http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2950121 Guard remains aggressive, gets others involved By MEGAN MANFULL Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle Tracy McGrady gripped his left ankle and grimaced in pain. This time he worried he really had hurt it. McGrady had gone for a backdoor lob midway through the second quarter and stepped on the foot of Atlanta's Tony Delk. So many times McGrady has twisted his ankle and walked off the pain, but he feared this one would be different. Fortunately for McGrady and the Rockets, it wasn't. McGrady didn't even sit after the fall. He walked off the pain and returned to the court to help lead the Rockets to a 92-69 victory over the Hawks at Toyota Center on Wednesday night. "I've twisted my ankle so many times in my career," McGrady said. "It was hurting at that moment, but once I walked it off, it was fine. I was worried though. I was in pain." After the game, McGrady spent 45 minutes working out in the weight room like he typically does after games. His ankle, he said, didn't bother him. McGrady led all scorers with 25 points — 13 of which came in the final quarter. He also played strong defense throughout the game, despite sitting most of the first quarter after picking up two early fouls. McGrady picked up two fouls within 28 seconds of each other. After the second one and with 9:30 remaining in the first quarter, Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy sat McGrady for the remainder of the quarter. But when McGrady returned to the lineup in the second quarter, he brought with him the same aggressiveness that got him in trouble early. This time, it didn't cost him, though. He picked up only two more fouls the rest of the game and finished with four steals, one block and six rebounds. "I just stayed aggressive defensively, regardless," he said. "If the refs see that's the way you're going to play, they'll sometimes let some things slide. My first two fouls, they just didn't let slide. I just wanted to come back in and stay aggressive. "I think if you come in and let your guard down and kind of back off a little bit, it not only hurts yourself but your team." With the Rockets pulling ahead early against the Hawks, McGrady tried to get his teammates involved. He didn't look for his own shots until late in the game — when the Rockets already had four players in double figures for points. Such balanced offense has been uncommon early in the season. Four players have scored in double figures only 12 times this year. But by the start of the fourth quarter against Atlanta, Jim Jackson, Juwan Howard, Yao Ming and McGrady had more than 10 points. "It was great to see other guys making shots," McGrady said. "Our shooting has been off the first half of the season. I think when guys make shots it makes it much easier for myself and Yao." McGrady and Yao each scored more than 20 points in the same game for only the sixth time this season. Yao finished with 23. By the start of the fourth quarter, McGrady was ready to do his own thing. He started to look for shots and create opportunities for himself. He racked up 13 points, hitting 3-of-5 from the field, including two 3-pointers. He also went 5-of-8 from the free-throw line. "Coach has given me the freedom to go out there and just play," McGrady said. "That's what I'm doing now. I also like to get guys involved. Not so much myself. I can get it going at any given time. But if I see we're struggling offensively, that's when I like to take over. But tonight guys did a great job of making shots. So then at the end I thought it was time to get some shots up, and they were falling for me." ----------------------------------------- I like how T-Mac is stepping up. It sucks to hear that he knows he has to get aggressive, but Yao hasn't learned it yet or tried it. Or maybe he isn't getting the right training for it. ...ahem, FIRE EWING?!! That might be a start.
how can yao get aggressive in the fourth quarter like this game when t-mac basically hold the ball and lookin for his own shots???
he can't. not this time. sometimes you have to let tmac do his thing. there will be nights where yao goes off for 30 and tmac looks passive only scoring 15 or so. either way, we won so who cares!
LOL like I said before, Yao has taken Steve's role on this board. Anything goes wrong, it's Yao fault. Nothing goes particuraly wrong, thers's still something wrong with Yao.
That is the disadvantage of being a post player -- the ball is not in your hands, so you are at the mercy of the ball handler. When the game is already decided, the star perimeter player doesn't need to feed the post anymore.
I agree with smoothie. Yao and T-mac will become a two headed monster. One night Yao will look to feed, and the next T-mac will. I think it will trade off that way, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, because in the future the opposition won't know who to prepare for (If this is all done right of course)
You mean apart from the 36 minutes that have already transpired? May I suggest this little thing called "defense" which among other things includes "blocking shots". And there's also this basic fundamental called "offensive rebounding". It's usually quite valuable on teams that miss shots...it can lead to "second chance points". I guess I never defined being aggressive as solely when you had the bball in your hands. Perhaps you should pay attention a little more to what's happening on the court as oppossed to what's being posted on this board? It's year 3 and it's time to do like Walton says and "throw it down, Big Man". I'm a Yao fan and I'm glad we got him. But he's not immune to valid criticisms and it's time to step up...that includes establishing better post position, slamming the ball down instead of weakly laying it up and getting it blocked and making teams pay severly for defending him with under-sized players. The scouting report on Yao is to get physical with him and he backs off. Time now to get physical back. Just like what McGrady said in the article. Go back and read the bold font. Don't change your game by backing down Stay physical & aggressive and the refs will know that is your style.
Gater u r one of my most respected posters here and I agree with u that Yao should never immune to valid criticisms. I am just sick of the word "aggressive". Anyway, This is how I think about Yao . I never agrue with anyone that criticise yao as poor rebounder or poor shot blocker or slow defender or a player w/o nba conditioning standard. But I really hate that all his problems are categorised as "lack of aggressiveness". I just think most of the time they just want to criticise Yao's poor performance w/o actually providing any valid analysis.
Not that this normally isn't a valid criticism (because it is) but the guy did have 5 blocks last night.
dragon167 - Even before the link you provided, I have read enough of your posts to know that you are fair-minded. So I was a little surprised to see you mention that in place of Steve, Yao is now the CC " whipping boy". (Actually, it's JVG ). There are surely posters who would never be critical of Francis or Yao. And there is the other extreme where Francis or Yao can do nothing right. I try to avoid dealing with the extemes as they are seldom correct. That said, being "aggressive" on a basketball court can have multiple definitions. Let me suggest "mental toughness" as one of many. There is a reason Yao's stats are notably higher at home than on the road. I will paraphrase Magic Johnson - "At this level, there isn't much difference in skill levels. The fundamental difference is between the ears". What I want (expect) from Yao is to "bring it" every night. And that IMHO is one of the few valid criticicisms. At this point in their lives, Yao clearly has more talent than Dikembe Mutombo. But Yao disappears more easily. If Yao Ming does not get inducted into the HOF, it will not be because of lacking skills, lacking mobility or lacking stamina. It will be a matter of mental toughness. I have hope, but it won't make me blind.
I must have been watching the wrong game. I love TMac and all but his points came when the game was already decided. Yao was the guy that they went to take the lead and hold it. This is what happens when people wind up watching box scores instead of live games
You are correct. The writer obviously didn't watch the game. The title is completely misleading. Should be something like Yao Dominated Hawks T-Mac can score whenever he wants, 7 points in 1 minute
