people on this board and they truly BELIEVE it.

 

Yup I see you debating it with people. I'm surprised you can even continue debating with some of these people. I stopped reading during the off-season just because it was predictable how any T-mac thread would turn out.

 

Nothing has changed.

http://www.nba.com/games/20091115/HOULAL/recap.html

 

Agree T-1, but still think they need Tracy plus a true shotblocker (Pryzbilla or a Camby type) to throw them into a top 4 category.

 

No we are not.

We would still be a very short, non rebounding team, not top 4 in the West at all.

DD

 

For an 10+ years career what Tmac has proven so far is never getting out first round. Don't forget Morey is a moneyball man. It's rational enough to say goodbye to Tmac.

 

without tmac and yao, we're a 7-8th seed.

the teams that are CLEARLY better than us due to their size are: lakers, denver, spurs.

you may put dallas up there, but i think with a "healthy" tmac, we can beat them. then you have suns/portland/utah/thunder, who we clearly all can compete with WITHOUT tmac and yao.

so no, i think we're a top 4 team in the west in tracy comes back healthy. i've said it before this season that we'll make the playoffs without the 2 big guns. having one of them will elevate us to compete for homecourt. having both of them will make us a #1 seed.

 

if they get tmac back healthy AND get a shotblocker like pryz, let's just say this team can challenge for a 2-3 seed.

outside of the lakers, none of the west team are unbeatable. and the spurs can be iffy if they start to play better (but i don't know if duncan/manu can stay healthy and stay at a high level).

1) we match up extremely well with denver due to our ability to slow down carmelo.
2) we match up well with portland period. and that team has never been able to slow down tracy (even last year)
3) we match up well with dallas. we just didn't have someone to play half-court when dallas just poured on us.
4) we'll beat utah EASILY.
5) morey said we'll match up well with the suns and he sounded confident in that assessment.

 

I just read this to mean that Adelman has sufficiently implemented his offensive system here in Houston to where Tracy will have to be able to fit in with that and be a team player if he expects to play very much. They days when the team revolves around Tracy McGrady are officially over.

I do not read this at all that Adelman does not want McGrady, or that he does not think that McGrady can help this team out a lot. I read this as a "heads up" to Tracy that he is going to have to be an excellent role player operating within the team concept if he is going to make it here. Yao would have no beef at all with that sort of a proposition. Obviously, McGrady will need to get on board as well.

I am very optimistic about this. I think Tracy will adapt well, and health permitting, he will thrive within the Rockets (Adelman's) system.

But the Rockets cannot succeed in the playoffs without a solid low post presence. That means not they will not be able to do it this year, either with or without Tracy McGrady.

 

Everyone is talking about him automatically "hindering" the development of our young players. Since when is getting playoff experience not valuable? If tmac puts us over the edge and into the playoffs, it's worth it.

 

San Antonio, Los Angeles, Denver, Portland, Dallas, Pheonix. Those are the six teams in the western conference better than the Rockets without Tracy and Yao. This team will make the playoffs this year regardless of McGrady's situation. I agree that if he comes back healthy, this team is a contender. As this team develops more chemistry, the meltdowns that occurred in the first LA game and the Dallas game won't happen.

 

Brooks can carry Tmac out of the first rnd.

 

he sure can.

 

actually, now that i think of it, these two can make some good plays together...especially is t-mac is going to be playing like he did back in his good days. I generally think tracy can fit in the team better than most people think he can.

 

A healthy Tracy McGrady helps the Rockets because of his passing ability (especially when doubled). He will provide many open shots to Luis, Aaron, David Andersen, Trevor, Shane, and Chase. Aaron and Kyle also have the ability to draw the defense in and even set him up.

The BIG question with Tracy is his defense. Will the knee allow him to play the intense defense that Houston plays?

 

i have never seen tmac that excited on the bench before. yesterday when chase dunked on lamar, tmac fell backwards on his seat in oohing and aahing. then when lowry had that ridiculous putback, he stood up and clapped. you know tmac must have been really excited.

i think he's going to make a conscious effort not to ruin the flow the team is having right now.

 

Rumor has it NO is looking to trade Okafor for an expiring. Maybe Morey can fleece No for some extra talent with TMac.

 

The only one that doesn't have playoff experience is Budinger. I'd prefer he actually be on the court rather than getting a front row seat for the McGrady New Contract Tour.

 

Read the first couple of pages but was this ever confirmed or did people just run off with a statement that had no actual source?

I kind of already know the answer.