Tmacs explosiveness

Tracy is not and will not be as explosive as he was in 1998-2005. Age and injuries have that effect on people.

However, I don't think explosiveness was the issue last year. I thought he lacked the endurance and strength. The Jazz played him physical and he broke down physically.

I don't think his offseason regimen last season allowed him to maintain his form at the end of the year. I thought he got progressively less energetic especially after having to play without Yao for a stretch and playing JVG's demanding defense.

I thought regular season's T-Mac was explosive enough last year. I hope he is doing the right king of preparation to allow him to get stronger as the season goes along and not weaker like he did last year.

 

He was, and is still is, more explosive than most wingman in the nba. Its just that compared to freakish athleticism that he displayed a couple of years ago makes the older tmac seem slower. A big part of that also has to do with his back. Just the fear of reagravating the back was probably enough to make Tmac hesitant to attack the basket. I agree that what really was noticeable was his conditioning. He just seemed kinda bogged down in the Jazz series in the playoffs.

 

dam i want the t-mac that played on the Magic. those days are long gone

 

Yeah.

Instead of being explosively awesomely amazingly spectacular, he's just awesomely amazingly spectacular.

 

I remember game 6 in Utah when the Rockets looked like they might put the jazz away in six to advance. T-mac was so tired he couldn't dribble the ball past half court very well. I mean he looked completely spent in the 3rd Q and we went on to get pretty much blown out. For one he showed up out of shape last year than looked decent later in the season just when Yao went down and for the playoffs he was physically spent. I think it was a combination of having to be the primary play maker, carry the team without Yao, and play JVG defense that did him in last year.

This year he has a lot more scoring help a system where he shouldn't have to have the ball all the time and I hope no big injuries side line Yao or any other Rocket this year, but even if we see some injuries this team should be able to win with the incredible depth we have now.

 

I think hes lost a step, but its still mostly his mental approach to the game. There were a couple plays he made last year that clearly show he still has most of his explosiveness. I recall a the Golden State game from early last season where he nearly dunked it from just beyond the free throw line in traffic. (ball rattled out, damn so close).

 

yea he looked SO SLOW on the road for some odd reason. he coudln't penetrate worth a damn. ak47 was poking the ball easy away from him in game 6.

his stamina was def. not very good b/c he never had an offseason. he got more in shape b/c he played games as he season wore on. but not the endurance that should be developed from an offseason.

 

that wasn't even hat explosive if u look at his orlando highlights or first yr here.

tmac is just so freakishly long that he makes it look athletic.

 

He's a freakishly long and freakishly athletic, even back in his first year here in Houston, and certainly back in Orlando. Dude have you ever seen him in his Orlando uniform? He was a freak athlete, and very explosive one, otherwise he would have been as nearly as good a player.

 

that's why i say a relatively "slower/older" tmac is probably more athletic than 90% of perimeter players. he was voted the most athletic player in the NBA when he was w/ orlando.

but less dunks => less highlights => not a lot of props.

 

I'm more worried about his shooting than his explosiveness. He still can get to the rack as long as (1) he's not having a really bad back day and (2) the situation in the game and season makes it worth it.

 

It's sad that T-Mac lost his explosiveness.
How about Steve Francis? Can he still take it to the rack?

 

i'm pretty sure he lost a step to, after the injuries he had. good news is, if he still can take it to the rack, he shoots 90% from the free throw now.

 

obviously tracy lost his explosiveness. We know about his back, and he's year after year he's older so nothing special. But that doesn't mean he can be stiil guick (it still won't be the same as in the past). I think last year wasn't the best for him. 11 games missed with back spasm. But the key was patterson. I think his treatment really helped Tracy and his back won't be as big problem as it was.

I just wish him a lot of health. He doesn't need nothing more to be better

 

Yes sir. When healthy, Tracy is explosive enough.

 

Agree and that's why I said earlier in ahother thread. The most important thing for him is to get him jumpshot goin' cause he can take to the rim every time he wants.

 

I think people may be in for a surprise with Tracy this year. He's finally had a full offseason with effective treatment for his back. And he won't have to take on so much of the ball handling/scoring load. Instead of a McGrady one year older and slower, I think we're going to see a faster, more energized, and effective Tracy than any time since his first year with the Rockets.

 

Man looks like I wrote that post I really think that he could be a suprise this season. He will be like Kobe or LeBron - I mean "only to score points". This season will be completly different for Tracy. He'll do what he used to do in Orlando and what he probably likes.

 

I hope so because I believe t-mac still has the most of the athletic ability and explosiveness he had in the past it's just slowly fading away with age. For someone who has been in this league for like 10 yrs with back problems he still has most of his skills even after this long in the league. Go T-MAC...show us what your working wit!!!!!!