Great win for the Celts! I realize they are very different players, but PP is what Tracy SHOULD BE when it comes to being a closer against the Jazz. The Celtics gave him the ball and it didn't matter how many times or how hard Harpring smacked him. PP would force the issue, get the foul (or layup), go to the line and take the FTs. Harpring was helpless to stop him. Tracy is just too much of a weakfish to take that kind of punishment. PP didn't make ugly faces or get upset. He knew what was going to happen but it was the price you sometimes pay to beat the Jazz. Simple as that. Tomorrow's game against the Lakers is going to be sweet. They are 25-3, including 3-0 on this western road trip. To those of you who think this team can match the Bulls 72-10, consider this: They would have to go 24-3 TWO MORE TIMES this season. Ain't gonna happen, especially when the tired legs start burning in February and March. Doc Rivers: I feel bad about blasting him so much last year. I still think he gave up on the team and stopped caring, but oh well. The guy is doing a great job so far and clearly has the respect of all the players. Bringing Tom T in to coach their defense shows me Doc isn't insecure and just wants to win now. I've always like him as a person and player but now also respect him as a coach.
lol...i wouldnt. tmac has been a fantastic stat filler late every season. hopefully i can get him on the cheap now
I understand the whole PP comparison to McGrady in slashing and driving in the paint opposed to settling for jumpers, but McGrady did pretty much single handedly beat the Jazz in SLC earlier this year by dropping 47 points to seal a victory on their court we hadn't had in three years if I'm correct.
I'd take it in a heart beat. You never know when T-Mac will be sitting out. The only downside is that the big 3 in Boston have been sitting out 4th quarters because they always whoop the Leastern teams.
The will win less than 65 games but they are far more real than I expected before the season began. KG is a great individual defender but I think he might be the best team defender to ever lace them up. Even Dream could not disrupt other teams from position 1 through 5 like KG does.
"McGrady goes off for 47, James huge off bench as Rocks roll Jazz 106-95" ---Clutch http://www.clutchfans.net/game.cfm?gameID=2941
lol nice rebuttal im sure its easier to do what PP did with KG and ray allen spreading the defense as well, not to discredit PP though, he is a great player and ive been a big fan of his for years.
I was actually thinking of the playoff series. In fact, Tracy was probably thinking of that series when we played the Jazz earlier this year, which is why he decided to finally man up. One other thing about last night: PP's outside shot was off. When Tracy's outside shot was off in games 6 & 7, he kept chucking because he didn't want to pay the price. KG and Ray Allen helped spread the D some but the fact is PP is a much tougher player than Tracy. There is nothing soft about him whereas Tracy goes soft quite often.
The Celtics are +2.5 underdogs tonight against the Lakers. I put BIG money on them. I hope the Boston Three-Party comes through.
Believe me, Pierce's body language was much much worse when he was playing on a horrible team the last couple of seasons. A lot fo Celtic fans had the same complaint about Pierce that Rockets fans level on TMac now. It's amazing what better teammates and hope of contention will change a guy's happiness and effort level on the court.
Too bad the "hope of contention" didn't help Mr. "It's on me" play tougher in the playoffs against the Jazz, when it really counted. In typical fashion, he saved his 47 point outburst for the 2nd game of the regular season.
So you're saying PP is better because he shot poorly in a regular season game against the Jazz with a better supporting cast, and that makes him better than McGrady? Like you said, regular season performance means little but don't downplay McGrady's game because it was in the regular season when PP's was in the regular season too. McGrady is a lot of things, some glaringly negative that we're picking on him about, but its no coincidence that a couple of superstars paired alongside PP has made him sing a better tune.
I don't dispute PP griped and chafed the last couple of years because of a poor supporting cast. He's clearly rejuvenated. I'm just saying I wish Tracy weren't such a weakfish who abhors physical basketball, causing him to take the easy way out too many times. Otherwise, we would have beaten the Jazz in game 6 or 7. Tracy is more talented than PP but he is mentally weaker. If he had gotten cracked on late in a game by Harpring the same way as PP was last night, Tracy would have either passed the ball or relied on jumpshots (again, see games 6 & 7 last year). When the jumper isn't falling late in a physical game, Tracy needs to make up his mind to either finish at the rim or get fouled on the way, no matter how hard the hit is going to be.
I'll agree with you on that. McGrady even settling for jumpers near the paint is better than the 20+ foot contested jumpers he's so accustomed to taking.
