Losses Take Toll on T-Mac By Mrc J. Spears Denver Post NBA Beat Reporter http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_3360972 Houston Rockets forward Tracy McGrady was staring into space at the Pepsi Center two days before Christmas as the Nuggets were hammering his injury-decimated team. As he sat on the bench shaking his head, the frustration was evident in the two-time all-NBA first-teamer's frozen eyes. Many insiders had predicted the Rockets would be one of the top four teams in the Western Conference, and possibly the second-best to NBA champion San Antonio. But entering Saturday's game against Golden State, McGrady and the Rockets had a 10-17 record and were the NBA's most underachieving team. "Top four in the West, that was my vision," said McGrady, whose Rockets host the Nuggets a week from today. "I felt we were good enough. We are taking an unbelievable hit right now. It's almost not fair ... but what can you do? No one is going to have any sympathy for us. We have to go out there and compete." If you thought the Nuggets were battered by injuries, check out the Rockets. Houston was 0-8 in games McGrady missed in November with a back injury. Three-time all-star Yao Ming, who leads NBA centers in scoring, hasn't played since Dec. 17 and is expected to be out possibly through the all-star break with a big toe injury. Guard Bob Sura hasn't played this season and may never play again because of right knee and back injuries. Starting point guard Rafer Alston hasn't played since Nov. 17 because of a hairline fracture in his right tibia. Starting shooting guard Derek Anderson hasn't played since Dec. 14 because of a calf strain. Guard Jon Barry hasn't played since Dec. 6 because of a calf strain. And center Dikembe Mutombo recently missed two games with a laceration and dislocation of the right middle finger. "As days and weeks went by, we were dropping like flies," McGrady said. "Not the 12th man. We're talking about key guys in our rotation." The Rockets suited up just eight players in a recent 108-86 loss at Denver. Houston's sad state slightly reminds McGrady of his last season with Orlando, when the Magic went 21-61 during 2003-04. "It's back to them old days when I was wearing that other uniform," he said. "This is different. This is different because of injuries. Down there we were just young and inexperienced." Instead of Yao, Alston and Anderson, McGrady is fighting for wins with the likes of journeyman Lonnie Baxter, undrafted rookie Stephen Graham and hustling ex-Nugget Ryan Bowen. When asked if he can win with this roster, McGrady just smiled, pondered the question and tactfully said: "This is who we have to go out and compete with. This is the team. This is it. Until those other guys come back healthy, this is it. I don't know what management is thinking. I don't know. This is us." McGrady is one of the NBA's top scorers, averaging 23.9 points entering Saturday. But the nine-year veteran's scoring average is also on pace for his lowest average since his third year in the league (15.4). He is on pace for a career-low field-goal percentage (40.8). With Yao out and little help offensively, McGrady is receiving smothering double- and triple-teams. He joked after the Nuggets game that he can't remember the last time he wasn't double-teamed. "I'm human. I'd be lying to you if I said, 'It's not tough. I don't think about it,"' he said. "This (is) with me every day. Every day I think about it. How are we going to play tonight? Who is going to step up for us? How are they going to defend me tonight? I'm praying that one of those teams don't watch film and they don't double-team me." McGrady is 26 years old. He has been to the playoffs five times but has never reached the second round. And considering the numerous injuries (most notably to his back) he has endured and how that can eventually take a toll on his Superman-like athleticism, McGrady believes his window of opportunity for greatness could be closing in a couple of years. "You know what I really think about?" he said. "I'm on my ninth year. and I probably only have two or three more years to play at the level that I'm playing now due to the way my body feels. It's time. It's time for me to take that next step." A step the battered Rockets are a longshot to take this season.
I have never been less happy to be right. Even during the summer I was worrying that T-Mac's back wouldn't last for many more years. I wanted us to go for it, to really load up on talent, because our future is now. I opposed the cutting of Weatherspoon because his $6m expiring contract would be valuable in trade. Can you imagine swapping Spoon for Artest? The salaries would have worked.
No way does McGrady have five seasons left at or near his prime. Once he hits 30, time will start to catch up to him. He puts in the work, he will still be a very good player through the length of his contract (if he wants to go that long), but closer to "Wizards Jordan" than "Bulls Jordan."
basic on the level Kobe and Iverson are playing with, i Say there are 10 more years left in them. T-mac is younger than them, 2 years? hmmm... gotta question his heart.
You question his heart? Based on what?? Considering who he's had to play with, the man has been a lion.
that's not the point of the article lol. the point is that tmac can't put up 50 ppg for 10 more seasons. tmac can wow and amaze us on offense for about 2-3 more years, and then as someone else said, he'll probably become a michael jordan on the wizards. productive, but nothing superstar caliber.
You don't have any idea how many great years Tracy has left. You're just guessing like everyone else. Only time will tell. Like MJ (even before he left the Bulls), Tracy will gradually adjust his game over time and rely less on his freakish athleticism and more on smarts and savvy, which he has plenty of. MJ won his last championship in his 13th year, 12 if you discount the short comeback in the playoffs in 95. He was also 35!!! Tracy definitely doesn't play any harder in the offseason, during practice, on offense or defense than MJ did. This whole thing about him sliding downhill in a couple of years is overblown. The main thing that concerns me about Tracy's future is his back. If he manages that well enough, fine. Michael Jordan was 38 when he joined the Wizards. So Tracy is going to be like that when he's 30? Say what?
The problem is watching him play this year, he hasn't been relying on athleticism much. He may flash a move here and there but most of his game has been pick and pop, and being crafty. It reminds me of Penny in 1997, when his athleticism was on its way down from knee injuries but he still was able to mask it with efficient and creative play. I wished that Penny would have sit out more that year just like I wish T-Mac would sit out more this year until he is his old self again.
I feel for Tracy, but, if he and Yao both took a salary hike to free up some bucks for good players, then he might get the championship he wants. I know, too much to ask. But my sympathy for mega-millionares has boundaries.
Sure it is just a guess. Short of borrowing Doc Brown's DeLorean, we cannot know the future with any certainty. However, as the old saying goes, Father Time is undefeated. This is now twice in three seasons McGrady has missed time due to a degenerative problem (knees and back). Look down MJ's "games played," and you see a string of "82's" through those championship seasons. If the man who knows his body better than anybody else (McGrady), and his head coach (Mr. Van Gundy), say they feel he probably only has a few seasons left in his prime, I'm not going to disagree.
Well this is T-Macs 9th season. So 13 - 9 would be 4. Everyone keeps thinking about age and how he's still young, but people need to realize he came out of high school. His body has already taken 9 years of NBA wear and tear.
Question: Do you think this is a reason to limit Str8 from high schoolers? Just a question . . . not an opinion Rocket River
I really don't know It could be one of the reasons why they would want less players out of HS. The players that are coming out of high school usually aren't mature enough to just be thrown into the NBA. I mean that a HUGE change. Anyone that has gone to college can vouch for how much it changes your life and matures you. I can't imagine going to the NBA at 17 or 18. Besides Lebron and a few others, the NBA has rarely seen someone dominate straight out of high school. Those first two or three seasons they're still learning a lot about basketball, but their body is taking huge amounts of wear and tear. No doubt it will affect them later on and it will also affect the age range of their prime
TMac is an old 26. I'd trade him for Dwayne Wade in a second, given I don't think we can put the talent around him in the next two years to win a title. Of course, Miami would never do that deal.
Hopefully TMac's just frustrated and talking out of his ass....like when he said he'd retire two years ago. But I definitely do not like what I'm hearing from him, both from a heart and ability standpoint. He just doesn't seem to be able to stand up tall when things get rocky...which is the true testament of a superstar.
Personally, I don't like the pessimist and defeatist attitude of TMAC, starting to hint that this will be another losing season for him like that 21 ~ 61 Orlando Magic season. Regardless of how bleak things may look now, as the star and leader of the team, he just can't project this kind of attitude in the public, and not expect that it's gonna rub off on his teammates. He has to project self-confidence that this team can still win irrespective of how many injured players. Did we ever hear Yao Ming whine and complain about his team mates during that stretch of TMAC's absence?? Unfairly and harshly criticized by media and fans that he was not able to close out games and lead his team to win without TMAC, Yao Ming just kept his composure, played as hard as he can, gave all he had in every game and tried to inspire his team mates to win. TMAC just had to do the SAME, and not throwing in the towel yet !!!
