[Chron: Oct.24] Francis steals show as Magic rout Rockets

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2863389


Francis steals show as Magic rout Rockets

Superb early play is mostly against Van Gundy's bench; McGrady sits out

By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle


ORLANDO, FLA. - Maybe if he did that hang-on-the-rim, finger-point thing. Perhaps Steve Francis could have done that hop-skip back down the court or let out one of those screams, maybe then it would have meant Francis was angrily seeking vengeance for the Rockets' decision to trade him.

But before Magic fans could clear the Tracy McGrady boos from their throats, before McGrady could offer his first shot of the day at Magic general manager John Weisbrod, Francis made a different point.

This was not for show. This was for real.

Francis stepped in front of a Yao Ming pass on the Rockets' first trip down the court, flew to a breakaway slam and demonstrated how he felt.

With a spectacular start, Francis sent his new team to a 95-72 romp over his former team Saturday, the biggest Magic rout of a preseason game since Grant Hill played his first game against his former team.

While McGrady sat out the game to allow Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy to check out his bench, Francis rolled through an intense first-quarter ambush of Yao and the Rockets' bench.

"I think Steve and Cat (Cuttino Mobley) like that," Rockets forward Maurice Taylor said. "They're into the drama and get-backs, that type of thing. That's the type of guys they are. Obviously, Steve came out and wanted to prove a point. That's the type of guys they are. They're into those types of things."

Francis offered few verbal hints that he was moved for the first meeting with the Rockets since the trade. But he did say he would not have been as agreeable about sitting out as was McGrady and got in one sideways swipe at the Rockets' feeble performance.

"That's him, that's their organization and their decision," Francis said. "But I know ... I would have played in the game, regardless.

"It was great to see the guys I haven't seen in a while. Hopefully, they'll get better."

Francis knocked down seven of his first eight shots, going on a personal 7-0 run before taking a steal to a no-look, over the head pass back to Mobley for a slam and a 12-point Magic lead.

Francis had 16 points, two steals, two rebounds and a blocked shot in the first quarter.

"I knew he was going to do that," Mobley said. " ... He was geeked up."

He could not approach that torrid play the rest of the night, scoring just one more point and getting one more assist. But in a mismatch of a game, Francis set the pace and the Magic had little difficulty maintaining it. Still, Francis insisted he bore no hard feelings about the trade.

"It was just time for a change of scenery for both parties," Francis said. "I'm not mad at them. The things I really, truly miss are the city, the fans and my house. Basketball-wise, I couldn't be any happier.

"I don't want to prove to Houston, I want to prove to myself I'm still capable of playing good basketball. Of course, I have friends throughout the NBA. Some of my best friends play for other teams. It's good to have that summertime talk, hey, we beat your (butt). I play basketball with 25, 30 pros in the summer. Everybody sits around and talks about who beat who."

The January meetings of the teams will dominate the summer trash talk. But if Saturday's game demonstrated anything, it might have served as evidence of how satisfied Francis.

"I couldn't be happier being here playing in the program, a system, that suits my game 250 percent better than what I played in last year," Francis said. "Not saying that Houston's system wasn't good. It just wasn't a perfect system for me.

"My first four years in the NBA were probably my best years. I played great basketball. I averaged nearly a triple double.

"I'm right back in that caliber here in Orlando. My teammates are very, very respectful of what I bring to the table. It's far from just scoring points for me. I think I'm getting better, helping my team get better every night."

Unlike McGrady, Francis did not want to be traded and expressed his initial shock and disappointment, but he had a hard time working up animus for Rockets management while insisting how happy he is in Orlando.

"I definitely wouldn't say anything about the organization, about anybody there," Francis said. "I still have friends who play on that team. It's not personal. It's just the nature of the game of basketball.

"They traded the best player they ever had in Hakeem Olajuwon. I'm no exception, not having won a championship, not having won a playoff series. New coach, new era, maybe that's the position the management and coaching staff felt."

jonathan.feigen@chron.com

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Rockets summary


Sitting this dance

In an unexpected twist to the Tracy McGrady homecoming, McGrady would visit Orlando but not play.

To get a look at his roster before paring his rotation to the regular-season mix, Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy did not play McGrady, Jim Jackson, Juwan Howard or Charlie Ward.

"I had a high going," McGrady said. "Now he ruined my high.

"It's disappointing. It's a coach's decision. I can't change that. I wanted to play."

As for the unusual rotation, Van Gundy said that he sat four starters to get a last look at reserves fighting for playing time or roster spots. He said he had to make the move Saturday because he did not want to hold out so many of his top players in a home game, in China or in the final two preseason tuneups before the regular season.

"I have an obligation to our home fans, to our fans in China," Van Gundy said. "I do have an obligation to the fans here, too. But I have an obligation to our team in the last two (preseason games) to play it for real. So if you're going to answer questions — and I have a lot of them behind our twos and threes, who we're going to play, combinations, who can play best with Yao Ming — I have to get them answered. That does not mean I don't feel for the fans here. Thankfully, we're coming back (Jan. 20). So they can pay their tribute to him then."

jonathan.feigen@chron.com

 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...gicgamer102404,1,6928659.story?coll=orl-magic


T-Mac doesn't play in return and Magic capitalize

By Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted October 24, 2004



It took more than four years, but Tracy McGrady finally disappointed the paying customers at TD Waterhouse Centre.

T-Mac sat out Saturday night's much-ballyhooed preseason game, scheduled to be his first return since the Orlando Magic traded him last summer to the Houston Rockets.

The Magic easily defeated Yao Ming and the Rockets without him, 95-72, their third consecutive preseason victory, in front of a crowd of 14,905.

The largest crowd of the exhibition season came out to see McGrady, who played the past four seasons in Orlando.

Rockets Coach Jeff Van Gundy said it was his decision that T-Mac, along with former Magic forward Juwan Howard, sit out. Van Gundy said he wanted to evaluate his reserves.

The controversy surrounding T-Mac's trade, and an ensuing hissing match between McGrady and Magic General Manager John Weisbrod, had added some drama to an otherwise mundane exhibition. Plus, the other six Rockets and Magic players involved in the T-Mac deal were squaring off.

As it turned out, Weisbrod wasn't in the building, either. And McGrady created his only stir when he cursed during a live postgame interview on 580 AM (WDBO), the Magic's flagship radio station.

Asked if he still cared about Orlando, McGrady said, "[Expletive] no!"

Fans booed T-Mac whenever his video image appeared on the Jumbotron.

McGrady said he wasn't upset he had to be a spectator. "It's the coach's decision. He runs the team. I'll be back Jan. 20 [for a regular-season game]," he said. "It's only preseason."

Magic guard Steve Francis, who arrived in the trade for T-Mac, said, "I would have played in that game, regardless of the situation."

Fans who had come to boo -- or cheer -- T-Mac certainly were, especially those unaware of his status as they approached the box office. Nick Dizne and Phillipe Fenelus, both 23 and from Orlando, left when told that McGrady was not playing.

"You just saved me about $50," Dizne said. "We wanted to see T-Mac. That's why we came out here. We just paid $5 to park and burned some gas."

Fenelus said the NBA or one of the teams should announce as soon as possible if a star is a no-show. "They should do something about this. I feel bad for people who already bought tickets," he said. "I'm terribly disappointed."

The NBA's only policy is buyer beware.

Magic President Bob Vander Weide said that maybe the NBA needs to play fewer than seven preseason games "if coaches can dictate who plays and who doesn't. People come to see the stars. I had no prior knowledge [of McGrady sitting out]. I feel bad for the fans. I wanted to see him in this situation, too."

Said Van Gundy, "I feel great empathy for the fans. But this was really the only night I felt I could do it. . . . I'm sure he wanted to play. Who wouldn't want to play?" Asked before the game if he could have at least played T-Mac for a short while, Van Gundy said, "I could do that. I don't know what purpose that serves our team."

Van Gundy said he told McGrady earlier this week after the team returned from a trip to China that he likely would not play against his former team.

McGrady never let on during interviews Saturday morning and said he was "surprised" he wasn't in the lineup.

He took more swipes at Weisbrod, saying he did call Weisbrod "Sissybrod" in a SLAM magazine interview. "Yeah, back when I was really heated about the situation," he said. "I'm over that now. I've moved on." McGrady said that Weisbrod "tried to destroy" his character after the trade. "When you trade somebody of my caliber and all that stuff was going on, he has to cover his butt," McGrady said.

 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...24102404oct24,1,7516108.column?coll=orl-magic

T-Mac back where he left us -- sitting on the bench yet again


JERRY BREWER
Orlando Sentinel
Published October 24, 2004


There he was, disappointing them.

It felt like Tracy McGrady had another premature retirement thought. It felt like he was the captain of another 19-game losing streak. It felt like he ripped another team all the way through a 21-61 season.

All the old, miserable memories -- not the wonderful, inspiring ones -- came back. McGrady returned to TD Waterhouse Centre on Saturday for the first time as a Houston Rocket and did not play.

The Biggest Preseason Game Ever -- a 95-72 Magic victory -- devolved into boredom. Fans couldn't even get in a good boo or cheer or sigh or tear.

Official explanation: He sat because his coach told him to rest.

Unofficial explanation: Punk out.

There he was, disappointing them.

McGrady spoke boldly, got everyone charged for this night and then yawned.

"I'm mad," he said, "but it's preseason."

The game doesn't count, so he doesn't care. This is the McGrady you don't miss. He's loose with his tongue, tight with his effort.

That's the guy the Magic turned him into by Season 4. They mismanaged the team, relied too much on McGrady, and when they put a mess on the floor that he couldn't make decent, he revolted. The decline was painful to watch. The exit was even worse. And Saturday night was the worst.

Now, McGrady is with Shaq. The Magic aren't his team anymore. The Magic aren't his concern anymore.

A radio station asked McGrady if he cared about Orlando. He cursed and said no.

"I don't care about the Magic," he said later. "I don't care nothing about them. Nothing."

On this night, the Magic weren't even a worthy opponent to him. They might as well have been the Clippers.

The relationship is over, ugliness has resulted, and who thinks it's going to get prettier anytime soon?

The macho talk means little. The legacy of McGrady and this trade lies within a question only he can answer.

How good does McGrady want to be?

He can either remain one of the most talented yet puzzling players in the NBA's present, or he can rise to become one of the most amazing and respected in league history.

Which will it be, T-Mac?

Judging this trade will become quite simple: If McGrady reaches his potential, or maybe even 85 percent of it, there's no way the Magic will look better than foolish.

If he cruises, which he has done in the past, it will be one of those good-for-both-teams deals.

Which will it be, T-Mac?

This is your third team. Toronto didn't give you the chance. The Magic didn't give you the support. Houston has the history and the know-how and the rare 7-foot-6 prodigy from China to provide you with everything.

If it doesn't work this time, it's your fault.

"It's a challenge," McGrady said. "It's a challenge I've got to face. I'm going to try to meet the expectations. There's no pressure, nothing like that. Just go out and play my game like I know how to play it, like we know how to play it."

If only Orlando had received a reminder of how he played. Instead, he sat, legacy still lingering, and all the bad sprouted again.

He sounded like the kid who questioned his coach and shredded his team on national television last season. On the bench, he looked like the disinterested and defeated player who sat out the final nine games of his Magic career.

He left you wondering: Where's that kid we fell in love with four seasons ago? Is he better? Worse? The same?

Everything's so confusing now. We'll have to watch him from afar. Sadly, however he fares, we're bound to be disappointed again.

Jerry Brewer can be reached at jbrewer2@orlandosentinel.com.

 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...s24102404oct24,1,1407472.story?coll=orl-magic


Notebook: Magic guards push the pace


By Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted October 24, 2004


The Houston Rockets had 7 foot-6 Yao Ming, but the Magic countered with 5-10 reserve point guard Jameer Nelson -- and Yao was no match.

Nelson did his job, following up a torrid pace set by starter Steve Francis, one of three Magic players who came to Orlando in the trade from Houston for Tracy McGrady.

Obviously trying to prove a point to his old team, Francis scored 16 of his 17 points in the first quarter. Nelson added 11 points in relief as point guards fueled the Magic's 95-72 victory. "You love it when guys like that go out and get after it like he did," Nelson said of Francis. "It picked up the whole team."

Francis had three of the Magic's 15 steals, and Nelson had two, stripping ex-Magic guard Reece Gaines on consecutive trips down the floor. Gaines also was packaged in the McGrady trade to the Rockets, along with Tyronn Lue and Juwan Howard. Yao had 12 points and five turnovers.

Etc.

Magic Coach Johnny Davis said his message to the former Rockets on his team -- Francis, Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato -- was easy: Get ready for the regular season. "I told them that any of that other stuff, that's fine for the fans or whomever wants to get involved in that sort of thing." . . . Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu, in a preseason shooting slump, hit six of his eight shots and scored 12 points. He also had a flying dunk over Lue that brought the Magic bench to its feet. . . . The Magic cut down their turnovers, making only 11 -- and reserve center Mario Kasun had three in mop-up duty. They committed 109 turnovers in the previous five games. . . .

McGrady says he doesn't plan on playing into his late 30s. He's only 25, but this is already his eighth year in the league. "I've said that for a few years. I don't think I'll play past 35," T-Mac said. "That will be about 14, 15 years. I'll be done. I can't see myself going past 35." . . . Lue started at point guard for Charlie Ward, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback from Florida State.

 

http://www.nba.com/magic/news/Postgame_Quotes_October_11-119597-66.html


Postgame Quotes, October 23

Orlando Magic 95, Houston Rockets 72

October 23, 2004


Orlando Magic Head Coach Johnny Davis:

“I thought we played well tonight. I thought we executed. We did a good job of playing the game at our tempo. I thought we were just solid in terms of our execution and this was another step for us in terms of what we’re trying to do to ready for the opening night of the regular season.”

On the rivalry between Houston and Orlando: “I don’t think that all the hype surrounding the game is what the players look at. The message for us was this: we need to go out and play a good game of basketball at both ends so we can prepare and be ready for when the regular season starts. Any of the other stuff, that’s fine for the fans or whoever want to get involved in that sort of thing but our main focus was to use tonight, as we do all preseason games and practice, to get better as a team and that’s it. No more or less than that.”

On being disappointed that Tracy McGrady didn’t play: “We always want to, especially in preseason, see the best that the opponent has. Our focus is not on the other team but primarily on us and what we need to do to prepare for the upcoming season.”

On winning three preseason games in a row: “Well, winning’s a great morale booster and anytime you can win, that’s the name of the game and anytime you throw it up it’s about trying to compete and hopefully win the basketball game. The big picture you also have to keep in mind during preseason and that’s you making progress and are you getting better at the things that you’re working at. I did see some good things tonight.”

On Jameeer Nelson: “Jameer’s a very solid, very mature young man and he plays the game with a lot of confidence. It’s what we said draft night. We couldn’t believe that he dropped as far as he did and we’re very fortunate to be able to land him and make him a part of our team. He’s a heady player and he can do a lot of things to help a team. He’s done a nice job. I don’t see him being in awe in anyone—I see him being very comfortable on the floor. Now there will be certain nights when things won’t go right but he’s so confident and so mature that I don’t think it will ever be anything that lingers with him. I think he’ll be able to bounce back quickly.”

On Steve Francis playing point guard: “I think the point guard by and large sets the tempo for you most nights. I say that because when you have the ball and you’re on defense, he’s the first line of defense in terms of guarding the ball. So anytime your point guard is active like that, it goes throughout the team and everyone is active. I thought Steve did a good job of being active and energetic tonight and really setting the tone for us in terms of the way we play. But I don’t think it had anything to do with us playing Houston. That’s how we play and that’s what we work at.”