ClutchFans Game Thread: Raptors @ Rockets 12/29/2007

I didn't say it was not hating. Actually I started my post with a comment that anti-Tmac post was asinine. But I also pointed out that the hating on Yao is like 10 times more acute of it. Just read what that rofflesarusholz sorry human being has said before. You will be amazed. Happy New Year.

 

Very true. I think the real test is not going to be whether or not the Rockets win any of those games with T-Mac back. I hate to sound like a broken record, but the real questions are going to be how many guys score in double figures and how close do the Rockets get to 100. Balance and offensive productivity are the real hallmarks of Adelman's system.

This may sound a little crazy, but I would rather see T-Mac get a ton of assists even in a losing effort. There's still time to turn the season around, but the Rockets need to commit to the system now. If T-Mac hesitates I think it's going to be too late by the time he finally commits.

The more I think about it the more I'm convinced that this whole season hinges on T-Mac. The last two games have shown that Yao can get his points in the flow of the offense, maybe for the first time in his career. The only question left now is T-Mac--can he plug into the system and do well while at the same time his teammates do well?

 

I like to comments from http://blogs.chron.com/franblinebury/2007/12/sick_and_tired_and_tough_rocke.html. That's what I want to say:

Tracy has skipped games because of a cold. He has missed games because of a little boo boo. He has missed games because of a number of reasons but I'm guessing if the team starts winning, Tracy will get healthy real fast. Tracy quit on the team but he'll jump right back on the bandwagon once Yao does the heavy lighting just in time to get all the credit. "it's on me" Mcgrady. Count on it.

 

now we just wait for the return of ME-MAC....

 

it's stupid to hate on yao as well. we're not going anywhere without yao.

fans not being happy with t-mac can have an impact that's negative. it can lead to situations that end up forcing a player out of town and then we're screwed.

 

Tmac is the player who's done more than anyone in his years here to adopt to various systems. I don't think that's a question. It's his health. Can he stay healthy?

 

Tracy doesn't know how to play without the ball,Tracy doesn't know how to play with balanced scoring.Tracy's attitude needs to change in the way he approaches the game. He had this canned answer before magic busted him out:
Tracy McGrady on the Rockets lack of identity as a team: “We don’t know our identity right now, we started off great at the beginning of the season and ever since we’ve been up and down. It’s been tough for us as a ball club to figure out what kind of team we are going to be. Are we going to be a running team, are we going to be a half court team? We don’t know."


Things got messed up because Tracy didn't adapt to the change.When things got tough in games,tracy went back to his half court ball dominated mentality.Adelman's game plan was always the same which was let's move the ball,let's have balance offensively.It didn't work because Tracy being the leader set the table,It was tug of war between what they did with Jeff and what they were trying to do with Rick and Tracy eluded to this with this canned statement that he used on TNT and the radio. Adelman didn't want to waste games trying to force his system on Tracy and Yao so he put in some PRO sets that fit what they were doing with jeff and what was comfortable.


Tracy tried to blame shift all the respnsibility on rick but if you look at the situation carefully his confusion over a half court or running team was all something in his mind.Tracy ddin't want to conform or he is slow to change.

Once things got ugly reverted to the half court style of jeff gundy,Adelman wanted the team to get easy buckets by pushing the ball a little more in transition,he never wanted to be a running team, just get easy buckets so they wouldn't have to pull teeth playing a half court games for 48 minutes.



Tracy tried to throw adelman under the Bus but it back fired on him when magic said:“(The Rockets have) got to trade (Yao Ming or Tracy McGrady), it’s not working out. We’ve seen it for all these years; they get eliminated from the first round (of the playoffs). I thought they were going to play well together, but it’s not working. Tonight the ball is moving more than it ever does watching a Houston game, and the same when Tracy McGrady was out, but the ball doesn’t move when they’re together...one of them has to go because it’s not working.”

 

Put T-Mac on the bench and have him come in for energy just like Vince Carter. He can be Ginobili for us. Lets see if T-Mac can really be a 'team' player.

 

I think you're trying to read in between the lines and picking up something that isn't there. There's no conflict between T-mac and Adelman.

The whole team has struggled to adopt to Adelman's system...not one player only. The only guy who hasn't is wells.

To put all the blame on T-mac simply isn't fair. Yes he has struggled to adopt to the new system, but so has Yao, Battier, Head, and others. Francis is struggling, and is Mike James.

Adelman's system isn't easy. It's a complex offense. It's very creative, but requires players to do a lot of thinking. And unlike a college motion offense, you only have 24 seconds to do things....

The whole team has struggled, and it's not because of t-mac only. Everyone is still learning this thing, what you saw against toronto is just the beginning.


We started 6-1 playing Gundy ball, then we started changing and we struggled offensively because players were confused as to what to do - they didn't get it. T-mac and Yao tried to carry the team in that tough strech and in my opinion did an excellent job.

Now the team is getting it. T-mac doesn't have to fit in, he has to thrive now.

 

Yea and lets see how far we can go by doing that.

 

I think its so funny how most people on this board wants to trade Tracy just becasue we won two games without him.

 

In answer to your question, I don't see why not. TMac has shown he's a willing passer, but earlier his teammates weren't hitting shots. Now they are. As long as they don't just stand around and watch, we're in good shape with him returning.

 

It's him, he can't stand there and hold the ball for 10 seconds over his head when he comes off of screens. He has to become a ball mover,which is moving the defense,It aint about I pass you the ball you need to make the shot because I drawed the defense and your open.T-mac needs to become more than just a playmaker, he needs to play with the team and allow other guy's to make play's as well. The balance scoring comes from everybody making plays and being playmakers but you have to move the ball not for the sake of passing but moving the defense around to open up things for everybody.

 

I think T-Mac off the bench may actually help us more. He comes in as the unstoppable force when the starters falter. I would ask this question. Who's better Parker or Ginobili on the Spurs? I'd say that Ginobili is the better scorer and very dangerous off the bench. Why not T-Mac? He can still play 30-35 minutes off the bench and continue to be unstoppable.

 

That's the right word, THRIVE. This will depend on T-mac when he come back. It's all on you, Tracy.

 

You can expect nothing before he abandons his endless jumpers. His jumpers kills his teamates. Kobe got 81 points in a game, no playoff for lakers. I guess Tmac need ball in his hand in the most time, no inside-out. The history has proved Rox can not pass the 1st round in playoff in this mode. The premise is Tmac can accept 18 pts and 10 ast a game in average, to save this team.

 

I think people want to trade TMac due to the fact that that choke artist quits whenever we lose a couple and it starts to get tough (aka gets injured - oh, my back feels tweaked - I better sit so I don't have to take the blame for the losses we accumulate due to my lackluster play) and also due to the fact that he has never, and shows by his lack of clutch ability, will never get out of the first round. That dude needs to be traded immediately for anyone slightly less cancerous to actual achievement.

Actually, in spite of all this hate, I actually like TMac both as a player and a public figure, but the TMac/Yao tandem is not/will not ever get it done.

Yao is a dominant center in the right system, but having a guy like TMac on the team (a dude who takes like thirty shots a night) will not allow us to be the playoff contender every Rocket fan prays for.

Hears hoping that either I'm wrong about the chemistry, TMac's heart, or the situation all together - GO ROCKETS?

 

look at the stats of Celtics and other contenders, none player has so many shots per game in these teams. Lebron has, no playoff for hom and his team. This year, Bryant is not so shining, but Lakers is top 6 in west.The bad performance for Yao to guard Boozer in playoff is not the excuse for Tmac to shot that much. Tmac has ruined the pride of other role players of Rox, and now it's time to change and get other players involved in the offense. If Tmac doesn't make any change, he has to find another Orlando team in the near future.

 

Unfortunately for us diehard Rocket and TMac fans, the Rockets are headed for another first round exit unless the Rockets hire an assistant coach whose job is to get in TMac’s face and let some of the air out of his balloon.

TMac is our most talented player. But he also has the biggest head and causes some of the problems.

When TMac is out, the team flows better, win or lose.

Everyone on the floor is MOVING and looking for a chance to contribute. If the ball goes in to Yao the rest of the team is MOVING in an orbit around him looking for an opportunity to get the ball and either shoot the open shot, or cut to the basket, or pass the ball to the next MOVING teammate or a set, wide open shooter. This shooter may have just passed the ball himself and is in rhythm.

Even if Yao holds the ball for a few seconds his teammates are still moving. The opposing team is scrambling around trying to keep up and wondering who they should leave to help out on Yao. If is hard for the opposing team to work their defensive strategy because the movement has them out of position. So Yao either has a good chance to make a play or a good pass to a ready, willing, motivated teammate.

When Tracy gets the ball he holds the ball in one hand and plays with the person guarding him until the hold team stops moving. Then he brakes down his opponent and either shoots over him or takes him to the basket, while he screams and makes some fantastic play.

Everyone claps, but the damage has been done. After two or three of these plays the team is not longer as involved. When they get the ball they are no longer in the flow. And it begins to look like TMac and Yao have to carry the whole team. The real problem is TMac has shut everyone else out.

Someone needs to tell him his teammates don’t need SuperMac every night. What they really need is SuperTeammate. The guy who makes everyone around him better than they really are.

 

Last season Tmac got a lot credit and left blame for Yao. I hate this guy! With Tmac Rockets will never go far.