Iverson also got blown out, thrown out of the game, and is shooting even worse from the FT line (53%) than McGrady. That's also with the benefit of a healthy team to take pressure off of him. McGrady is beating him in every statistical category through 2 games save for PPG.
It would be a tough, tough call if it came down to a choice between Manu and T-Mac. Manu doesn't know the meaning of the word quit. You know him down and he'll get up and come right back at you. The guy's a winner. The Spurs have three championships (I think) with him and he was a major piece of each one. You can't argue with rings. T-Mac obviously can't be the first choice on the offense. The question is, with Yao back, can he be effective as the second option? Effective enough to get deep into the playoffs?
What makes you think that we can get deep into the playoffs with Yao as the first choice? Based on his past playoff performance?
are you serious badgerfan?? he's a major piece, but he's not the biggest piece. he's not even the 2nd biggest piece. they won BEFORE manu got there. they're winning with him. he's a "part" of their plan, but if he's not there, i'm sure they would get some other dude to replace him pretty easily. they always have. the first one they won, manu was a non-factor (i don't remember if he played on that team). that team depended on duncan, robinson, avery, and off the bench player in jackson (the bald dude). why are people on this board so dumb in basketball-knowledge? tmac is treated like a superstar on the basketball court by coaches. manu is treated as an all-star and a 2nd/3rd option. he's not doubled all the time. he's not bveing asked to do what a superstar does. he's not treated like one. therefore, he plays freely. he knows the world is not ending if he doesn't step up. he knows he's not the make-or-break player on that team or any team he has been on. are you seriously comparing his workload to tracy's workload??? it's EASY to be tough and have energy when you come off the damn bench and know what your role is. he's not being asked to do outside of his "realm" and he's not being asked to do more than he should do. he's not being asked to "carry" the team for any stretch of the game. tmac is not good being a first option for the ENTIRE game (yao would be that guy for the other 1-2 quarters). but he's just as good of a first option for any 2-3 quarters. dude right now is doing everything against double/triple teams, doing his starting point guard's job (passing), doing the big man's job (rebounding), doing battier's job (defending), doing deke's job (shotblocking)... he's also bringing the leadership... it's shocking to me how people can compare tmac and manu. do you know a guy by the name of lamar odom? before the gasol trade went down, he was the 2nd option. he felt the pressure having to score consistently to help kobe out and struggled. when gasol came and he had zero pressure, dude put up doubles doubles in 20 of his next 24 games. you know why he can do that? HE FEELS NO PRESSURE. that's what manu is feeling. he can suck like a mofo and no one in this league would care b/c the 2 best players on that team are duncan and parker. tmac is not the old tmac. we all know that. we need him and yao to share the load b/c both of them individually cannot dominate the scoring for all 4 quarters. but tmac is still a SUPERSTAR. it's a disgrace putting manu in the same level as tmac. like i said, if he had a PG like parker to handle the playmaking, a big man who can both defend, rebound, and score in the post, all tmac has to think is score score score and care about nothing. that's what manu is doing. how is that not hard to understand?
Wow, this is really a long reply. Why are you wasting your time? You know you can't teach intelligence. Why not just sit back and have fun?
i don't know why the tmac v. manu argumen has gone on for so long. is it people's frustration with tmac (which is fine), but they're comparing 2 different players in 2 different situations. manu is in a situation where i call "basketball heaven." he's winning so his value is higher than it should be. but he's also not doing the things that are "other-worldly" that makes people think he's a borderline superstar. i'll stop here. and please, don't think of my name and think i'm a tmac jocker. sure he's my favorite on the team right now, but i would trade him if i know it would improve the team. trading for manu would not be it. but let's get to the trades. i'd trade tmac if it involves a 3 team trade (don't know how realistic my proposals will be but hey, it's a forum). if i can get artest + mike miller for tmac -> i'd do it. if i can get deng, hinrich, draft pick/thomas -> i'd do it what i'm trying to say is tmac does MULTIPLE things for this team. if i am going to trade him, i need to get MULTIPLE players that play MULTIPLE positions that fill MULTIPLE needs. manu is simply a 30 minute player that does a few things well. but he's not going to replace what tmac does (it's not even close).
Nice article Fritz. It feels like you explored other fans thoughts and points. I wish other sports writers had your style.
manu is damn good, no one is denying that. but then again tmac doesnt and never has had the supporting cast that manu has. have tmac and manu trade positions, and it is highly likely that the rockets dont even make the playoffs. first off, you cant triple manu when there is still tony parker, timmy, finley, barry, horry, bowen, and even kurt thomas that you cant leave open in the perimeter. second off, if you limited tmac to minutes off the bench, he too would be able to finish as strong as manu. tmac has been played 40+ minutes with constant injuries. how about you be a true rocket fan and defend your star when times are tough, instead of doing what is easy and jumping all over your only star in the lineup.
The problem is that Tmac has always played "With the ball in his hands" and has been the primary decision maker. If the Rockets are going to win anything in the future, he has to change to playing more OFF the ball or without it in his hands. Can he do it? Man, I really don't know that is a big change, but Tmac is versatile enough to be a guy who can do it... The question is.....who is the one who handles the responsibilities.....Rafer can dribble but can't shoot.........maybe AB......but someone has to relieve him of those responsibilities and let him concentrate on finishing......rather than facilitating. DD
totally agree with you but first of all Rockets need to get pg who can be a real playmaker and can create for Tracy and for other players... andre miller...?
Can we really get him? And do you want rookie to be in the starting lineup? Maybe he is good but I'd better have a veteram who can pass.
I am never worried about having a rookie in the starting lineup if the rest of the starters are veterans etc... DJ would be great.....but no I don't think we can get him unless we trade up into the top 12. DD
Well maybe. Looks like this guy can also shot so maybe. But if we can't get him... But I'm sure about one thing, Morey needs to search for a good pg who can finally be a true playmaker for Houston.
you are out of your f#$king mind if you think ginobili can carry a team in the western conference to 55 wins and the playoffs. if yao went down and manu was the leader of this team, we'd easily be in the lottery. giniboli is a great player as the second or third option on the spurs but he is not in t-mac's class. ridiculous.
I see it differently, I think his attitude and attacking demeanor put him exactly on Tmac's level. Maybe not the Tmac of old, but the OLD Tmac..... DD
