I'll give you that, for this year. We never those problems he had this year, before. He played defense under JVG, and he played defense last year too. It may have not been Artest/Battier defense but he wasn't letting guys blow by him like this year.
Gimme a break. Have you ever taken a serious loook at the chumps the Rockets played during that stretch? The Cavs had 4 rotational players missing and the Rockets beat them 2x in the 22. The Streak was loaded with EC patsies and sub .500 chumps.
Not to mention the seeds of the streak were planted when Tmac was out with the same knee problem, the team started running the Adelman offense, which Tmac bristles at doing. DD
The most intelligent and insightful thing that i've ever heard Clyde say was, after Worrel mad a comment about the ball stopping in Tracy's hands, (paraphrasing) 'yeah, it's supposed to stop in his hands it always stopped in my hand when i played under Addelman because i could always finish the play'. I want Mcgrady to dominant the rock, I want him to start and finish plays, when Yao isn't. That's what a star does. That extremely over used word "ball stopper" doesn't apply to stars. Kobe is a ball stopper, Lebron, Wade, Joe Johnson, Bosh, Butler etc. Yeah, if you're a great player that ball had better stop in your hands but you better be able to do something with it. The problem is that Mcgrady hasn't been a great player in a while.
There is a difference between ball stopper and finisher. Clyde was a FINISHER..... Tmac is a ball stopper It has to do with efficiency, and recognizing your strengths and weaknesses, Tmac used to be a finisher, but he is not that anymore, and he has now become a ball stopper and that is a chemistry killer. DD
Can't disagree with T-mac and his drama but we would be a better team with a healthy Mcgrady. As far as his playoffs being crap, unjustified. Look at those teams that we lost to and what hes had to work with. Dallas 05, Utah 07 and 08 (all deeper and talented teams with better 3rd 4th 5th options etc.....). Don't know how his Orlando teams were constructed but were prolly pretty crappy since Grant Hill never played. It finally came together this year since we've gathered the most talent and depth in recent years. Too bad Tmac has shut it down bc it could have been special. Long story short, Tmac's playoffs woes esp with the rockets have been bad timing. Give me the talent and depth on this team in 05-08 and we'd wouldn't be talking just about the 1st round.
He's has been the best since coming here, at getting Yao the ball to create his own shot. He always pass the ball to guys who can't create their own shots like Shane, Chuck or Deke to get them shots. Who else, besides Yao, in their previous years, could create their own shot consistently? Scola didn't get many plays ran for him this year like he did last year. Brooks wasn't getting the minutes last year. Head? Howard? Bowen? Wesley? You would have a point if we actually had guys that could create their own shot, but that has not been the case in the past. For this year, sure that argument holds.
T-mas has been great for us in some moments for the last years, nobody can take that from him, but he lost the fire that is required to dominate, he stopped thinking about him managing tempo of the game. We have enought players to cover his loss in the sort term, even in the playoffs. Long term, we can use him if he wants to come back or his cap space to lure some talent. It is a simple matter, we don´t have to hate him or love him. As for who is going to take the last shot, if you are a Rockets fan that we have at least 3 players with the size of his XXXls big enough to do it. Artest, Brooks and Scola wouldn´t hesitate, and Yao obviosuly would have to try at least given his status in the team right now.
I would have to agree with DD and cX as far as the rockets are playing better as a Team now. I hope the team plays continues as well as the hustle!
This year is all that matters, I don't say...let's sign Hakeem or Clyde, because they are done as players. I don't care what Tmac did before, this is the year we are talking about, nothing else matters. DD
Tracy is not selfish, he is a more than willing passer. I'm not sure you could even say he doesn't trust his teammates. Trust isn't the issue. He just does not know how to play WITHIN a team as apposed to "imposing his will" on a team. Instead of letting the play come to him, he has to be the one creating the play. That's not to say he can't do that unselfishly.
Wow, are you really going to discredit the Rockets for winning 22 in a row? How many teams have done that? Oh yeah, a lot. Two teams to be exact. So it is the Rockets fault they were given that schedule? Do you think we're the only team that has had a stretch of games like that throughout the history of the NBA? How come the better teams like the Lakers or Celtics have yet to sniff our streak this year? And yes, they lost to sub .500 chumps also.
You are missing the point. Mcgrady is not a problem because the ball stops in his hands, it should. He should just be able to do something with it. If he ever comes back healthy then he would be able to be a playmaker and finish plays. He would be a great player just like the other great players who have the ball in their hands all the time. The biggest problems i've seen with mcgrady this season is that he can hardly drive, he can hardly elevate on his jumpshots, he can hardly get down the court before Yao, and he can hardly defend a 70 year old woman. If he is to ever help a team win THESE things have to change FIRST.
Fair enough. But you talk like he's always been like that or always was surrounded by a team like this one.
Haha yeah whats up DD.... long time no post....figured it was time to start again since it's been one of the more different and drama filled seasons that I can remember....
He has never been an efficient finisher, EVER.....the NBA is a made buckets game...guys like Tmac who are low efficiency and get their points because they basically take a lot of shots are not going to win in the league. It is a make or miss league, and honestly, at the end of the day, Tmac misses too often, and that is his major problem. DD
Come on, DD. Say the things about McGrady that you've said in this thread and others, apply them to the last few seasons, excepting the all too brief times when he was healthy, mentally and physically, and I agree with you. But you're tossing in these over-arcing statements saying he's been like this his whole career. That, I just can't buy. I'd be jumping up and down with delight if we had the '04-'05 version of Tracy. So would you. You're letting your emotions get ahead of your brain, bro.
so true! that just explains the situation so well. if they win it's all him. if they lose it's because noone else stepped up to the plate. it is always him winning the games and never his fault when they lose cause his got the numbers to justify it. guys never get motivated when you play with a guy like that. cause he'll never set that screen for u. he'll never help you out when you get beat....what's worse he doesn't even guard his own man. everyone will think to themself and say "why am i busting my butt so this guy can get all the glory?"
