Ok, when Feigen calls out a player, it says a lot McGrady sits, Artest steps up. Where they (should) go from here In the hours before game-time, Ron Artest did not seem like a game-time decision, at all. He had already made his decision. He was out. He would sit out a second consecutive game to rest his sore right ankle. See you Monday. Maybe Artest, however, took that 'game-time decision" stuff literally. He warmed up a little, felt an adrenaline rush and just before the game, told Rockets coach Rick Adelman he would give it a go. Hours later, he carried the Rockets through a second overtime and to a 120-115 win. He said, however, that he only played because Tracy McGrady did not, making McGrady's contribution on Saturday more significant than in either of the previous two games. We really don't know why McGrady did not play, other than the catch-all to rest his sore left knee. Adelman did not attend the customary pregame meeting with the media, the opportunity to ask such questions. He was no doubt in the back somewhere throwing out the pages of game plan that included McGrady. After McGrady made 2 of 7 shots in Cleveland and 2 of 11 in New Orleans, it seems a safe assumption that he was too displeased with how he played on his sore knee to go out and shoot 2-of-something against the Jazz. That's the problem. Weeks ago, McGrady said he was sitting out because he was too disappointed in the quality of his play to continue in his condition at the time. He seemed to believe the doctors' contention that playing would not hurt the knee further; he just didn't like the way he was playing. That's understandable, but a lot of guys have to do the best they can with the abilities they have. Luther Head would like to be taller. Chuck Hayes would enjoy better offensive skills. Still, they have to go out and make the best of it. With the exception of playing through some pretty extreme back pain over the years, McGrady never had to make the best of a physical limitation. He has often said this season that this is his first knee surgery. He is still struggling with the make-the-best-of-it part. He can, despite with woeful shooting the past few games, still help his team in ways more significant that inspiring Artest to play. We won't presume to guess how much pain he feels, but it is certain that he is not 100 percent. He can, however, help his team. The Rockets do need their shooting guard to play hard, something they got from Head early and Artest late. Even weakened, McGrady needs to offer more of that than he did Friday or especially Tuesday in Cleveland. But even if he cannot shoot as he once did, he can find ways to score. A gifted passer, he can always trigger offense around him. He can rebound. He can contest shots. He might not be able to carry the Rockets, but he can still do many things they could use, things they need. He can also pick up something from Artest's example. We are not, however, saying he should follow Artest's lead and choose to play. Artest sat out on Friday and will sit out other games, and again, we are not presuming to know what is going on in McGrady's knee. Rather, when he does play, he can follow the example Artest showed in the second overtime. Without the physical abilities he has long enjoyed, he found a way. He got the ball inside, drew fouls and won the game at the line the hard way. He played, he said, because McGrady didn't. Perhaps McGrady can play that way because on Saturday Artest did. ----------------------------------------------------------------- When nice guy Jonathan Feigen calls out Tmac, you know it is serious. He is generally a guy who protects the players, unlike Fran. WOW ! DD
Yeah the T-Mac situation is not pretty right now. He's not making it easy to defend him, either. We're just going to have to ride out this storm (in frustration) until he's ready to play again. Now it's just the waiting game... I wonder how much his knee is really bugging him.
Guys, I expect this type of article or blog from Blinebury, but not from Feigen, he is about as non-controversial as they come. This is about as "Calling Tmac out"-ish as he can get. I am shocked. DD
Tmac needs to play about 4 games in a row then sit out 1 depending on the schedule. It will help keep him up to speed.
the silence from the organization on the t-mac issues really frustrate me (or do they think there is no issue at all?) . I just can't magine how Les is complacent with the current set-up and managing of t-mac.
I think they are probably confused as to how to handle it, and if GOAT is right and TMac is sulking because of personal issues, they are just going to have to ride out the storm. Guaranteed contracts screw organizations in situations like this....Tmac's mental state is a fragile thing, apparently. I just wonder how he would handle tough love......would he be of the "I will show them" Variety, or would he grab his thumb, his favorite blanky and head to the corner? DD
I'm torn...I really want to see McGrady play as often as possible, but every time he plays a significant stretch of games, he always seems to shoot himself in the foot every time he has a bad game...so in a way less games played could be good. ...basically, he's not making it easy on anyone with these decisions, least of all him. I really think he deserves the callout.
Actually, its probably better that they do it behind closed doors; I just hope they are taking it seriously and monitoring the situation closely.
our previous head coach was known for "tough love".. he didn't even dare think it when it came to approaching and treating Tracy.. so.. he probably discovered.. if he did administer his usual approach to players and the drilling in of his constant intensity, constant energy philosophy.. the end result with Trac.. would most likely be the latter..
he's not ripping on mcgrady but he is trying to motivate him a bit. it's hard to say how much he's hurting, we simply don't know whether he's even capable of giving as much as artest has or whether the knee is too bothersome. for the record, he has played games when artest couldn't go also. this isn't the first for either of them to step in for the other.
"He said, however, that he only played because Tracy McGrady did not, making McGrady's contribution on Saturday more significant than in either of the previous two games." wow, that was some fran blinebury style. sadly it's kinda true.
For Feigen to write this makes me think there might be something more than knee pain involved. I've been willing to give McGrady the benefit of the doubt so far. If it's publicly revealed there is some personal issue bothering him, there will be an explosion of hatred from fans that might necessitate his being traded. Tracy is not the easiest guy for me to like. But you have to try and be fair.
This is the truth and there's no arguing this but they've also moved Grant Hill and put talent around their current superstar. I mean Howard has Lewis and Turkoglu (not to mention other solid pieces)!!! That's more talent than they ever put around McGrady, and a large contract shouldn't be the reason because they are paying Lewis a lot of money as well as Howard.
