We must create spacing for McGrady. Yao high post more? Does McGrady play with his back to the basket any?
I love what you say about TMac's basketball IQ. I think what blew me away about Ming more than anything was his fundamentals and basketball IQ. Houston was trying to build a championship caliber team, and had some pieces with Francis, Cat, Cato and Mo. But, those guys were all incredible athletes, and they just didn't fit in with the intelligence of Ming. Once that became apparent, it was obvious we had to swap parts that fit. It sounds like TMac and Ming fit. I love that. Hopefully, now, we can gain additional parts that "fit" Ming and TMac. Hey, THACABBAGE ... you're Rocket's dream has come true, after all these years. Come out and celebrate!
Yeah, the only Rockets in recent years who combined ability and feel for the game, although in entirely different packages, to a degree that T-Mac does were Barkley and Pippen, although both were pst their prime, and to a degree Sam I Am, although he was not yet in his. Drexler had a good feel for the game, but was more of a reductionist's dream: checked all the boxes in terms of physical ability and skill, but wasn't quite as good as the sum of his parts should have been. And Hakeem had off the charts athleticism, work ethic, and will to win which later translated into unprecedented skill for a big man, but he was never a natural, if you know what I mean. He had to really work to get things like team play and passing out of the double, the kinds of things that come naturally to a guy with a real feel for the game.
