http://www.nba.com/rockets/index_main.html Tracy McGrady yelled encouragement to the youngster who was trying to retrieve a rebound for the put-back. "Come on, Bengie!" How sweet must it have been for the 12-year-old to have one of his sports heroes cheering for him to get it done on the basketball court? Funny thing, though. Little Bengie's name isn't Bengie. Earlier, McGrady took one look at Jonathan Garcia and thought: "Bengie Molina, catcher for the San Francisco Giants." A nickname to remember Didn't bother Garcia, who said he will gladly answer to Bengie if McGrady is the one doing the calling. How many of his friends can say an NBA superstar dropped a nickname on them? "It's awesome," Garcia said. "I didn't come here thinking I would even get to say anything to him, and he's here saying things to me. Calling me Bengie. Wow." McGrady can still wow 'em. Wow was the key word for many of the 200 youth at the 2008 TMAC Approach basketball camp at Pin Oak Middle School on Monday. The lucky ones might even earn a nickname from the Rockets star. McGrady, who has been doing these camps for a time in his Florida hometown before bringing it to Houston last summer, said he was shocked when he heard some athletes lend their name to camps, but not their time and energy. "I'm going to be here," McGrady said. And there he was. With 5-year-old and 7-month-old daughters, and a 2-year-old son living with him in Houston, McGrady seems comfortable around little ones. Watch the shoulder Wearing a sling on his left shoulder to ease the nagging pain of daily rehabilitation after surgery on a torn labrum, this week McGrady has to deal with the tugs of an adoring, young fan base. But that is somewhat less of a strain than having to carry the Rockets on his back, which is so often his nightly duty. Unlike most of us would if we looked down at the cards he has been dealt, McGrady never goes into full-scale complaint mode. This offseason might be the most important one of McGrady's career. With only two years remaining on his contract, the 2008-09 season could well be his last as a Rocket. The clock is ticking on the McGrady-Yao Project, which began with the team's trade for McGrady four years ago. Five years is long enough to see whether something is going to work, and Yao Ming isn't going anywhere. Despite the rash of injuries McGrady has dealt with during an 11-year career that began right after high school, he says the shoulder surgery is the first time he has had to go under the knife. As much as he would have loved for the Rockets to surround him with a Kevin Garnett or a Ray Allen, McGrady is almost to the point of being the aging star another team needs to get itself over the hump. That's not something with which McGrady is concerned. For now he is handing out nicknames to local kids and waiting on the one player the Rockets need to turn "close" into reality. "We're close, one player close," McGrady said with enthusiasm. "We were two games from winning the Western Conference. We're that close." The Rockets have the 25th pick in Thursday's NBA draft. It is unlikely the player they take will be the one McGrady is talking about, at least not any time soon. McGrady knows that, but he is enthusiastic. Understandably, the disappointment of another early playoff exit sort of washes away the positives of a 55-27 campaign for many. Yet, only twice in team history has a Rockets squad put together more wins in a season. Not to ignore his faults, but it is easy to see that McGrady has suffered from a yearly recurrence of wrong place-wrong team (and teammates) disease. So of course he is jealous of Boston's Big Three. The bottom line is the bottom line, but when you break it down a week after the Celtics claimed the NBA championship, you can feel McGrady's pain. Playing with perennial All-Stars in Garnett and Allen, Paul Pierce averaged 21.8 points, 6.3 assists, and 4.5 rebounds to be the runaway Most Valuable Player of this year's NBA Finals. Imagine the outcry if McGrady had put up those numbers in a postseason series for the Rockets. Now Pierce, Garnett and Allen have gone to the next level, leaving McGrady as the highest active scorer in the NBA yet to play in the NBA Finals. Remember how Pierce, Garnett and Allen each disappeared for a time during the Finals, yet the Celtics overcame? That's the difference in having to do it every night compared to having teammates who can hold it down on your off nights. "They have somebody to get it done when either star isn't doing it," McGrady said of the Celtics, who he correctly predicted would beat the Lakers. McGrady and the Rockets need another "somebody to get it done," when McGrady can't. "Just one," McGrady said. jerome.solomon@chron.com
Playing with perennial All-Stars in Garnett and Allen, Paul Pierce averaged 21.8 points, 6.3 assists, and 4.5 rebounds to be the runaway Most Valuable Player of this year's NBA Finals. Imagine the outcry if McGrady had put up those numbers in a postseason series for the Rockets. Now Pierce, Garnett and Allen have gone to the next level, leaving McGrady as the highest active scorer in the NBA yet to play in the NBA Finals. Remember how Pierce, Garnett and Allen each disappeared for a time during the Finals, yet the Celtics overcame? That's the difference in having to do it every night compared to having teammates who can hold it down on your off nights. "They have somebody to get it done when either star isn't doing it," McGrady said of the Celtics, who he correctly predicted would beat the Lakers. McGrady and the Rockets need another "somebody to get it done," when McGrady can't. "Just one," McGrady said. like i said, if tmac ever put up those #s in the playoffs, we all want his head, feed him to the wolves, and that's not even enough, even if we brought in help. but again, tmac and the team just need to stop depending on getting that other player. if that player comes, he comes. right now, it's not likely we're trading anybody so just try to get healthy and remain healthy. his shoulder must hurt more than anticipated b/c he's still rehabbing with a sling?
Actually saying that if Tracy or Yao posted below their averages it would cause an outcry is too simple-minded. It's not about averages. It's the overall game and the win. If Tracy posted those averages but took 25 shots to get them with a Big 3 or not, he deserves the criticism. Same with Yao. It's about coming up big when it counts. You look at Pau Gasol's stats and see good averages for the finals but it's obvious from watching the games that he failed his team. Tracy and Yao need to be thinking about minimizing their deficiencies instead of thinking about that third scorer. They need to focus on what they can control. It's nice to dream the possibility of a big 3 but the odds say it'll be the big 2 again next season.
Its about the wins?? really? Then give him friggin credit for carrying the rockets to 50+ wins in every season he has been healthy. Give him credit for carrying Rockets in the regular season DESPITE Yao being hurt.
First of all I hope he is doing well and he will be 100% healthly when it comes training camp's time. I also hope this surgery really helped him and he will be pain-free next season. Right now we need 2 things. The first and the most important thing is of course HEALTH. McGrady and Yao can get it done, I strongly belive but Yao can't break his leag again, McGrady can't hurt his back/knee/shoulder, etc. They need to be 100% healthly for the entire season and the playoffs. That is the KEY Than the '3rd scorer'. Yes t is important. We ned more offensive power and we need another guy who can score the ball. Battier is great but his game is all about defense. We need a scorer who can score the ball, attack the rim, hit jumpshots. Of course I wouldn't mind trading Rafer alston foir an upgraded PG
What I took out of we need one more is the same thing a few of us have been screaming. Unless u have 2 dominant guys like the Lakers of the late 90's, which the rox don't have, u need 2 all stars and a guy that can play close to a all star level. Its not just about health with thi team. This team needs that guy that can take advantage in the playoffs when the deffense is gearing to stop yao and tracy. The reason why Boston struggled earlier in the playoffs is cuz Allen was struggling. If allen would have played good ball, they would have killed Cleveland and Atl. That's the reason the Rox struggle in the playoffs. If they get Mo Willams or somehow get Deng via s&t or maggette, the team would elevate to another level. Scola, Rafer, or Battier can't be the 3rd option.
Actually, no...thats not the difference. You probably know the difference. But in case you dont, the regular season standings determine the playoff seedings. After the regular season ends, you need to win three series before getting to the finals. If you win the finals, you're the champions. Understand?
Ew... You tried too hard. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/k4WM7tl0E-Y&hl=en"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/k4WM7tl0E-Y&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
i would love magette, but how are we going to get him? i heard something about 2nd pick and marion for magette than a possible opt out by brand to take less money and play with miami...but that's irrelevant. i think our team should just stop relying on tmac or yao all the time and try and play as a team and score, battier has got to stop standing in the corner waiting for a 3, ra needs movement, and that goes for both rafer alston and rick adelman
