Is T-Mac going to be explosive once playoffs start?

If T-mac gets rest, he's explosive. But don't get confused. Explosiveness isn't directly related to winning. A series is a marathon. It would be easy for a young player to burn himself out (on dunks...defense is ok) early in a series.

 

I don't mean to nitpick, but there's no reason call him "Big Yao." We know that he's a large man.

 

i too am wondering if he'll be explosive come playoffs, but then i just remember how he scored 22 in the first quarter against dallas earlier in the season and how he looked like a completely different player. im positive he'll step up his game in the playoffs.

 

Every of his fans in China, his team mates in the national team, his friends called him Big Yao 大姚........

 

I think in the playoffs Tmac will take it up another level. He knows there is no tomorrow and he knows this will be a great chance to get to the 2nd round and beyond. I expect him to take it up a level like he did against Dallas 2 years ago. That means I expect him to finish much stronger at the rim.

I think he is kind of 'saving' himself right now a bit on the finishes. The back thing is still very 'mental' with him. But in the playoffs I think he will through caution to the wind and make those finishes.

That coupled with Yao taking it up another notch should be enough.

 

Yao will be the number one option since he's more of a threat and he most efficient offensive player we have.

 

We're gonna find out very, very soon!

Personally, I hope we see just a bit of the ferociousness from previous years. You know, just enough to make me jump out of my chair and scream obscenities at the scrub he just dunked on.

Still, I just want him to step his game up like he has in the past. Truly, it doesn't really matter how he scores, just that he does a bit more efficiently. With the way Yao has come into his own, and McGrady going to another level, it's gonna be a helluva ride fellas!

 

We need both to step up, it's not like the Jazz are a cakewalk. It's the playoffs, a 7 game series, you can't assume any of our players will be ready.

 

yes tmac is taking easy on the dunks. look at his baseline dunk on prince. that was a WEAK WEAK WEAK dunk.

but look at those alley oops when he's the ONLY one at the rim. he jumps freaking high w/ ferocity (that orlando magic alley oop).

tmac only finishes/dunks hard if he's the ONLY guy at the rim w/ no contact. if there is congestion at the rim, he ain't gonna take it hard for fear of a COLLISION.

i don't know if he's gonna change in the playoffs, but i DO KNOW THIS: TMAC'S career is defined THIS YR. his chance of advancing is THIS YR. if he loses another first round, his legacy will be lowered even more.

if i was tmac, that is enough motivation for me to go all out. he's not gonna be reckless but he'll do what is needed to finish those plays and not do those weak layups. tmac knows there is no tomorrow.

i'm sure by april, u will see a different tmac. again, all u need to know is TMAC'S LEGACY IS DEFINED THIS YR. that's all u need to know about what to expect from tmac.

no other player on this team or IN THE LEAGUE for that matter has as much riding on this yr playoffs. kobe can lose all he wants from now on. lebron's too young. iverson can talk about one FULL yr w/ melo. even yao can say he's still a yr or two away from really carry a team. tmac has NO excuses. he has a good team this yr. he knows this is his chance.

 

HELL YEA...His whole reputation and "legacy" depends on him winning his first playoff series. If any one thinks his explosiveness is gone, dont miss it too long because it will be back in the playoffs.

 

Man if we had that tmac, we'd be unstoppable.

 

Too many people nitpick pryuen. He is one of the top contributers to the GARM, his credibility has been established so lets cut him some slack on his dialog, credibility and sources.

Pryuen, great job on your posts, translations and pictures you post.

 

Dude there is no reason to nitpick, let the guy call him big Yao, I will call him little Yao

 

Why does it matter if t-mac is explosive or not? I'd rather have a quite poised t-mac than a showboating,electrifying dunking machine. I'm enjoying the new t-mac now because he's older and much more mature.

 

nah w/ this tmac we won't do much. he has to be able to be more aggressive consistently (3rd quarter v. pistons). but i see that he only is aggressive when yao is out b/c we need scoring. he's coasting for sure.

 

the injury has hurt his mental outlook thats for sure. i mean i dont know who wouldnt be scared, its your back for pete's sake. if tmac had a shoulder injury or a leg injury it'd probably be different. i dont care for the dunks and highlights, i do wish him to drive a lot more because good things happen. he scores, assists on a wide open look, gets fouled or puts yao/hayes/deke/howard in good offensive rebounding position if he misses.

has he lost a step? possibly but i dont think he has. if you look at the games where he has a "defensive stopper" on him he attacks and scores with ease to prove a point in their mind. you have a lot of touted defensive players still say tmac is one of the hardest if not hardest person to guard in the league. there have been some plays, most recently in the indiana game where he did little things to make sure the team did not lose when they should have lost that game (they played soo poorly). he is probably coasting, look at the stretches when yao was not there he did all he could to keep the rockets afloat scoring, passing doing it all. i EXPECT a more aggresive tmac than that in the playoffs. The tmac from dec-feb was the tmac of two years ago and he even took it up another notch in the playoffs. Remember folks two years ago after game 1 david alridge did report that tmac had spasms and was on the floor in pain and had a hard time moving. He got some massage treatment and you all know how game 2 went. Tmac lays it all out come playoff time I believe he is coasting now.

I wholeheartedly agree with the previous poster Tmac's legacy is at stake right now. Look at all the other marquee players in the league the two names that I hardly see mentioned anymore is tmac and garnett, oddly enough the two with the least playoff success among them. He has always been the underdog in the playoffs (remember dallas would have been the 3rd seed that year if under new seeding rules) He was close two years ago, an semi-incosistent yao and lack of talent was his undoing. The fact that he almost single-handedly took the mavs to game 7 is amazing.
This is the first year that Tmac has talent to back up his greatness, facing a team that is on par with his team (regardless of who has home court) Everything is set up for him to pass the first round, if he does not then he is not in my mind a top 10 player in the league anymore. A good player and talent but lacks the 'it' factor that separates good from great.

But I would bet the farm that tmac's performance in the playoffs will be amazing, near avg a triple double.

 

yea tmac started out punking prince w/ his drive but then yao got going so back to the jumper he went

but i'm sure tmac will be fine. we have to worry about role players making shots.

 

dont worry be happy .........he will be ok