Wow! Truly the most intelligent post on this topic. What exactly makes you an expert on this, Kimo Sabe? Can you duplicate double-doubles and even near triple-doubles? I thought so. Read a little on basketball fundamentals before calling someone "crap." You obviously dont know what you are talking about. Yes, T-Mac is having some problems. He had some problems in 04-05 early as well. This just in, he hasnt had the same lineup in 3 years HERE, outside of Yao. I guess that would not factor into the overall equation at all, would it? Or, how about this idea! T-Mac's game is STILL evolving ... He has a better core of players around him and he is trying to add more to his repetoire of talents. Changes in game involve ADJUSTMENTS, he just has to re-learn patterns of when to zig and when to zag, when to pass and when to shoot, when to post up and when to drive. In other words, FIND HIS RHYTHM within the framework of the game and properly incorporate it into the flow of the offense!!! What a concept! BTW, we ARE 10-5 right now, not 5-10! Two years ago at about this time, we were 6-11. Unlike some of you so-called fans, I'm not ready to throw T-Mac under the bus and put him in the garbage heap. Jeez, there's no pleasing some of you on here. As for you Anson, this post only affirms to us how idiotic your point or lack thereof or any substantiation to back your opinion is.
I see your point on this DaDa but, here's my take. This is his third year here and outside of Yao, pretty much everyone else to work with has been different plus, last year was mostly a wash. He played what maybe 1/3 of last year? So in actual basketball time he's barely into his second year here. So, yes there are rhythm and chemistry issues right now. He has to figure out which formula is the one that best guarantees a rocket victory, so he is trying different approaches. Dont be fooled, he still is Superstar caliber, he just has to put it all together. I agree he has to get his confidence back and his shot and he just has to keep working until he gets it right. One thing to note that most geniuses here have failed to mention, playoff aspirations are realized in March and April, not November. The fact is, he has time to get things ironed out and I believe he will. In the meantime, a better core equals a better start record. So let's give a few more weeks before we start panicking about T-Mac just my opinion.
A 33 years old Clyde Drexler, who by then has undergone a few knee operations, is better than the Tracy Mcgrady we have now, who is 6 years younger.
It's not that Tmac has no confidence on his shots. The major problem is that he has no confidence on HIS BODY. He does not trust his back can hold off all the tear and wear in games. As a result of the lacking of trust on his body, Tmac cannot run as quick as he used to, cannot jump as high as he used to, cannot drive as determined as he used to, and cannot shoot in a form he used to. There! Don't attack the ring, Get blocked, Shoot badly. It all make sense now. He's afraid of the back injury he suffered last season. He need to see a shrink.
Well let me just say this. TMac's shot is not really off it is just short the majority of the time ( it hits the front of the rim). I am would be more troubled if he could not find the basket. I think that these short shots are result of his legs not being back yet. He was out most of last year and needs time to get his legs back. If you look at MJ's comeback year in 95-96 when he played half of the season ( and NO I'm not comparing TMac to MJ) it was very simular. Sure he had breakout games, but for the most part was not himself. It took MJ that half a season to really get his legs back. I do agree that TMac needs to drive more until this situation is over. And this business about him loosing a step, I think is foolishness. If you have watched the games, you see him blow by his defender almost at will. I also feel that that's were the problem lies, is his will to go to the basket and not his ability.
I'm sure there's been a decline in Mac's athleticism over time; he's no spring chicken having come into the league as a teenager. It frustrates me to see him perform at such a medicore level offensively. Hopefully he continues to work on his jump shot, which has been declining now for 4 years in a fairly linear fashion. Jordan improved up until his final year with Chicago not because he rekindled his above the rim acrobatics, but because he developed a devestating mid range fadeaway to complement his veteran savy. Five years ago Mac had an unbelievable mid range fadeaway (during his two scoring champ seasons). I hope he works on bringing that back to his game, although I'm skeptical given his history of a mearly above average work ethic. IMO, Mac's struggles probably stem from the fact that he's spent the last 3-4 seasons of conditioning focusing almost exclusivly on his personal durability (and this is understandable). At the end of this discussion, as with any discussion pertaining to Mac, it all comes back to a "chronic deteriorating narrowing of the spine." I suppose we're all going to have to get used to him pacing himself offensively over the course of the regular season over what appears to be the final three years of his career. At worst we now have one of the leagues finest playmakers. I suppose an adjustment of expectations is in order.
If this is the case then we need to sit Alston pronto and move Tmac to the point...put Head in there to guard the other teams PGs, at least then you have a better offensive threat shooting open jumpers. DD
Not a bad idea at all. It'll be interesting to see how JVG's confidence grows in some of our other role players aside from Head. Novak and Spanoulis seem to have the greatest amount of upside of anyone on our bench and are receiving some of the least amount of PT. If we're losing offense with Mac why not compensate with someone with superior shooting and/or penetration ability. Two additions to my earlier post: 1. I think we'll see a pattern in the years to come of Mac becoming more assertive offensively as the season progesses. The talent is still there, and if he is pacing himself, he's conserving his health for the playoff push and the playoffs themselves. Because of this... 2. We can't afford to freeze him out of PT in the early part of the season. I don't like the long breaks he's been getting lately. Spread the breaks out over the game, keep him warm, and facilitate the annual development of his "February and on" offense. Patience, friends, the Mac is half full not half empty.
he may have lost his explosivenesss but when he drives he can still beat 99% of the guys in this leage when he drives....so there is no excuse....
Totally agree, we're 10-5 with and everyone has room to improve (not just T-mac), even Yao needs to get better at reading the double and triple teams he's seeing now. Hayes needs to stay out of foul trouble, Head and Alston need to get better with the entry pass and swinging the ball and V-Span and Novak need to get adjusted to the NBA game. But to simply write off T-mac in the first fifteen games of the season because of one loss on the second night of a back to back a day after suffering a minor injury is just moronic. Did it ever occur to you that his instructions from Van Gundy are to keep shooting, to keep pressure on Phoenix's sorry defense? They didn't go down and we lost, big deal well see them again this season. I for one am actually excited about the progress in T-mac's game and make no mistake he can shoot 29% at still draw double teams. But the bottom line is we're 10-5 and we can still be much better why is everyone angry and fatalistic? Most teams would kill to be where we are.
After watching Kobe's driving last night, I would like say Tmac is not even close. Tmac is just not great right now, need better game plans for him.
T-mac is done. He doesn't have the mental toughness to overcome the shadow from last season. In fact i think that's the very reason he havn't realy WON a serie in playoff. Just watched what Kobe did last night...dorpped 52pts!..ain't T-mac pointed that Kobe isnt the old-self not long ago?...It's sad to say..but we ain't going anywhere without a superstar who can creat his own shot.
Kobe and leadership should not be in the same sentence, unless it is an attempt to show someone who has all the tools associated with greatness except being a proven leader. Kobe is probably the most gifted individual basketball player right now. There are some nights he is unstoppable. But his slack of leadership and bringing out the best of his teammates is why Shaq is in Miami, and Kobe's team is still looking for the playoff series victory as "the man". And yes I wouldn't use Tmac and leader together at this point either. But I like Tmac's assist numbers this season. D Wade showed what leadership is from the swing man position last playoff run. It is scoring when you need to, even if you J isn't falling (Kobe and Tmac do not have this resourcefullness to find other ways to help their team when their shooting goes--and no matter how great you are some times facing a good defense you have off nights in shooting and need to compensate in other ways for your team to win), but also getting every man on your team involved and covering your back.
I truely think it is not about how his shot is off, but about how his confidence is gone... Tmac is still a very good player, but he just needs to take those shots!
to some extent,he lose some his firststep and explosiveness all this guy need is to regain his shoot skill and confidence i have faith on him without any doubt
I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to understand that T-Mac's confidence is waivering. At the same time, there is no question in my mind, that he will find his groove. I don't like T-Mac's game right now, but there are some facts that we are omitting when talking about T-Mac's offensive production. First, he is not being put in scoring positions as many times as he was in the past due to the offense being Yaocentric (not a bad thing, but a justification). Second, JVG with his 2 page offensive playbook has no plays for him other than the curl around 2 screens, where Tmac can either shoot or drive and score/dish. Second, he has always had the ball in his hands as the first offensive option and he is a rhythm player. He is supremely greater when he sees the ball go in the hoop. He's having to adjust to a different role and he is being put in unfamiliar scoring position. Third, this is T-mac's fault. He is too passive and too content to do only what JVG requires him to. He's also tentative, lacking confidence and making bad decisions on when to drive or shoot. He also used to be very good at getting himself out of a shooting slump. Now, his idea of getting himself out of one, is taking a 360 fadeaway. As smart as he's playing in terms of being a point guard, that's how bad he's playing in terms of being a SG. His ball handling is the worst I've ever seen. His handle has always been (even last year) one of the best in the game. His bad play is due to 3 factors 1) I think he's not working as hard on his game now that Yao is the man. 2)He's coming back form an injury and lacking confidence 3)He's not in great shape for whatever reason Fourth, did I mention, JVG's offensive genius is tremendous. Tmac gets no easy points. I understand that we want to slow it down, but how can we not get the man a dunk every game on fastbreaks or on set plays? A dunk can do wonders for his confidence and his performance that game. Do you guys remember how last year, JVG started a couple of home games (Clippers and Sonics) with a set play to give Tmac a dunk from a Rafer pass? Tmac played great the rest of the game. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=marnKGcpuic The year before the first play of the game would be working Wesley around a screen for a shot. This year, it's Rafer shooting from a Yao pick. Ok, I feel better now. Having said all that, expect "Revenge of the Mac" coming to a theater near you December 06.
