http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/3717746.html March 12, 2006, 1:23AM McGrady feeling left out these days While doctors come up with a fix, Rockets take latest setback in stride By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle RESOURCES T-MAC'S TIME CARD Injuries have Tracy McGrady on a pace for his least action since 1999-2000, right before his breakout season: Minutes/ Season Minutes game 05-061 1,745 34.8 04-05 3,182 40.8 03-042 2,675 39.9 02-03 2,954 39.4 01-02 2,912 38.3 00-01 3,087 40.1 99-003 2,462 31.2 1 — 47 games. 2 — Last season with Magic. 3 — Last season with Raptors. In an hour-long synopsis of his troubled season, Tracy McGrady was in Toyota Center during Saturday's Rockets practice, close enough to resume his position with his team, but unable to take the court. His unrelenting back problems kept him out of the gym and eventually sent him away for an MRI while his teammates headed to San Antonio to play the Spurs without him. "I'm obviously very disappointed and frustrated right now," McGrady said in a statement. "The hardest part for me is not being able to be out there helping my teammates compete down the stretch for a playoff spot. "We've been playing great for the past month and a half, and I would love to be out there battling with my guys. I'm going to wait and see what our doctors say and then I'll begin preparing to come back as soon as they tell me I can." By now, the news of McGrady's condition — he is expected to miss as much as five weeks of a season with just 5 1/2 weeks of regular-season games to play — stuns, but it does not surprise. If anything, the Rockets seemed on Saturday to have developed a talent for finding a bright side. "The positive is they found something they can fix," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "It's been a string of bad fortune for him injury-wise, but we're happy the doctor has been able to locate something we can do something about." More tests If the Rockets were heartened by getting closer to answers, they were not sharing what those answers might be. Asked what was found or how it can be fixed, Van Gundy referred questions to Rockets trainer Keith Jones. Saying only that McGrady "reaggravated" a previous injury, Jones said he would have to wait for the results of Saturday's tests to say more about the injury and its treatment. But while Rockets doctors investigate McGrady's condition and what to do about it, the team had little doubt about what it needed to do. "It's a big loss for us," center Yao Ming said. "The power he had is one of the greatest things about our team. Now we have to try to find a way to get in the playoffs." If nothing else, the Rockets no longer seem thrown by bad medical news. They have lost McGrady to back problems four times, losing their first 13 games without him before winning the past two. "We have enough players, and we've developed a game," Van Gundy said. "Most of it goes to the belief. It's been that way since the practice after the Sacramento game (the Nov. 2 season opener) that he's been in and out so much." Wesley's get-well card If the Rockets no longer feel sorry for themselves, even if they know how much McGrady could help, they can reserve the sympathy for a teammate who cannot get well. "It's unfortunate. It really is," guard David Wesley said. "We've been battling that back all season. Hopefully, this is one of those times it's not as bad as first diagnosed. Hopefully, he gets better and gets back soon." jonathan.feigen@chron.com
Well if something can indeed be done, I ask why wait for the summer? Might as well do it now, so he can get back to rehab and playing before next season depending on recovery time.
This is amazing news. 1) It says he "reaggravated" a previous injury. The previous report stated this was a "different" injury which was independent of his chronic problems. 2) It says there is a fix for the problem. I can only conclude from this article that there is a possibility for McGrady to fix his chronic problems. Nothing could be better than that for a Rockets and McGrady fan. --------------- BTW... I just got back from a weekend in Houston, and I noticed that there is a Nike billboard on I-10 inbounds, just inside the west loop that has a giant picture of Lebron James on it. WTF? Boycott Nike.
i doubt they were talking about fixing his back problems for good. what could they do or how could they just "fix" it. i think they were just talking about his recent back injury(ies). so that they could get him to what he was like last season.
