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[ESPN.COM] McGrady practices, leaves decision to Van Gundy

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by rikesh316, Jan 13, 2006.

  1. rikesh316

    rikesh316 Member

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    http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=nba&id=2291587


    HOUSTON -- The Houston Rockets say they're not looking at the calendar, but they better start soon.

    Four straight losses have dropped them to 12-22, the second-worst record in the NBA. And with stars Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming among six players out with injuries or illnesses, the Rockets need to get well in a hurry to turn around their dismal season.

    "Right now, we're not even thinking about the playoffs," said McGrady, who practiced on Friday after missing two games with back spasms. "Our main thing is to get everybody back on the court healthy. We have a hell of a team when we're healthy."

    McGrady said he felt fine after Friday's workout, but left the final decision on when he'll come back to Coach Jeff Van Gundy.

    The Rockets play New Orleans on Saturday and Van Gundy is still mulling whether McGrady will go.

    "If he says he feels good enough, then I'll decide if I feel good enough about the way he feels," Van Gundy said.

    McGrady has missed nine games because of his recurring back problems, the most critical of the long list of injuries that have plagued the Rockets all season.

    Guard David Wesley is the only player from the opening-day roster who hasn't missed a game and eight of the current 15 have missed a total of 77 games. That doesn't count point guard Bob Sura, who's missed the entire season after back surgery in November.

    Yao is aiming to return on Jan. 29 -- the start of the Chinese New Year -- after surgery to remove an infection on his left big toe. Guards Jon Barry and Derek Anderson remain sidelined indefinitely with calf strains and forward Stromile Swift is out until at least next week with an eye infection.

    Juwan Howard, who had 24 points and 15 rebounds in Tuesday's loss to Sacramento, said the team can't afford to dwell on the injuries this late in the season.

    "We all know how that situation is right now," he said. "We just have to go with what we have on the court and feel confident with the guys who are going to play that night."

    Despite the adversity and the losing -- the Rockets are a league-worst 3-11 at home -- the players say the morale hasn't suffered.

    "We still believe in ourselves," said center Dikembe Mutombo, who missed two games last month with a broken and lacerated finger. "We have to stay positive, try to encourage to each other until we can find the solution to winning again."

    Howard, who's been on losing teams before, said the attitude in the locker room gives him hope that the Rockets can finish strong.

    "When you lose a lot of ball games, guys start to point fingers, guys start to separate, you see a lot of dissension, you see guys you call 'cancer guys," Howard said. "I haven't seen guys like that on this team. Each and every one of us is looking at ourselves in the mirror and wondering what can we do better."

    A season like this is all new to Van Gundy, who's never coached a losing team in 10 NBA seasons. He can be harshly critical -- but always honest -- about what's been wrong with his team.

    For a while, teams exploited their inability to guard pick-and-roll plays. Stopping penetrating point guards remains a problem. And the offense has been a weakness all season -- the Rockets are averaging only 89.26 points per game, the second-worst average in the league behind Portland.

    Like McGrady, Van Gundy said the Rockets have to focus on the present and not worry about missing the postseason.

    "Long-range thinking is not good for our team right now," he said. "Today, just concentrate on trying to have a good practice and tomorrow, just try to play well. If we keep it that simple, that gives us our best opportunity to play well versus looking at the standings -- 'Oh, my, we're 10 below (.500)' or 'Oh, look how good everybody else is doing.' It's a lot of wasted energy."
     
  2. DeAleck

    DeAleck Member

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    I want to cry knowing McGrady's back practicing. Happy tears, of course.
     
  3. droxford

    droxford Member

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    I say, put T-Mac in for the 3rd or 4th quarter.

    Without him, our players have been keeping the games very close. Putting Tracy in in the 3rd or 4th could give us a quick offensive boost to win the game, could catch their defense by surprise, and would still keep Tracy's minutes to a minimum as he returns.
     
  4. TMac640

    TMac640 Contributing Member

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    If we play T-Mac the whole game, his back should be fine.
     
  5. xcomputerman

    xcomputerman Contributing Member

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    Or generally just limit his minutes. Get him in there early to provide an offensive spark. Keep him seated most of the second, and then he comes back late in the 3rd and plays through the 4th. Maximum efficiency with limited minutes.
     
  6. mogrod

    mogrod Member

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    TMac's daughter goes to the school my wife teaches at. She said he actually came to pick her up today and said he was walking VERY slow. Hopefully, he is just being cautious.
     
  7. daoshi

    daoshi Member

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    If TMac play, he'll definitely start and stay on the court for as long as he can. His back will stiff up if he sit on the bench during the game.
     
  8. WizzyWig

    WizzyWig Member

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    That's the way T-Mac always walks
     
  9. smoothie

    smoothie Jabari Jungle

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    i think it's too early, but of course i'm not a doctor. hopefully he can come back and play healthy the rest of the season.
     
  10. tigermission1

    tigermission1 Member

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    Yah, I heard his comments on radio and he said that it's been in the back of his mind, so he's afraid it might affect his psyche being out there on the court with the fear of straining his back preventing him from moving and playing the way he wants to.

    It won't be easy, he will have to ease himself back in, I hope non of this stuff will happen again, or we will be forced to shut him down for the whole season.
     
  11. mogrod

    mogrod Member

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    LOL! Yea, maybe. I'm just telling you what she said. This was really the first time she got a good look at him there, so you might be right. She did say that one of her co-workers (another teacher) made a comment about how he doesn't look hurt enough not to play.
     
  12. DribbleHooper

    DribbleHooper Member

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    Wrong. The Rockets are bad, but they're <b>not</b> the second worst record in the NBA. Second worst in the Western Conference, sure.
     
  13. GoatBoy

    GoatBoy Member

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    My g/f is Vietnamese, and I was just looking online a couple of days ago to see when Chinese New Year/Tet was this year, and according to what I saw, it's Febraury 9.
     
  14. ucansee2020

    ucansee2020 Member

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    For 2006, it's Jan 29. It was Feb 9 for 2005 Chinese new year
     
  15. coma

    coma Member

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    I've always wanted a Vietnamese gf, so I too, can go online to see when Chinese New Year began.
     
  16. darkwarrior

    darkwarrior Member

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    :D

    The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 5 characters.
     
  17. TMac640

    TMac640 Contributing Member

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    Tmac's a pimp with a limp.
     
  18. swu

    swu Member

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    from the other thread

    http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?p=2129839#post2129839
    hmm... very interesting...
     
  19. magnetik

    magnetik Member

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    How long do calf strains last? Seems like DA has been on the pine for a very long time.
     
  20. richirich

    richirich Member

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    frustrating thing about the Rockets website and any other news service around here - there don't seem to be any updates on our Hoops Hospital. DA seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. Is he on the bench during games? I haven't noticed him, but then the camera shots to the bench are not good or often.
     

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