That's just a crazy statement to make given the last season and a half. Ginobili isn't the player he once was, but he's still very good. And by all accounts, McGrady isn't close to ready to take on the role you claim Ginobili is incapable of taking. So that is a moot point. McGrady will not be a full-time starter this year on a decent team this year, or maybe ever again. He needs great players next to him to be successful. He needs to prove his worth as a complimentary player. You honestly think he can be more successful in such a role than Ginobili?
Manu is better than Tmac. Manu isn't as good as he once was and McGrady isn't even close to being as good as he once was. By the way, McGrady would have failed miserably if he took on Manu's Role.
If Manu is (or was) ever as good as T-Mac, then Spurs would've easily been the best team of decade and won at least 6 or 7 titles. If your replace 03-04 Ginobili with T-Mac . . . 03-04 Ginobili with 03-04 T-Mac . . . 07-08 Ginobili with 07-08 T-Mac. The Spurs are easily the most dominant team in the West, even more than Lakers and Suns. Duncan, Bowen, T-Mac, Parker, Insert a center, and other notable role players (like Barry, Finley, Smith, Robinson, Van Exel, and etc). You are looking at easily one of the best squads (top 4) of the last 10 years. For that simple change right there, almost every series the Spurs lost ...instantly can turn into a series win or a much closer series. Ginobili is a good player, but was he ever good enough to average 26 ppg to 33 ppg in an entire season and carry mediocre teams to playoffs as a primary option. Ginobili doesn't have Tracy's vision (or overall passing skills), lacks his lift and leaping ability, not as quick (as younger T-Mac), overall athleticism, and even defense. Especially, if Tracy decides he wants to play defense. To top things off, Ginobili isn't any less injury prone than T-Mac, yet his production doesn't quite stack up as much as his either. So the Spurs can miss Manu less, than what the Rockets usually do. McGrady is a more expensive talent by a mile, though he is much superior talent to Ginobili.
'03-'04 Manu was only in his 2nd year. In '07-'08 a 42 percent shooting McGrady (68 pct FT) was not better than him. You're out of your mind.
There is a lot there that simply isn't applicable to the Tracy McGrady we've known for the past 4 1/2 seasons.
If the "Trash McGrady at all costs!" movement has really progressed to the point where we're making comparisons like this, fine. You guys can have your cake and eat it too. I just hope once he's finally gone some of the lunacy on this board goes with it.
Would the Rockets have made the playoffs in 07-08, if T-Mac is replaced by Ginobili and being #2 or #1 option (if Yao is injured)? Hard to say. Ginobili has been surrounded by many other scoring options, while T-Mac has rarely had talented around beyond Yao Ming (who is often injured). T-Mac was in playoffs that year, and McGrady help carry the Rockets into the playoffs. Remember, this was the same season as 22 game winning streak. Still both players being compared in a manner that is showing them to be equal. It's not a fair argument to begin with. But, if anyone is implying Ginobili is a better player, it is somewhat ridiculous. I'd give you the last two season, maybe. But anything beyond that, I can't agree at any point in Ginobili's career or his peak year to be equal or better than any above average year (or even an average one at worst) from Tracy. If Ginobili was better than T-Mac, I would think the Spurs should have more titles with a player capable of leading the league in scoring or putting up a reliable 21 to 26 ppg for entire season or playoff. Which is something Ginobili has never done in his career. Also throw in the fact that Ginobili has never been anywhere as well-rounded T-Mac, who wasn't only known for his scoring, but his passing, rebounding, and defense (earlier in his career). I can say the same for Ginobili, who is older, in decline (as well), and not nearly as skilled as T-Mac.
A lot of people in this forum have become really dumb...thats the reason why we have threads like this. People now became T-Mac haters more than Rockets Fans its absolutely r****ded. And now that we are going on a bad stretch everyone is starting to turn on Ariza, battier, hayes. Its sad and its like the same people who were their big supporters. I know that a lot of those people believed that ariza was better than Mac. People need to understand, while we may need a change (Mac out of here), Ariza will never be better than Mac. And Hayes and Battier will always be one dimensional players and be very good at that, you can't expect them to do better than what they are doing. Our offense relies on Brooks Ariza and Landry, and all three have been playing well above expectations...now its back to reality and this is when we being to turn on them....ridiculous.
how is that even possible. This debat isnt even close t-mac career avg's Ptg 21.6 Rbg 6.1 Apg 4.7 Tpg 2.35 Bpg .9 Fg% .436 3pg .339 Ft% .749 Spg 1.3 awards: 2-time NBA scoring leader: 2003 (32.1), 2004 (28.0) 7-time NBA All-Star: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 7-time All-NBA: First Team: 2002, 2003 Second Team: 2001, 2004, 2007 Third Team: 2005, 2008 NBA Most Improved Player Award: 2001 Ginobli career avg's Ptg 14.6 Rpg 4.0 Apg 3.6 Tpg 2.06 Bpg .3 Fg% .450 3pg .375 Ft% .824 Spg 1.5 awards: NBA All-Star: 2005 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award: 2008 All-NBA Third Team: 2008 This is almost like trying to say that manu is better than iverson. Or even saying carl landry is better than Garnett. These type of guys are great coming off the bench, but thats just it. They are coming off the bench! if he was as good as t-mac he wouldnt need to come off the bench, he would have been their franchise player and they would have built around him!!
Those stats for McGrady looks very pretty. Maybe he can print them off and show his grand kids them one day. Manu will have to make do with all his championship rings and stories about winning playoff series.
Good argument, but it's worthless. It's not 2005 It's similiar to Wizard's fans in 01-02 arguing that he is better than Kobe. It's not 2005 any more. It's 2010. Stop bringng T-mac's all-star stats from 5 years ago and acting like it's the same as T-mac in 2010, or even 2009. While everybody is living in the present, t-mac fans are throwing away the last 2 years and living in T-mac's 2005 All-star season.
I think in a couple of years alot of T-Mac haters are going to be eating crow regarding whether T-Mac can still be a good player. Many people said the same thing about McDyess when he had his knee problems and he is still playing in the NBA years later. If T-Mac can manage to latch on to a 'ship caliber type of team I think that alot of you will be tasting that nasty black crowing bird.
So if McGrady can walk into what is already a great team and coast along on someone else coat tails and win a title....that will show everyone! That is a fantastic argument to make!
T-mac lovers said the same thing after his back problems in 2005-06. It hasn't gotten better for him. He has gotten worse each year since then. It's been 4 years, since he started having major injury issue. McDyess showed progress by his 2nd year. If he was like McDyess, he would have been playing more games instead fewer games after 2 years.
The T-mac only fans are just as bad as the Steve Francis fans from 2004. Next year, they will be eating crow like the Steve Francis die hard fans.
