Official McGrady/Pistons 2010 Regular Season Thread

swyyyguy · Feb 9, 2011

tinman said:

that's your definition.

people who care about the pistons watch them and are emotionally involved in the day to day decisions of the organization.

people who care about the rockets feel the same.

for example, i didn't even know who austin day or greg monroe were until they actually are mentioned the nba shows.

for the Rockets, i know all the players and happenings cause I watch them and read great articles posted by clutch.

while there are so many so called tracy fans here, i think one of the few who actually watches him is RTM.

the others are the ones bitter he left the Rockets and want him to return to the Tracy McGrady who was an elite player.
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you obviously don't care about t-mac/pistons to the degree that you care about the rockets but that doesn't meant you don't care about t-mac/pistons.

you don't have to watch the pistons to necessarily care about them.

the fact that you even look at t-mac's stats shows that you care about him.

tinman · Feb 9, 2011

htownrox1 said:

I also look forward to what he does off the court as well. He has been involved with his Darfur foundation, and that has helped tremendously in that area. Hopefully, others will help his program and it will only get better in Darfur.

Let's not forget that Mcgrady is not just a basketball player, he is also a human.

Mcgrady's performances on and off the court has led me to be continued fan of his. Therefore, I am proud to be a Mcgrady fan.
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I have never criticized McGrady's humanitarian efforts.

I have never said I hated the person nor have I said that I wish his Rockets tenure never existed.

Just when people make excuses for him or overrate him or skew nba historical events where he was involved, i like to comment.

Some people here take my criticisms too seriously or obsess about it or try to sway my overall opinion.

after all,
this is clutchfans!

LosPollosHermanos · Feb 9, 2011

tinman said:

that's your definition.

people who care about the pistons watch them and are emotionally involved in the day to day decisions of the organization.

people who care about the rockets feel the same.

for example, i didn't even know who austin day or greg monroe were until they actually are mentioned the nba shows.

for the Rockets, i know all the players and happenings cause I watch them and read great articles posted by clutch.

while there are so many so called tracy fans here, i think one of the few who actually watches him is RTM.

the others are the ones bitter he left the Rockets and want him to return to the Tracy McGrady who was an elite player.
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i agree with you to an extent, I'm glad we shipped his ass off, but at the ame time I don't care enough, or hate him enough to the point I want him to suck.

Mcgrady plays when mcgrady wants to play. Story of his life. If he has finally learned that there is a bigger picture outside and not just a mural of himself, I shall congratulate him for finally realizing it.

ParaSolid · Feb 9, 2011

Oh, look at that. Cleveland didn't break their streak against Detroit.

RedRedemption · Feb 9, 2011

tinman said:

that's your definition.

people who care about the pistons watch them and are emotionally involved in the day to day decisions of the organization.

people who care about the rockets feel the same.

for example, i didn't even know who austin day or greg monroe were until they actually are mentioned the nba shows.

for the Rockets, i know all the players and happenings cause I watch them and read great articles posted by clutch.

while there are so many so called tracy fans here, i think one of the few who actually watches him is RTM.

the others are the ones bitter he left the Rockets and want him to return to the Tracy McGrady who was an elite player.
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HAHAHAHAhAHA. Is it really that hard to believe that you can root for the Rockets and root for another play for another team at the same time?

trueroxfan · Feb 9, 2011

So I came to this thread, the Official Pistons thread, to check on how the game was. Also, since it is about Mcgrady's regular season, I came to check on how he did. The last two pages...gave me nothing. I saw the same people jabbering over the same thing for the last 194 pages.

Why even bother? Please don't derail this thread into your past feelings for Mcgrady. This thread is for discussions about his regular season play, including the game he just played, yet NO ONE has said anything about the game. What a shame.

RedRedemption · Feb 9, 2011

trueroxfan said:

So I came to this thread, the Official Pistons thread, to check on how the game was. Also, since it is about Mcgrady's regular season, I came to check on how he did. The last two pages...gave me nothing. I saw the same people jabbering over the same thing for the last 194 pages.

Why even bother? Please don't derail this thread into your past feelings for Mcgrady. This thread is for discussions about his regular season play, including the game he just played, yet NO ONE has said anything about the game. What a shame.
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He's been toning down the intensity the past few games. It's not like he's just passive in the scoring aspect by itself either. He's only grabbed 3 boards and dished 2 assists this game.

He needs to tone up his efficiency and intensity, and keep it going.

A_3PO · Feb 9, 2011

trueroxfan said:

So I came to this thread, the Official Pistons thread, to check on how the game was. Also, since it is about Mcgrady's regular season, I came to check on how he did. The last two pages...gave me nothing. I saw the same people jabbering over the same thing for the last 194 pages.

Why even bother? Please don't derail this thread into your past feelings for Mcgrady. This thread is for discussions about his regular season play, including the game he just played, yet NO ONE has said anything about the game. What a shame.
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(1) It's the "Official" McGrady/Pistons thread, (2) for most people here McGrady > Pistons and (3) it's tough to have legit discussion about McGrady here because he's such a lightening rod on the forum.

It truly blows my mind how many posts have been made here. I only joined in the last day or two because of the Cavs game.

ParaSolid · Feb 10, 2011

A_3PO said:

(1) It's the "Official" McGrady/Pistons thread, (2) for most people here McGrady > Pistons and (3) it's tough to have legit discussion about McGrady here because he's such a lightening rod on the forum.

It truly blows my mind how many posts have been made here. I only joined in the last day or two because of the Cavs game.
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Great prediction! The Cavs really showed those Pistons!

Jeff Who · Feb 10, 2011

17 minutes tonight for him. Kuester is dumb to me. And it is not because Tracy ain't playing 40 minutes a night. You have to have a SET rotation if you want to build chemistry.

Keyser Soze · Feb 10, 2011

Jeff Who said:

17 minutes tonight for him. Kuester is dumb to me. And it is not because Tracy ain't playing 40 minutes a night. You have to have a SET rotation if you want to build chemistry.
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everyone thinks he is a dumbass

A_3PO · Feb 10, 2011

Keyser Soze said:

everyone thinks he is a dumbass
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Hiring a complete loser like Keister right after another complete loser in Michael Curry is just another reason Joe Dumars needs to step down.

Jeff Who · Feb 10, 2011

A_3PO said:

Hiring a complete loser like Keister right after another complete loser in Michael Curry is just another reason Joe Dumars needs to step down.
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How about Trading Billups for Iverson?

VBG · Feb 10, 2011

Another interesting piece on T-Mac and Detroit now. With some Eminem thrown in. Its a fun read. Read it on the Score though. Better formating

http://blogs.thescore.com/tbj/2011/...he-remaking-of-detroit-basketball/#more-12538

Earlier this month, a new Eminem song entitled “Give Me the Ball” leaked to the Internet. Well, new might not exactly be the word for it — it’s believed to be an unused leftover from previous recording days, estimated by hip-hop and basketball archaeologists to be from somewhere around 2007 or 2008. But what’s most notable about the song is how it feels like it’s practically from another lifetime — one in which, of course, the Detroit Pistons were still one of the elite teams in the NBA, and not the lottery-bound mess they are now.

The clearest demonstration of this disconnect is evident in the four Pistons namechecked by Em in the song’s lyrics — ‘Sheed, Chauncey, Rip and Tayshaun — one of whom is now retired, one of whom was traded years ago, one of whom is currently stuck riding the bench and one of whom is just a phone call away from being traded to a contender. The dissonance is enough to make the song’s repeated use of the familiar “DEEEE-TROIT BASKET-BALL!!” chant sound mocking, practically self-parodic.

The song’s not great — the beat’s uninspired, the rhymes are weak (“Chauncey Billups” with “raunchy Philips”?) and Marshall’s grasp of hoops lingo in general is often times lacking (use of the phrase “points on the paint”). But it did get me thinking about Eminem and his career — especially as applies to one Piston not mentioned by Em throughout, most likely because he wasn’t on the team yet at the time of recording: Tracy McGrady.
The comparison between Eminem and Tracy McGrady might not seem like an obvious one at first, primarily because their styles and personalities seem essentially at odds. Eminem’s appeal was always tied up in his incredible intensity, the forcefulness of his personality, his unwillingness and occasional inability to shield the uglier pats of himself from the world. McGrady, while a transcendent talent, has rarely been one to wear his heart on his sleeve, and though he undoubtedly seems to care about winning and losing, it’s impossible to tell exactly what’s ever going on behind his droopy brown eyes — an enigmatic quality further compounded by his much-publicized obsession with sleep and his unfortunate blood association with Vince Carter. When playing the “Which Rapper Equals Which Basketball Star?” game that so many of us have drunkenly dabbled in at times, there are probably a couple dozen NBA names more commonly linked to Em before Tracy’s.

However, the arcs of their careers have an interesting number of parallels. Both were at the top of the world at the beginning of the 21st century, when Eminem released two multi-platinum smash albums with countless hit singles and Tracy McGrady racked up two scoring titles and began a streak of seven consecutive All-Star appearances. Eminem was unquestionably the most popular rapper in the world at this point, while McGrady likely trailed only Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson in popularity (or at least, in jersey sales) on his end.

But as dominant as both were in their respective fields, there was a sort of ephemeral quality to their successes, mainly because neither really fit in with the predominant narratives of their time. Em’s hits were everywhere when they were popular, but had no place to retire to — too hard for recurring pop radio, too weird for hip-hop and too … well, not rock for rock, few of his songs stayed in regular rotation anywhere after their runs had passed. And while T-Mac was certainly prolific during his best days, he had few single games or performances that were meaningful or memorable enough to really endure in the public memory. Today, you’d be hard-pressed to name a game of his that would likely be replayed on NBA TV or ESPN Classic (with the exception of his 13-point final-minute comeback against the Spurs, which I suppose stands as his “Lose Yourself.”)

Part of the problem for the legacy of both came with their inability — whether out of profitability or circumstance — to play well with others. Though Eminem rose to prominence under Dr. Dre’s tutelage, and occasionally showed up on singles with the Good Doctor, the great majority of Marshall’s biggest solo efforts, featuring no notable guests or outside contributors. (Even the primary exception, the Dido-featuring “Stan,” is mainly just him plus a disembodied-sounding vocal sample). Eminem was not part of any real scene to speak of, and his posse of choice, D-12, was a group of unexceptional talents whose biggest hit was a half-serious rant about how much more famous Em was than the rest of them.
Meanwhile, “group of unexceptional talents” would be a generous description of some of the supporting casts that surrounded McGrady. T-Mac’s most productive scoring seasons were wasted with the likes of Darrell Armstrong and Juwan Howard proving to be his most competent complimentary scorers. (I’m not sure who the analogue would be here for a perpetually-wounded Grant Hill. Perhaps if 50 Cent had promised Marshall guest verses on “In Da Club” and “Wanksta” to give his career a little late stage boost, only to kick him out of the booth at the last minute.)

In any event, the time in the sun for each would come to a precipitous and largely unexpected fall in the second half of the 00s, as the production of both cratered with little warning. Eminem’s third album (“Encore”) wasn’t as successful or as well received as his first two, while a trade of McGrady to the Rockets (and a promising pairing with fellow star Yao Ming) resulted in disappointing postseason returns. Then Eminem went AWOL for a few years, dealing with personal issues, drug dependencies and a lack of musical focus, only to return with “Relapse,” a highly-underwhelming effort that sold well but made fans wonder if his comeback wasn’t a little premature (and has since been all but disowned by Em himself). Meanwhile, around the same time, McGrady started to suffer from shoulder and knee ailments that likewise dampened his production and ultimately disappeared him for a year or two as he recovered. When he finally did return, as a member of the Knicks, the results were similarly questionable and pundits were left to question if T-Mac had anything left in the tank.

But this is where things get interesting, as in the last year-plus, Eminem has officially breathed a second life into his career. Clearly incapable of reproducing the same results playing the rebellious, trigger-happy, wickedly funny ne’er do well that he was at the beginning of his career, Em re-invented himself as something of a hip-hop self-psychiatrist, using his music as a way to talk through his problems, rather than using it to just say “**** the world” as he might have in his younger days. Commercially, he’s as successful as he’s ever been, scoring two No. 1 singles off his last album (the aptly titled “Recovery”), which was also the best-selling album of last year. And having been acknowledged as an influence by a new generation of pop stars, he’s part of more collaborations than ever before, appearing on hits by artists like Drake, B.O.B. and Nicki Minaj, and inviting Rihanna and Lil’ Wayne to come on his own singles. Consequently, for possibly the first time in his storied career, Marshall Mathers truly belongs.

Of course, this all begs the question: Can Tracy McGrady achieve the same kind of comeback? Well, the jury’s still out on that one, but at the very least he’s trying on the Pistons, with a similar sort of stylistic re-invention. Fully aware that the explosive athleticism of his youth is now behind him, and that his days of averaging 30 (or even 20) a game have likely gone with his knees, McGrady has refashioned his game to be more of a playmaker. As unusual as it seems for a 6-foot-8 natural scorer to be playing facilitator, McGrady has shown a certain knack for it, and he’s used his court vision skills to evolve his role on the Pistons from bench afterthought to starting point guard. His numbers aren’t huge yet, but he’s helping the team win games — the Pistons have now gone 11-11 with T-Mac as a starter, which might not sound impressive, until you remember that in their 31 other games this season, they’re 9-22. What’s more, he’s playing well with others — McGrady’s Detroit ascent has been concurrent with the rise of rookie big Greg Monroe, whose play seems to have benefited at least some from his chemistry with T-Mac.

In fact, I’m wondering these days if Tracy McGrady isn’t the key to overcoming the ghosts of the championship-era Pistons. The past few years, there’s been no team in the league more depressing than Detroit, since the remnants of that contending core (Hamilton, Prince, Wallace) have meshed so poorly with the amassed young talent (Stuckey, Daye, Monroe) and the brought-in freelancers (Gordon, Villanueva). When signed for the veteran minimum, McGrady looked like he belonged squarely in the latter category, but now I think he was really the fated to be the piece to tie it all together. The guy to make smooth the transition from the old guard to the new guard, while gradually integrating the hired guns into the mix. It’s moving slowly, but it’s moving in the right direction, and at the very least, the team’s not so miserable to watch anymore. McGrady and Monroe appear to have re-energized them, and I find myself taping games of theirs that I never would have even flipped past earlier in the season. For that alone, T-Mac has to go down as the bargain-bin signing of the summer.

Where do things go from here for McGrady? When he began with Detroit, his jersey wasn’t even made available for sale. Now will he attempt to sign a long-term contract with them to continue the work he’s started? Or will he sign with a contender as a veteran presence, trying for that piece of basketball immortality that he so missed out on in his career’s first half? Whatever his choice, clips like these from a recent game against the Sixers show that even in a reduced role, he still has the skill set — slamming alley-oops, nailing threes, dishing to open teammates, and even rapping along to a song by an old kindred spirit — to merit himself a second act. Tracy McGrady is not afraid.
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TMac4Life#1 · Feb 10, 2011

Wonder if he'll actually finish the season with detroit. His contract is great for teams needing that final piece. Hmmm maybe the pistons do him a favor and ship him out

RedRedemption · Feb 10, 2011

I think Mac would be happier being the faux star player in Detroit. I just don't see him being able to help contender as much as everyone here thinks he can. He's just not that consistent enough.

Shakee · Feb 10, 2011

TMac4Life#1 said:

Wonder if he'll actually finish the season with detroit. His contract is great for teams needing that final piece. Hmmm maybe the pistons do him a favor and ship him out
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Maybe its just "PR" but on twitter he's always saying how much he loves playing in Detroit/being a Piston.

trueroxfan · Feb 10, 2011

RedRedemption said:

I think Mac would be happier being the faux star player in Detroit. I just don't see him being able to help contender as much as everyone here thinks he can. He's just not that consistent enough.
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Nor was Ron, but he stepped up in games last year when they needed him to. That's all it takes. If he can go off one night and help them win just a few of the games than he has done his job.

PRAY IV M3RCY · Feb 11, 2011

can somebody please explain to me why mcgrady's mins have completely gone crazy. Its unpredictable now. I mean 17 mins? seriously

_RTM_ · Feb 11, 2011

Stuckey is back in the lineup and D-wade is defending McGrady. Not good

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