http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/3425746 Just two days after Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said he did not know if forward Tracy McGrady would be able to play in the season opener, the team learned that McGrady might not miss another practice. McGrady, 26, who missed the last two preseason games with tendinitis in his knees, had two therapy sessions Friday and another Saturday. McGrady improved so much that Rockets trainer Keith Jones said he would clear McGrady for today's practice. "He came in and is doing well," Jones said after Saturday's session. "He had therapy every day. Hell be practicing tomorrow. He is doing real well." McGrady played in five preseason games, averaging 15 points in 23.2 minutes per game. In his last game, last Sunday against the Wizards, he took three shots before leaving the game.
It will act up again in the near future, but I guess it's good to hear this news for now, I hope he's not just telling the trainers that he's fine if he isn't. As I've said before, the only thing that can stop this team is injuries, specifically T-Mac's health more than anyone else's.
Tiger, everybody in the NBA has a nagging injury at some point. Tmac is no different. He has actually shown a propensity to heal up pretty quick. I am not worried about it. JVG is a stickler for making his players take extremely good care of their bodies. He'll play less minutes this year and he'll be even more effective during the playoffs.
I think I'd rather see him sit out practice until the day before the opener...rest is probably the best way to deal with tendinitis. Hopefully it won't become a regular problem all season. The good news about tendinitis is that it usually can be played though...the bad news is it will probably hurt his athleticism and quickness a bit. Last spring I started playing a lot of full court pickup ball about 4 days a week, and for the first time ever experienced tendinitis. I didn't even know what it was at first...I was just wondering why my legs were hurting, especially when I played. Then it just clicked when I read something about it that that is what I had. It hurt the most when I tried to stop running and immediately afterward. Of course I wasn't under contract and didn't have to worry about winning games so I could stop playing...I quit for about 2 or 3 weeks and it was basically gone. I remember when Robert Horry had it real bad that one season...don't know how many games he missed, but I know he spent quite a bit of the season on the IR.
NBA-TV was discussing T-Macs injury and someone made a comment that injuries today are taken more seriously than they were taken 20 years ago. Twenty years ago, injured players played when they shouldn't have, nowadays teams and players are more cautious. If T-Mac is going to play, I'm sure he is OK. We have the depth this year to allow T-Mac to play 35mpg or or less and JVG needs to start treating him like a long term investment and not make him play 40+ minutes.
It will make Mac Daddy feel better if he sits but you have to remember the longer he sits the rustier he will be as well. I say they should start immediately with his practicing, especially his long ball and mid range jumpers... let him work his way into full court basketball and "off the board dunks"
Calling Doc Rocket, you have a patient in waiting room #1 Isn't tendinitis treatable with Naproxin or Ibuprofrin? And what about that doctor that used to run the ads on 610 about treating tendonitis with sound waves. Does that work?
When a player is guaranteed 150 million dollars in his current contract you better believe they are more cautious about injuries.
Just heard on local Fox (sports Xtra), that starting rotations for the Rockets are set. As predicted, Alston DA TMac Howard Yao There was also an interview by JVG, saying something to the lines of, "we should all be supportive of each other regardless of who starts."