[Dallas Morning News] Can McGrady carry Rockets to next level?

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcon...ore/stories/042205dnspomoorecol.34418888.html

Can McGrady carry Rockets to next level?



Two scoring titles validate his status among the sport's most dynamic players. Five All-Star appearances and jersey sales second only to Shaquille O'Neal cement his credentials as a fan favorite.

Tracy McGrady has the fame and fortune part down. It's the substance part that has proved to be elusive.

McGrady is the best player in the league never to win a playoff series. It's a title he shared with Kevin Garnett before the Minnesota forward moved on last season.

The Houston star hopes he'll be able to move on in the next few weeks. The first step comes Saturday afternoon when the Rockets play the Mavericks.

"I feel that this could be my time, this could be my chance," McGrady said. "Not only to get past the first round, but I feel like this team can be a contender.

"I've been in the league eight years, and this is the first time in those eight years that I have this feeling, where I feel like we can do something really special. Make it to the Finals, be a surprise team in the playoffs. I feel we honestly have a chance."

It's been a while since the Rockets had a chance. Houston has made the playoffs only four times in the last eight seasons and hasn't advance past the first round in any of them.

McGrady is in the playoffs for the fifth time. His previous appearances with Toronto and Orlando ended quickly even though his postseason averages – 29.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists – are impressive.

"I think McGrady is the most talented, skilled player in the NBA today," Denver coach George Karl said. "I think he's better than Kobe [Bryant], and I think he's better than Garnett. What he does with the basketball, with his size, I think he's incredible."

San Antonio, one of the league's top defensive teams, got a glimpse of incredible on Dec. 9 when McGrady erupted for 13 points in the final 35 seconds to lead the Rockets to a come-from-behind victory. This came one week after the Mavericks witnessed a 48-point effort from the heart and offensive soul of the Rockets.

"I was amazed," said Jason Terry, one of several Mavericks who tried to defend McGrady that evening. "He slapped me on the butt a couple of times after he knocked down some shots and I was all over him. You want to get right back at him, but he had it going that night.

"That is the thing that scares you about him. When he does take those early, quick 3s and he's hot, it's going to be a long night for you, regardless of what defensive scheme you throw at him."

The biggest question the Mavericks face entering this series is what to do with McGrady. The team can't afford to leave Josh Howard on a defensive island. But if you double-team McGrady, he'll whip a pass to the open man, then slash to the basket or spot up for a 3-pointer on the return pass.

"He's tough to double, in my mind," Karl said. "He's become more of a perimeter player who attacks the defense from the perimeter. Thus, your double-teams give such wide-open passing opportunities, and he is such a great passer. He is their point guard. If you double him a lot, they're going to get their 3s, they're going to get their inside game.

"He's like Shaq. If you double him, he's still going to get 20, so why double him? Why not give him 30, and maybe he'll get tired of scoring?"

Why? Because the Rockets are 22-3 this season when McGrady scores 30 or more points.

McGrady can't do it alone. We've seen that from his days in Toronto and Orlando. The Rockets need Yao Ming to come up big and their role players to continue the roll they got on late in the season.

But don't be lulled into thinking this is a democracy. McGrady is the only chance the Rockets have to win this series. When asked what defensive scheme the club has devised to slow him down, Mavericks assistant Del Harris took a page out of Tonya Harding's playbook.

"A tire iron," he said.

It's an idea. Nothing else has worked.