Heh, so you saying Macbeth has STD's and has passed it along? Great post Macbeth, I have also been waiting for someone to post something like that. I am excited and really looking foward to seeing TMAC in a Rocket's Jersey.
Bingo. I think Yao is capable of assuming that role eventually, but probably not for another couple of years. JJ is now our default leader, but I think having a floor general who's been in 5 of the last 6 finals would help this team immensely.
My biggest question: Is he clutch? Yao has not proven that he is a go to guy in the 4th, has mcgrady made big shots in games that count bigtime such as the playoffs? I cant seem to remember any.
MacBeth, I really enjoyed this post man...very informative... I really hope that JVG can change McGrady's game...what I mean is making him a more versatile player ala Pippen... Jim Jackson, who I think is a class act and the glue of our team, will make him even more of a professional... McGrady already has reputation as a streey savvy dude. I think the Houston fanbase, the city, and the media will embrace him immediately.Yao and him will form a great bond together... Gundy will make him a floater on defense ala Garnett... He already has a relationship with Ewing, which many are forgetting to mention... He actually likes our team enough to openly state that he will only sign the contract extension for the Houston Rockets... We can seal this dude up for a while...same as Yao(barring he doesn't leave...)
I too have followed Tmac quite a bit, and I think this is one area he really needs to improve on. I think this is the one thing that both Kobe and Vince have that Tmac doesn't have yet. I've seen many games where Tmac would be great in the first 3 quarters.. and then fade in the last. That kinda explained why during their 19 game losing streak... they came close to winning many times.. but never won.
On the comment on the fact that he doesn't like the spotlight... I would completely disagree. Tmac loves the spotlight when things are going well for him. One of the big reasons why he left Toronto was because he wanted to be in the spotlight and not a shadow under Vince.
hmm... with all due respect, I think yao had made 85% of his shot in the last 5 minutes of a close game last season, or something like that? if he can reduce his turnovers during clutch time a bit, I'm quite comfortable have him shoot the ball at the end of game.
i can think of a couple of occasions where we counted on yao to win us games down the stretch and in overtime, and he got it done. let's try to keep in perspective that the guy just experienced his 2nd year in the NBA last season.
like MacBeth i also live in T.O.... though unlike him i think there a number of question marks that come along with t-man. 1. How can your team lose soo many games with you in Orlando? 2. In Orlando teams did not double team him because they knew they can not stop him, so they concentrated on the rest.(May be my answer for Q # 1)...so how will react to doubles? 3. T-man is going to defend cause JVG says so? this guy makes millions.............. 4. His back has been a problem for some time....its only going to get worse as he gets older!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 5. This guy can be an ass...not the most fan friendly person.(have stories on him)... 6. Comes with an attiude to be not the most caring of individuals...he's a superstar and he's gonna be on his third team!!!...and he's only 24...when will he ask the Rocks to trade him??? ....oh yeah when we start losing!! That's all bout the negatives i can think on this dude.....to many positives to list so you can think of em yourself
sorry forgot about this one. 7. When he was in T.O he comlained it was always Vince this Vince that.....does he not know it's gonna be Yao this Yao that?...can he play with another star?
In the Orlando games that I was able to watch, the defense doubled Tmac everytime and dared the likes of lue, gooden and howard to beat them. Without Garrity, no one was able to consistently make them pay. I'm pretty sure Mcgrady has been doubled quite a bit. Secondly, do you not think there is a difference between playing with another dominant perimeter player compared to a dominant big man?
Gee, I don't know. If Mo's your team leader, to me, that says more about your team than Mo. Not saying he's a disruption, or anything, but I wouldn't paint him at the other end, either. This is a career underachiver who has shunned the dirty work despite having the size to be a serious rebounder. This is a guy only a couple of years removed from weight and drug problems. Not exactly my idea of the Gipper.
Good point about the patience thing. He is a very patient player who times his moves very well. Another point sort of covered but not specified: one of the most obvious areas in which his natural sense of the game is made evident is rebounding. He is an exceptional rebounder, not in the sense of establishing position and banging for the board, but one of those guys who, last second, sneaks into the place where the ball's coming down, jumps up and grabs it away from the bigger boys. Unlike most rebounders, T-Mac gets a majority of his above the rim.
Excellent point. Is the Fisher thing inside dope, or a fan's speculation? But, yeah, we'll be a much more efficient tea,=m. I;m just concerned that JVG will stay hard with the defense first aspect which is great for teams in general, but on teams built around 2 offensvie stars, not the best as an extreme priority.
Hadn't thought of that, given JVG's strong tendancy for man on, but it's an excellent idea, and T-Mac would flourish in the role, IMO.
