Why do you think Tracy McGrady likes Rafer so much?

He doesn't get in Tmac's way. He lets Tmac dominate the ball.

As much lip service as Tmac has said about how happy he will be playing with a system that lets he play off the ball, he clearly still wants to be the guy initiating the offense......

Tmac is comfortable with Rafer, he is not comfortable letting others create, even if it is for him.....

DD

 

I agree with DaDakota. Tmac doesn't move well without the ball too often. He will only if it is a set play for him off of a double pick. Opposing teams know when Tmac will get the ball because he is first down the court and asking for it. Otherwise he is last up the court behind Yao and just watching what his teammates will do. He is not in there setting screens for other players and trying to help them get open by working without the ball. Typical primadonna attitude.

I like Tmac and am not a basher of him like many others. I like Steve too, but had to point out how terrible he played in his last 5 quarters. But Tmac doesn't seem to want someone that can actually penetrate and then dish the ball to him for open shots. Rafer has never done that for him, so obviously he likes Rafer because he still gets to not bring the ball up the court, but get it immediately pass half court and run the offense; unless it is going down to Yao to give Tmac a breather.

I hope he matures enough during this season to realize that he can never win a championship with that type of play. He can win games in the regular season like that, but what has happened all of his career in the playoffs is that his teammates disappear. That is because they have no identity that was established as playmakers before the playoffs. Yet he expects it to on be on "HIM" or for them to become playmakers all of a sudden in the playoffs after 82 games of watching him do it.

Tmac should be encouraging the point guard to take their man to the hole so that others will have to help to get himself and others more open. Let's hope he will learn this leason before it's too late this season.

 

I've always said he has got pictures on somebody!

 

This sucks. It really shouldn't matter who the PG is.. Tmac should never give up on his team like he has. I'm a little worried about this team (even though we're gonna win the championship) this year.

 

You guys have it all wrong.



T-Mac is probably the one superstar in the league that DOESNT WANT to be a superstar. He GLADLY defers to Yao, almost too much at times. I don't know how yall forget, but T-Mac kept saying every other day last year that he prefers the facilitator role, and that he, "doesn't need to score as much." Barkley even called him out for not wanting to be a superstar.


I also don't understand why yall think he "half-***s" it when Francis is starting. He shot the same percentage with Francis as he did with Rafer. The difference is Rafer looks much more comfortable with T-Mac than Francis does.

 

I totally disagree with that DaDakota. Mike James only creates for himself. When has he created for Tracy? Steve Francis is too hesitant right now in the offense and bogs it down causing the defense to regroup. That is why Tracy prefers Alston.

In my opinion it's not just Tracy that prefers Alston on the court with him but Yao too. I think they both also don't have issues with Alston and Francis together on the court with them at the same time. Mike James has his a one-track mind to shoot irregardless if there is a better shot somewhere else. He just doesn't have the vision.

 

because Rafer is TMAC's servant

 

Because Rafer gives us the best chance at winning compared to the other PG's plain and simple

 

I think the only reason Tmac wants Rafer (if he even really "prefers" Rafer) is because he is the ONLY TRUE point guard on this team. Love him or hate him (I'm on the fence right now actually), he does do a good job of setting the offense and running it efficiently.......its just that he can't shoot it for any worth. If he could be a more consistent shooter I can bet you that his value will skyrocket like heck.
Other than him.....we have.......Mike James, who probably has a bigger ego than his woman can handle at night.......
I can bet you that Yao would say the same thing too, because Rafer usually looks for him in the post, whereas Mike James will ignore Yao most of the time, or just use him in P n R's.

 

I think T-Mac would be fine having another PG dominate the ball, if they were good at running the team. Anyone who thinks T-Mac wouldn't be thrilled to have a Steve Nash or Jason Kidd on his team are nuts.

He knows, just as well as the coaches, that the offense (or defense, for that matter) isn't as effective when (a hobbled) Steve or Mike have been on the court. If Steve and Mike had played better up to this point, maybe he'd rather play with them.

 

Or they might just be romantically linked

 

This poll is stupid.. sorry. 1 real choice and 4 sarcastic ones?

 

Tmac likes the ball, he needs the ball to be effective, if someone else has the ball, Tmac never runs, would lose the interest in the game quickly. Rafer is the one who brings the ball to the half court, and passes the ball to Tmac quickly, when Tmac gets the ball, and then become a happy man.

 

Tmac doing JVG Speak . . .say one thing .. do another

Rocket River

 

Exactly
People say Rafer 'sets up the offense' . . what the hell does that mean
He gets the ball .. comes up court. . . immediately gives the ball to Tmac
then runs away from the ball

How is that setting the offense??? Is he made cause MJ and SF don't just give him the ball at Halfcourt???

Rocket River

 

It doesn't matter what he says. If he keeps jacking up jumpers late in games that we have a chance to win then he wants the glory. Yao should get more touches late in a game. His percentages of making or much higher especially in the 4th. I will even concede you can argue who should get the most shots in the 4th, Tmac or Yao but you cant argue that Tmac's shots should be jumpers. Pulling up for jumper without even getting into the offense or passing to Yao first is either stupid or selfish.

As for the Poll, none of the above is the correct answer. Herrera just doctored it so it points to one answer, "Tmac wants to win". Herrera's polls are always tainted with Van GUndier Love.

Of course Tmac wants to win. Imagine all the glory he would recieve if such was too happen. But while Tmac wants to win, he doesn't come close to doing everything it takes to win and he doesn't care about a victory that doesn't have his name stamped on it... Actually the closest answer to the truth is he wants to have sexually relationship with Rafer. No Rafer isn't his lovetoy but Rafer is his homeboy and he doesn't want to lose his boy and be left with a team of players who don't necessarily worship him. He may also think Rafer is better than most other guards for whatever reason. But Rafer is his homeboy and that's the biggest reason he does not want to see him go. I would also add Rafer is playing the best now but there were some games he was definitely stinking it up and Rafer has burnt this team in the biggest of games and I am not convinced he won't do it again. So tMac's decision isn't about what's best for the team but about what's best for him and then the team. Somewhere between the homeboy and that lies the truth.

 

I am not a Rafer fan but what I see to his credit is he gets the team into their offense quicker. You can call that setting up the offense or not but Stevie seems to be the worst at that even worst than Luther or James. I don't know if he is injured or still just out of basketball shape but it seems like he takes at least 10 seconds off the clock before he even thinks about passing. Not always but too often. Also the way Rafer played the last game is more than acceptable to me from our point and if he continues to play that way and no one shows more value on the court I would stick with him. That is a big if.

 

He sets up the offense better. Plain and Simple.

 

You're not watching closely enough if that's only what you see...

Watch the ball movement when Rafer is in the game. Watch how quickly the ball gets up the floor. Watch how NO team will press him because it's pointless, yet they'll trap and press James and Francis to no end. Watch his relationship with TMac and how McGrady plays with more certainty with Rafer on the floor. Watch, not just the passes, but the TYPE of passes. Snap, quick ones that get to players in rhythm and on time so they can do something with it. Watch how the offense always has a shot at fast breaking because if ANYONE decides to run with Rafer, they know they'll get the ball and/or will produce in transition.

You really think McGrady's that concerned over Rafer because he can't hit shots? All he wants is someone who can run the team, get him the ball where it matters and be able to defend and move the ball. Himself, Yao and Battier (from 3) can handle the scoring and shooting. If Rafer adds anything on offense, it's gravy, since they know they'll handle his end as a lead guard.