{Chron} Rockets Notes: McGrady feeling out of sync

Is it impossible to mix in some of the old rockets with the new rockets. I like how many good looks we get out of adelmans system, what i dont like is how indecisive the team looks running it sometimes.

 

Tell me why another team would want to trade for T-Mac *right now* if your opinion of him is so low?

 

Partly, maybe. But watching the games, I'd say that only accounts for a tiny bit of it. Landry can hustle to get loose balls and he's strong enough to pull rebounds away from others.

Per 48 minutes:

Landry: 5.3 OR/48
Yao: 3.7 OR/48

 

This is something I've noticed about Tracy. He never catches and goes. He always has to catch, survey the defense, and then try to break his man down. At his age and current condition, he needs to catch the defense off guard before they can square up to him. He needs to come off elbow screen's and put the ball on the floor right away like Ray Allen, Dwyane Wade, Brandon Roy, etc.

And don't even get me started on the long 2's literally a foot inside the 3 point line. It's the worst shot in basketball and Tracy loves the **** out of it for some reason.

 

You can't compare Yao to Hakeem. Because no one can compare to Hakeem. He was the most unique center ever to play the game. You can ask any big man. Hell, even shaq won't say anything bad about Hakeem.

 

You guys say this is bad news but at least he is acknowledging this and wants to fix it.

 

How dare you question the player in the NBA with the highest basketball IQ? Shame on you. Those jacks, er, shots are being taken by a former scoring champeen, you know.

 

You know, he really does catch and shoot. Although, this season thus far, you are right. He does not. I remember last season, during the first possession of the 3rd quarter they used to run Mac off a screen to pop a jumper every time (or it might have been 2 seasons ago). I haven't seen that in some time. I'm sure it happens, but it seems like it hasn't in forever.

 

Tracy Mcgrady needs alot of touches to be useful on offense.

He's slow, weak and his jumper is off. Discussing why this is the case is irrelevant right now. You can run him off screens but he's so slow that the D might be able to cover it well enough and he might miss the jumper anyway.

With these injuries, his court vision and surprisingly ft% is his only real advantage. To use them he has fake his man to get by him (because he can't out quick him) then he can read the defense to make a decision on going all the way to the rack or passing to the open man. He takes the jumper when the D isn't biting on his fakes and jab steps.

man, we really need him to get healthy.

 

T-Mac doesn't have the lift right now to shoot like he did last year on the pop shots as I call it.

By the way, Wafer jumps pretty damn high when he's shooting.

 

I don't f-ing understand this. If he gets too many touches, he complains about having to do too much. If he doesn't have enough touches, he'll be out of sync. These comments have nothing to do with injuries.

Here's an idea...you're on a team that you've described as the most talented team you've ever been on. Your touches are bound to take a dip, and you had stated that you were cool with this. Now you want touches? How about you work (you know, like move your body to get open) to get the ball for more touches, like every other NBA player. Here's another idea, why don't you play defense, get in in the passing lanes for steals and get more touches that way. And here's the best idea of all....you want touches? Try running the floor, you lazy excuse for a professional athlete. If all you do is stand around (injured or not), of course you're not gonna get all the touches you want.

All he does is whine and make excuses for his pitiful early season play. It's the same cycle every year in the early year, the cycle that other comparable "stars" don't go through. And I know come January and February, he'll magically start to turn it around and all will be forgotten cause he's starting to be T-Mac again. But it's his entire mindset that's the problem, and it's what catches up to him come playoff time. He's gotten exactly what he's deserved in this league.

 

I've never been one to get on T-Mac too much because I am a firm believer that the injuries that he has suffered throughout his career have really taken a toll on him mentally. But, for him to say that he needs more touches is just plain ludicrous. It would be one thing if he used the touches to impose his will on the other team by driving to the basket, or using his athletic ability to get easy shots, but that's not what he's doing at all. For at the least the first 3 quarters of every game, he usually just settles for 3-pointers and contested outside jumpers. One of the reasons why this team is having so much trouble moving the ball is because once he gets it (him and Artest actually), it just becomes a one-on-one match-up with the defender and they then settle for the outside shot they could have had 5 seconds before.

 

T-Mac needs more touches...... in the high post. Try moving without the ball, it does wonders.

This was early last season. Notice where and how T-Mac is getting the ball. Most of the touches are coming off a screen, some in the high post where he can face up and others in positions where he can make an easy drive to the basket. He's moving without the ball and getting himself into good positions. Everyone on the team(except Head) is capable of getting him the ball in those spots once he starts moving.

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I don't like to see the pick and roll from 27ft away. It rarely results in movement from the other 3 players.

T-Mac should also try splitting the double team rather than trying to turn the corner.

 

I think you misunderstood my post. I wasn't talking about shooting off the catch, but actually driving/creating off the catch. That's why I said he never "catches and goes" and that "He needs to come off elbow screen's and put the ball on the floor right away".

He definitely shoots jumpers off the catch, and that's part of the issue. He needs to mix in some/more quick drives off the catch.

 

I am not taking this as a complaint by him but his mindset is all wrong. Here’s a thought … how about coming early before the games and doing shooting drills workouts. He's getting enough touches. Yao and Scola who are shooting better are putting up less shots than him.

 

Agree.

 

Edit: I misunderstood.

 

while, it's clear that he is in physical decline, he is still head and shoulders above the majority of the league when you look at the skillset he still posesses. he is a stubborn prima donna if you ask me.

 

He doesn't need any more touches than what he's currently getting, his teammates will milk him all game if comes to play with some intensity and shows he wants to attack the basket. He does need a sports psychologist to help him mentally.

 

I don't mind giving Tracy more touches, but when he's taking bad shots early in the shot clock there is no reason to give him the ball. I do think he should be getting more touches than Ron, though. Ron's offense has really been struggling, isn't he shooting like 35% inside of the 3 point line? I expect Battier to come in and stabilize our rotation. Insert Shane in the starting lineup, that way McGrady will get more touches; and Ron coming off the bench probably won't have more shots than he does now, but his attempts would almost certainly get much easier.