790am: "Mcgrady Reports Improvement, still doubtful for Blazers'

Let him rest for the playoffs.

 

Limited playing min. sounds like a better idea. If he can practice, he can play, a little.

 

Maybe thats what he needs to get it done.

 

If he can play, he should. Rest won't prevent him from having another back spasm. He can only prevent them if he doesn't play period. So if he's able, I would play him. Otherwise, what are they paying him for?

 

Play him if he's capable if not just wait a bit longer, would rather err on the safe side

 

If T-Mac comes back, and I hope he does, we should not play him more than 30 mins/game. Save him for the playoffs. JVG has a tendency to play his starters for too many minutes. Save them for a later day. If the game is over, one way or another, sit the starters and let the bench players earn their pay checks.

 

True rest won't prevent another one. The reason he's resting is so he can fully recover from THIS spasm, not prevent another one.

 

He just has to be ready for the playoffs. I am content to absorb a fair number of losses without T-Mac, if it means we can get to the playoffs with T-Mac healthy. I think Bonzi can take up a significant amount of the slack. Absolutely gotta have T-Mac healthy for the playoffs.

 

According to this article from Wang Meng who travelled with the Rockets to cover Yao Ming & the Rockets exclusively, the following is TMAC's latest status:-

http://sports.tom.com/2006-12-20/0424/86072397.html

• Tracy McGrady travelled with the team on this road trip to the West Coast, but did not show up in any team practice or at the bench, supporting and raving his team mates, not to mention touching the basketball.
  
• On Sunday and Tuesday, he visited his physician Dr. Robert Watkins to inspect his back. According to Keith Jones, Rockets trainer, his back improved alot, and he can move around now without much pain. But back spasms are so unpredictable, the Rockets decided to rest TMAC for a few more games.
  
• Monday was a team holiday. No team practice and no team meetings. TMAC participated in one of these TV talk shows. He originally invited Yao Ming to join him in that talk show. Yao Ming declined and chose to stay behind in hotel to take good rest of his injured waist.
  
• It seemed that TMAC won't be playing again in Portland. And JVG does not plan to play him in San Antonio as well against the Spurs. The soonest that he could return could be playing against LA Clippers at Toyota Centre on December 23rd.

So we can forget about TMAC at the moment. He won't be returning this week while the Rockets are on the road.

 

I think we can beat the Spurts...they are not Gods. Bring tmac if available for 24 mins at least.

 

I think that's a *great* move. I dont want Tmac's first game back to be against a dirty Mo-fu like Bruce Bowen. he will probably hit him on purpose and re-injure him. we dont have that big of a chance to beat the Spurs anyways, so I agree with sittin Tmac down.

the Clippers game back home is a great opportunity for him to come back and establish a nice little rhythm for himself. we can play him about 25 minutes and still win the game. great move by gundy.

 

JONATHAN FEIGEN: His back has improved a lot the past two days, so he started talking excitedly about the Rockets when he and Kirk Snyder are back, and Bonzi Wells keeps improving.

 

The more games we excludeT-Mac, the better this team will gel.

Play Bonzi, Chuck, Head.

 

pryuen, that reporter seems to be wrong about yao ming not appearing on a talk show, unless it's a different one t-mac did alone, so i'd say t-mac's status is probably still up in the air for atleast the san antonio game.

 

I dont know man...

I even doubt if we can reach the play-off without T-mac.

 

All we really need from TMAC against the Spurs is another 35 seconds.....

I do hope he plays at the TC vs the Clips. We'll be in the house for that one...

 

More from Jonathan Feigen:
LINK

Rockets guard Tracy McGrady picked up his regimen of shooting and therapy, but is considered doubtful to play Wednesday in Portland, with some chance he could be cleared in time to play Friday in San Antonio.

That would depend on how McGrady reacts to Tuesday's workout, another today and the flight on Thursday.

"I wasn't allowed to run," McGrady said. "I'm better. I did some work in the pool, but it's nothing compared to running on the court."

 

I think this is a great chance for bonzi to establish himself as a key rotation player in our rotation. he'll get plenty of minutes asnd shots tonight and in San antonio. if he can help us beat the spurs, were gonna be legit.