Since when do teams need a passer at SG/SF, the position(s) where your scoring should come from? This team is clicking on offense just fine and is extremely unselfish (check the assist numbers).
Again, Doug Christie was a perfect comparison (Doesn't really have McGradys passing skill), but he played great passing the ball with Rick Adelman. All I'm saying is we need McGrady to get to the playoffs and I think we can play great (if he's NOT limping, hes playing our team style like he did during the streak). Furthermore, I've said this plenty of times, but we need someone who can create for themselves at the end of quarters. I hope T Mac comes back healthy and just returns to his old self.
as morey has said numerous times, we will need an all-star caliber player, whether that be tracy or his replacement.
Actually we need 2 someones in that role.... Chase Budinger...say it with me.. Chase Budinger........ Yao Ming? DD
I love Chase DD, but would you rather have Chase try to create for himself or McGrady drive in and dish out to a WIDE OPEN Budinger. McGrady will make everyone's life easier ESPECIALLY Chase. Chase is a terrific 3 point shooter and I would love having McGrady and Chase at the 2/3 position. Defense might be a problem depending on the team though.
1) if chase budinger can create by himself and is that good, he would be higher in the draft. like ariza, he's benefiting from adelman's offense. 2) morey has always said down the stretch, you need a perimeter playmaker to make things happen. brooks is good, but not great. again, either that can be tracy or his trade replacement or a free agent signing.
If trading McGrady (and Battier and Yao) would clear away the repetitive, irrational dross masquerading as basketball talk around here, I would be thrilled. The demagoguery is just disgusting.
Chase averaged 3 assists a game at Arizona. He's had a couple of beautiful touch passes on the break (I'm trying to remember who received them).
i claim we need an all-star playmaker. DD claims that will be chase. not going to happen. 3 assists in 37 minutes of play? i love pac-10 basketball and arizona is actually my favorite team (b/c of their championship run with miles simon) so i know a little bit about chase. he's an able passer and these guys are NBA players. they'll make the highlight reels. i mean, yao ming has done a behind the back move, does that mean he's a legit ball handler? chase's role on this team is to score score score and provide that firepower off the bench. and he'll be absolutely great at that.
I think McGrady is an unselfish player in that he does find the open man. Nobody makes better better decisions than he does once he gets into the paint. BUT, we can't have a guy who handles the ball so much (even if he does pass often) that he turns everyone else into spot up shooters. That worked with some success in previous years because the team was short on talent. This squad works as hard or harder than any Rocket team of the past but it is also very talented. Turning Brooks, Lowry and Budinger into spot-up shooters and Scola and Landry into stand-around, rebound-only guys isn't going to work for this team. I think McGrady will do that. I can't see any realistic scenario where McGrady comes back after 12 years in the league and suddenly reinvents himself and becomes a moving, passing, cutting, fast-breaking player. The team has evolved. I don't think McGrady has or even can.
1) he never had aaron brooks (his best PG up until now is rafer alston) 2) he has always played with spot up shooters in houston (wesley, battier). until this year, we have a guy who can at least put the ball down and do something with it in ariza/chase. 3) i think mcgrady has to understand his limitations now. we will see if he can cope with that by seeing the # of pick and rolls run for him. his skillset is very unique from most players. he has to find a way to adjust or else he'll be looking at retirement very soon. he's not young anymore. if he's smart, he should utilize his skillset and prolong his career.
And we tend to underrate McGradys ability to spot up and shoot. I actually think he's a better shooter when he gets set up and I can see Brooks penetrating and doing that. If McGrady can adjust, he can run off screens and shoot which I'm comfortable with.
I would be willing to stop ragging on McGrady if his glee club would stop posting about us needing him. DD
what? they played PG and were the primary ballhandlers in their entire career, pro or not? chase is not. if you're talking about brooks: - gilbert is 6'3 and is a much prolific scorer than brooks will ever be with his ability to go to the line. you saw that in his first year in the league. - tony parker is 6'2 and he's a better penetrator than brooks. plus, he plays well in the half-court offense (he plays under popovich). brooks would not be who he is if he still had yao ming playing and he has to play halfcourt ball consistently.
