I am sure coach tried, it was player who didn't want to adjust. And for the record, I don't give 2 craps for what Tmac did previously, this is the only year that matters, you can look back all you want it won't help you win now. Today and tomorrow are all that matter. DD
For this season, sure, why not? But the real test will be the playoffs. We can look this good now, but we all know its a different story once the postseason comes. LMAO, like Artest shoots out of this world numbers? They aren't much better than T-Mac. In fact, Artest barely shoots a lower percentage career wise. Besides, both guys bring more than just shooting percentages. T-Mac shot like crap last year but he was still able to effect the game and help us win. Teams still respected his game. Sometimes, it's not all about scoring. Artest does more than just put in buckets for us.
If the FT numbers were just some other subject maybe you should have created a new post. T-Mac may have backed down Fisher some but I don't remember him doing it consistently. What I do remember is T-Mac being neutralized on the perimeter in one-on-one defense by AK and Harpring.
If you out a 6-2 PG on Kobe he will take you to the post and abuse you. So will Artest. They surely wouldn't shoot 39% for the series. For all the talk about how T-Mac is so unstoppable on offense (he used to be), the Jazz were able to stick a PG on him and make him an inefficient scorer.
The Rockets don't have a 1-2 punch right now--they've got Yao creating off the double deep in the paint and the rest of the team taking advantage. And Scola and Artest are both playing much better ball with McGrady out. Actually everybody is, which is why I'm so glad to see him gone.
tmac had 4 (dfish, ak, harpring, giricek) guys rotating at him every 6-7 minutes. and he was being shadowed by either deron or boozer (hence rafer or our PF was left open consistently). he could have played better definitely, on the road particularly though. yet he was still our best player in that series.
So your basically saying Artest is better than T-Mac with playing with Yao is because Artest can catch and shoot??? Is that what your saying?? Because if so that is just a horrible statement. What happens when Artest's shots aren't falling? Then whats he going to do next. Artest is not a good ball handler. When shots aren't falling you have to try and do something else. Guys on here were getting at Artest when he was having those horrible shooting nights. Remember the 1-10 night?? a good catch and shoot guy huh McGrady may not be the best catch and shoot guy but when he is on he is on. If he isn't having a good shooting night there are other things he is great at doing. Like getting other guys involved. So I find it funny how you say Artest is a better fit next to Yao than McGrady when Artest hasn't even played a full season with Yao. McGrady has had 4 1/2 years with Yao.
4 1/2 seasons of never getting past the first round. Look, the bottom line is that T-Mac needs the ball in his hands to be effective. The problem is that so does Yao. There wasn't enough time in a possession to get them both the touches they need. T-Mac never figured out how to be Magic Johnson to Yao's Kareem. They're a bad fit.
actually you're kinda wrong. in 04-05 when wesley was a starting SG for us, he guarded kobe a lot (along with tmac). here were kobe's stats that year with a "6-2" guard guarding him. in 3 games that year, he averaged 21.7ppg on 36.2% shooting.
so yao has been kareem for us? if yao was hakeem, i'm sure JVG would have pounded that thought to death to tmac and forced him into a magic's role. we're playing better now b/c we're not feeding yao too much since tmac's been out. yao touches the ball at a rate that is closer to the 04-05 season in terms of usage rating (26.8).
I'm curious to know this answer from you. What did you think of the Yao and Francis combination?? Was that a good fit??
Unfortunately, McGrady wanted to be more like Jordan and score in the 30's than be content with scoring with the high teens but posting 12-15 assists per game. Magic also wanted to start the fast break each and every time, and McGrady wanted to walk it up (Kinda funny since McGrady has been one of the most athletically gifted players in the league and Magic was average). Also, Magic was the ultimate winner and team mate, we know about McGrady... McGrady is the Anti-Magic...
magic is one of the top 5 players of all tiem so this comparison is stupid. but u do know magic played with kareem, james worthy (2 HOFs), norm nixon (led the damn lakers in assist one year WITH magic there), byron scott... and 12-15 assists per game? wow you make it like any good player can do that. chris paul isn't even averaging 12 assists per game right now.
Fortunately I actually watched Showtime at it's height. I don't know how old you are but Chris Paul is good but don't compare him to Magic. And yes, Magic averaged those types of assists. He was friggin' 6'9 with the passing skills of Stockton. He was able to pass OVER defenders and Showtime wouldn't have worked without Magic. The break was not initiated by the frontcourt, it was done by Magic. A lot of times he got the rebound and MADE a break all it's own.
He shot 39% for the series. Road games count too by the way. And no, I wouldn't say 8-9 trips per game suffices...not when you are settling for jumper after jumper in the crunch...again...when you have a 6-2 player on you and you are 6-9. Here are some articles from that postseason. http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2007_4341385 http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2007_4339591 http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2007_4338934 http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2007_4338106 I'm sure we could find more. And to clarify, it is not all on T-Mac. We failed those years as a team. But we tout him as an elite, superstar offensive threat...and when the going gets tough he has not stepped up to the plate and been that. I give you the Dallas series...but after that those Utah games were up for the taking. He wilted under the pressure instead of raising his level of play (in the critical moments). He needed more help but he also needed to be a star when it mattered. You can't completely blame your support when you are shooting under 40% against a SG and a SF in the midst of a depression....that other elite SG's like Kobe and Wade kill whenever they play. When the Lakers played the Jazz last postseason....Kobe did whatever he wanted. It was a known mismatch. Our elite SG shot 40%. Think about it....
