He hasn't lost anything except his shooting touch. He generally gets by his defender at will still (except Q-Rich); however he then stops midway to kickout before the contact arrives. Hopefully he is just saving it for the playoffs.
Yao carried this club through November, so you can't really justify calling him out. McGrady; on the other hand, has been ineffective since the beginning of the season. Fans are fickle, don't worry about it. I still have faith in Tmac.
<b>Yao was paired against Kevin Garnett most of the game.. Who was guarding T-Mac?? Trenton fat@$$ Hassle? one of the more overated defenders in the league? Ricky Davis?? Exactly (KG was on T-Mac maybe 5 minutes, too bad the games 48)</b> Not only that but Yao has been our MVP this year, if he is off I have faith he can bounce back since he has played good consistantly, while T-Mac.. Only thing consistant that he is bringing is that nagging voice in my head saying "What the He//!" not only that but the only 'scoring' he is doing is probably at home. T-Mac has no excuse not to be able to burn by Hassle to the rack, NO EXCUSES
TMAC averages 5.1 FTs this season so far, last two seasons he got about 7.3FTs. That is pretty much the story that tells everything. He can not penetrate for layups or drawing fouls like old Mac did. For his jumpers FG%, I think it is always up and down 40% since he was in Houston. If he did not attack the basket more, I predict he will end up 40FG% this season, or even worse. If TMac did lose his first step, the Rockets should seriously consider find a quick guard who can dive and pass. Or the chance to get out of first round will be very slim.
Where was TRADEcy McGrady last night? The guy went all out last night. He's probably a little tired. Yao seemed a little pooped too. THE ENTIRE team had to play a back to back while traveling against a team that played tenacious D. Yao played bad, McGrady played bad. The team crumbled in the end of the game when the legs leave you the most, it's understandable. T-Mac should have drove but he probably didn't have the energy, Yao didn't have the energy to dominate down low. It's ok it will happen esp. on a back to back. If we see a couple more games like he did against the Warriors, i'll be happy, if he plays like this again against the Bobcats, i'll be pissed, if he plays like he has been playing this season and creates, i'll be fine. Either way T-Mac's not going anywhere. YAO GOT A TECHNICAL
100% jump shots from T-Mac and that assist kick he's on gets to be a cop-out sometimes, like tonight. TAKE IT TO THE RACK, why don't you. Yao doesn't get equal blame. Everyone is allowed to have an off night, which Yao did. T-Mac did too, but unlike Yao, T-Mac did not even attempt to use some of the facets of his game. We were jump shooting more than the Suns or the old Mavs tonight. Please, no more.
We have a good chance to get to the play-off this season. So START TO THINK LIKE A PLAYOFF TEAM!! Should we let go this tough back to back kind of game or do we want T-Mac to keep drving to the basket and risk getting himself hurt again? We need T-Mac, we need him to help winning enough games to get to the play-off. We need him to be at his best condition to win the play-off series. So as long as T-Mac is healthy and we still have chance to get into play-off. Losting this one game is fine with me.
I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say it's the back-to-back that probably wore him out...but he's been playing like every game is a back-to-back then... Honestly, his jumper is gone. I think Bullard or someone mentioned it on TV that he's releasing his shot to late in the process of elevating and I think that's the problem.The thing about his jumper in his first year as a Rocket was that he was elevating. He shot was never really "textbook" (as in the ball is released at the apex of the jump) because it was always a little bit too late on the release but he compensated that by his elevation. Now, he either lost it or refuses to rise that high and his jumper's been short (most of the time it just hits the front of the rim, which is what happens when you release the ball a microsecond too late on a jump shot).
TMAC is fine, he knows his body is changing and is adjusting to it. Tonight he actually played to his average this season. Yao really had an off night. That can happen when one of the best D Teams in the league (other than Houston) is dropping 2 or 3 defenders on you before you get the ball. It didn't help that he missed more than his usuall share of point blank shots. Life happens and it did here. The fact that the game was tied late in the 4th is good enough for me. Wish they won but if, if, if, then they should go 82-0. We all know that's impossible. No team is perfect.
Yeah, I wasnt a fan of his 3pt line long range bomb. He needs a little bit Kobe's mentality, takes all the all the way no matter what. Those jumper were not good shots espeically down the strech we need to make them. I think Tmac will figure it out.
Yao wasn't settling for shots like TMac was. He kept posting up and trying to get position inside, the shots just didn't fall. TMac seems to be settling and missing.
I though KG guarded him on the roll real well. He couldnt get by KG and he couldnt shoot over KG either. The last play, especially, he had to kick out to Rafer, which was a broken play. Well, KG is KG, there are not many of them in the league fortunately.
I don't think he sucks or is done, but he settles for WAY too many jumpshots. You can't deny that. It would be nice to see less of this: And more of this:
LOL i've never noticed Van Gundy's face in that picture. He still looks as ... Jeff Van Gundy as ever! You would think he would show some emotion after a play like that considering Jon Barry rolled on the floor. Damn Jon Barry was a baller. Sura, Barry, Mike James, T-Mac, Yao, and crew. Damn that was a sweet team. If only we had Chucky, Battier, Head, VSPan. etc. back then we'd have been so much deeper therefore so much better.
The Warriors debacle proved to me Tracy still has enough juice in the legs. he is not over the hill or finished. however, when things go south, Tracy and yao is no exception to this, dissapear. there not leadership material. they dont have the mentality of carrying a team.
