I really don't understand something. How can people question T-Mac's leadership? How can they say he is not a leader? They must either really love Yao or have no clue as to what being a leader means. It's not the handshakes, the high fives, the ass slaps, the congratulations. It's keeping this team together when it counts, in the clutch. It's willing this team to victories, no matter how bad of a night you have had. It's what Tracy McGrady does almost every night. When the other team puts up a run, T-Mac demands the ball and gets us back into the game in a heartbeat, when there is no T-Mac, this team rushes and jacks up crazy shots. This team has no conformity whatsoever, I don't think T-Mac would have allowed what happened today against the Lakers to happen. Just because you can't see it, or he doesn't show it, does not mean T-Mac is not a leader.
i love t-mac. he's my favorite player EVER. and i'm a big anti-kobe fan. however i wish tmac had the same desire kobe has. I think everybody can admit kobe is much more passionate and is filled with desire. if t-mac had these qualities, he'd be way better than kobe. at the moment, kobe has tmac's number, but maybe things will change if t-mac's back is better
Well, Cassell closed out games for the Wolves back in the days but it was still KG's team. If Yao put up the same stat since All-Star Break next year, I don't see why Yao can't be the leader of this team. Yao is very good in leadership, you can see that from his Chinese National Team games.
Hmmm...I don't know man. To see T-Mac cry when he can't play in a tough game (as he was right when he got injured), I don't know how much desire it takes to make a grown man cry. You read his comments in the Chronicle, right? "I wish I was out there fighting with my team" That's not exactly what it said, but that was the message. Desire or not, Tracy McGrady brings results, and I'm not even comparing him to Kobe in this sense. What Tracy McGrady does supremely better than Kobe Bryant is that he makes his team better. That is better in the long run, because there will be stretches where he is not with the team (like now). I live in the Bay Area, and when the Warriors played the Rockets, I watched the game. The announcer for the Warriors (Jim Barnett) said that Tracy McGrady had a lot to do with Yao's new dominance. More than anyone else. Apparently, they met at Yao's restaurant and T-Mac told Yao that it's time for Yao put this team on his shoulders and carry them as far as he could. Yao was already playing better since his injury, but apparently T-Mac helped him go the extra step. That's leadership. I doubt Kobe could care less what Lamar would do when he's out of the lineup.
Not a lot of fouls called, and Yao took a lot of fadeaways and jumpers away from contact, and then got ignored at points in the second half when alston, bogans & co launched into an a capella rendition of "A-B-C, jack up a 3"
First thing, I never said Yao can't be/isn't a leader. All I said is, T-Mac is a leader. Second thing, that's one big reason not to trade T-Mac for KG. If Yao doesn't close out games, and KG can't/doesn't either, wtf is this team going to do!? This team is built around Yao, that's the reason T-Mac is here, and I understand that. But T-Mac was brought in here to lead, and that he has done well. I don't want to offend anyone, but I think T-Mac is a better leader than Yao. However, I'm not saying Yao won't be a great leader in time, I'm just saying that as of now. I realize T-Mac has been in the league longer than Yao has. Yao is a force now, and he's enough himself to almost beat other teams, but with T-Mac, they become the best 1-2 punch in the league. I can't wait for next season, I can almost smell the championships.
did some of you pointed out that Luke Walton is playing for the Fakers? no surprise that Bill Walton is rooting for them
since Kobe and McGrady are equally skilled and talented....McGrady wouldn't be way better than Bryant if he had those qualities. Also, those qualiteis are overblown... just because you pump your fist and yell doesn't mean you "care" more than next player. Kevin Garnett shows a lot of emotion but I dont believe he cares more about the game than does Tim Duncan...who shows very little emotion the court. Its called "personalities" One of the reasons why I dig McGrady is laid back "dont worry, I got this" personality
Yeah...Kobe doesn't really have more passion than T-Mac. Did you miss last year's playoffs or something? T-Mac is just so smooth, he makes the game look way too easy. He'll shoot a 3 pointer over two defenders and make it look like a wide open layup. That's just T-Mac. Never mind that part of the reason he's spent so much of this season on the IL is that he overworked himself during the offseason. Do not question that man's passion.
he's not bad, he's just a rookie. I swear I want to pull his head off everytime he makes a bad pass, mishandles the ball, misses a layup, or gets beat on the defense, but those are all rookie mistakes. He'll stop making those as he gets more experience
LOL. JUWAN HOWARD does all of the above AND is like 324xcc43487344 x e10 years older than Luther Head.
I agree 100%. All of this Yao being a better leader b/c he pysically congratulate his teammates is an absured things to say. So I guess Moochie was our best leader b/c he's our biggest cheerleader and congrats everyone like crazy after time out? Half of T-Mac leadership we probally don't see on the court but its there in the locker-room or is off the court. Wasn't t-mac the one that contaceds everyone to keep their head up? I remember an article about that where he calls heads and others to give them advice and he actually threw a paryt at his own place for the team. If thats not being a great leader then what is? I lov Yao and loves his new found dominance even more, but he's simply not ready to take over a team yet...but he's slowly getting there. T-Mac had been there before and is in his 8th/9th season in the league, he knows what it takes and he proven that many,many times and I don't get why people question his leadership? I seriously think, if he had not been injured, we wouldn't be talking about this right now.
with his broke back, tmac is nothing. Without this problem he is the one who could challenge kobe's position.
