Three Times Mcgrady Three Times McGrady: Jazz 103, Rockets 99 There are times when only the Commodores will do. Hit it, Lionel: Thanks for the times that you've given me. The memories are all in my mind. And now that we've come to the end of our rainbow, there' something I must say out loud: You're once, twice,, three times McGrady..... Three Game 7s for Tracy McGrady. Three rolls of the dice that came up craps. "It's on me." Detroit. Dallas. Now Utah. Do we detect a pattern? Even McGrady, after a night's worth of reflection, had reconsidered his cool demeanor following Game 6 and admitted that this was the biggest game of his career. Only because he has never been to the second round of the playoffs in 10 years in the NBA. Only because he has not yet been able to turn a superstar's cachet into the ultimate superstar performance when his team needs him most. Add another special holiday to the Houston calendar -- Stinko de Mayo. Yes, there were many of places to point in this one. The Rockets defense that was like an open sewer pipe almost from the tipoff, allowing the Jazz to bring any kind of garbage into the lane. Yao Ming finished with 29 points and only 6 rebounds in another decisive game where he came up as small as he is tall. Yao was also whipped, mauled, beaten, embarrassed all night long by Carlos Boozer, who finished with 35 points and 14 rebounds. There must come a time when Yao learns to roar and breathe fire, when he learns to take playoff games into the palms of his hands squeeze them until they scream. With the exception of Shane Battier, the supporting cast did little to step up with the season on the line. The Jazz won because they were the better team. Not just on this night, but in truth all through the series, and they finally hammered home that point. But it is McGrady who will walk away from this with another bruise on his reputation and over the course of seven games, it is entirely deserved. It's on him because he is the most gifted player on the team. It's on him because he's one of the top 10 most uniquely talented players in the entire NBA, maybe ever. But talent without the drive, without the smarts, without the guile, without the know-how just means a career full of TV highlights, All-Star honors and empty springs. Rarely has a player who has accomplished so little attracted such a rabid following of die-hard supporters who can't see the forest for the trees. Perhaps he is merely a symbol of where so much of the game has gone in the 21st century -- toward individual skills, and-1 antics and "it's-all-on-me-but-blame-everyone-else." Of course, Rafer Alston isn't good enough. Of course, Luther Head isn't good enough. Of course, Chuck Hayes isn't good enough. But they are Rafer Alston, Luther Head and Chuck Hayes, for crying out loud. Nobody with an ounce of sanity or objectivity could ever have projected or envisioned this collection of Rockets as a true championship contender. But to win in the first round? With the home-court advantage? And a 2-0 lead? "You know, T-Mac will get through the first round at some point in his career," said Boozer. Did Jordan, Bird, Magic or Olajuwon ever need sympathy? Hakeem the Dream was sitting in the front row, left only to wonder what had happened to his franchise. The Jazz are only the 12th team in NBA history to win a series after losing the first two games. McGrady -- along with Yao -- now has a spot in history being blowing a 2-0 lead for the second time in his career. Remember the 40-point debacle in Dallas? And don't forget, he also let a 3-1 lead in Orlando get away to Detroit. T-Mac the high-wire walker is a sight to behold. T-Mac the leader, who can show his team the path through the minefield, has never been seen. It is clear now. He is a good player, very good even. But he is not a leader and that's how greatness is defined in sports. It is not just about what he did in Game 7. Yes, those numbers will look special. But over the course of the seven-game series, he shot .394 from the field and .250 from behind the 3-point line. He led the Rockets in scoring against the Jazz, but also in being AWOL for too many minutes at too many times. It should not be all about Game 7, because it should never have come down to Game 7. How does he explain away the horrid memories of Games 3 and 4 in Utah when the Rockets should have dropped the hammer? Whenever he finally gets it through his head that to be a true superstar he has to commit himself to the task every night and in every quarter, he will finally rise to the level he -- and his worshippers -- think he's at. But it's 10 years and counting now and what makes anyone believe that can happen? Could McGrady have gotten to one of those late rebounds that led to one of the killer treys by Mehmet Okur? Could he have not gotten used up by Matt Harpring when the season was disappearing? T-Mac opened the game 1-for-5 and shooting jumpers. He eventually decided that it was up to him and kicked his game into gear and helped drive the Rockets back. He attacked the basket to get the most critical of his 29 points. He dished 13 assists. But when the game was tied at 88-all with just under five minutes left in the game, where did McGrady go? Back to the jumper. Twice in a row. He hoisted up a 3-pointer that missed. Then he tried a 17-footer that missed. The next time he took a shot, the Rockets were down by four and the final seconds were running out. He drove for a layup, but it was too late. It always seems to be too late far too early in the playoffs for T-Mac. Come on, sing along: When we are together The moments I cherish With every beat of my heart You're once, twice, Three times McGrady....
That pissed me off. Jazz were in the penalty, too. Plenty of blame to go around. The only saving grace is that we aren't mavs fans, dealing with chokewitski's turd of a performance. ahh, that thought made me feel a little bit better. just a little.
BS. T-Mac doesn't play that game. Yao and T-Mac are both trying to step up to take the blame. I don't get the sense that they are in any way blaming their teammates.
Fran is an idiot. If Hayes, and and Head and Alston aren't good enough then why are they on the team? Why does Hayes get significant minutes? He wouldn't on any other team. Van Gundy should get the most blame for this flameout.
This is complete bull****. McGrady tried his best. Is he Almighty God? It takes five man. And obviously, we haven't got that. It's just so simple. Look, I'll give you four guys. Jordon. Wilt. Bird. Magic. Greatest players ever. Okay. You confident you can win the championship with only these four people? Try. See what happens. Basketball is a five man game.
Yeah but are we going to use that excuse forever? Are people going to always think "he never had the team" about him? At one point you get past that and face the cold hard fact that he may simply not be a winner. Of course his career is not over, but currently - he is once,twice,three times McGrady. He has to take responsiblity someday.
you still didn't see where the problem with t-mac is? if he gave it all and play all out we don't even need a game 7. that's why he will always be a loser no matter how gifted he is. in the playoff every second counts and people gave it all for the whole series will get it if it comes down to the last minute.
Actually, this is a damn good article and echoes a lot of my thoughts. All you T-mac apologists need to quit looking at the short specks and instead focus on the big picture here. This is a post I made on another thread after the game... 1.) Yes T-mac played a damn good tonight, but that doesn't eliminate him from criticism. He still was 5-9 from the free throw line, an area that's plagued him all season long and it came back to bite him again. He shot a good percentage 12-25, but most of his makes came from layups and close shots. His jumper tonight was terrible. His inconsistent jump shooting throughout the season once again came to bite us. And let's not just look at tonight. Let's look at the entire series overall. T-mac shot in the high 30's FG%. His passing and playmaking was great, but it's not asking too much of your superstar to shoot at least in the low 40's. What about his seemingly disinterested play in Utah? The point is that the entire series should not be defined by just tonight's game. We should look at the series overall. T-mac just does not have whatever the hell it is that you need to have in order to close people out. For someone of his talent level to go 0-6 in first round matchups is pretty unfathomable, especially since he's been in series where he's been up 3-1 and 2-0. Instead of coming out and stamping his imprint on the game in Utah, he shoots 9-23 and then 6-18 in games 3 and 4. If he just came out like a freakin winner and imposed his will on the game, we could have won a game in Utah. And really, all we needed was just 1 road victory and we would have had this series.
and all these years gone by and the only thing he has been playing for is just to win ONE freaking series in a playoff.
Article true. Wow i just cant get over this loss i feel like this is the last chance we ever had at having a good season. I am so upset man i cant even look at these forums anymore.
100% accurate...... Tmac is as copable as anyone else. Don't forget that it was his man Kirlenko who hit the tying 3 at 88 all.....and Tmac was nowhere near him. DD
He just probably did not think that Kirilenko is able to take or even make that shoot. I was sure he misses but...
I honestly do not think tmac gave it ALL last night. I've seen him perform better. WAY better. Dont get me wrong, im not saying he didnt play good. he did,but it wasnt his best.
