Tracy is definitely not as explosive as before. But he doesn't need to be either, considering all the help he has these days.
It is preseason....I hardly think he is all that motivated to be EXPLOSIVE !! Come on people he is 27 years old, and knows these games don't count. SHEESH !! DD
He has always said that he plays poorly in the pre-season. He said that the first year he got here. People are forgetting our first preseason game this year - when he was really excited just to be playing again. He tore it up and Van Gundy joked about how he wished he could forget to play basketball as well as TMac had. I think since that game he has just shifted into regular preseason mode. It is impossible to tell if this is a real issue for the season.
i don't understand either. -there was a time during the game last night where he missed a shot within the free throw line, but once he missed he out jumped through the roof over everybody else for an offensive rebound (though he missed the second attempt as well). -someone else mentioned the block early in the first quarter. -the elevation on his shot is just fine if not better. -i cringed when he got fouled on an attempted layup. he did a small flip on the ground, but got up without grimacing as if he could taken an even harder foul (i wish both he and yao would wear protective pads or something. screw a damn fashion statement). as far as his fg percentage last night... 1. it's preseason and 2. there's a few other people on the team now that are capable of picking up the slack during the regular season when he does shoot like he did last night. he's hasn't done the "high-flying" thing yet. i'm sure we'll get a glimpse here and there, but of it seems as if his game now is mid-range first, then attacking the goal, and the three point line last. i'm sure in the next few years that the three-point line will be his second option. it's just part of a player's maturation process to move their game away from the basket when they get older. don't think he's rusty. don't think he's being to careful. don't think he's bored, but i do think he's ready for a game that means something and that he can take over when no one else can.
I think the people on here just like to overreact too...well everything...it woudlnt be the GARM if people didnt overreact. Its the freakin preseason. I swear this is like deja vu all over again.
I would not get worried at all about him yet because: 1. Like everyone said, it's preseason, basically glorified practice, he's probably taking it easier than he would in a real game, where he would likely go to the hoop for a few easier baskets if his J isn't working. Now? No need to risk injuries. 2. The coaching staff seems to want to force the ball to Yao early to get him some extra practice. At this point, he needs the extra practice touches more than McGrady. It hasn't really worked out that well to open the game as far as overall team offensive rhythm goes, but Yao is getting his game back. As a result, though, Tracy is probably sitting back and watching more than he usually does. When the regular season starts, I'd like to see Tracy on the ball early, getting himself going and getting the team some easy baskets. The early offense of forcing the all into the post doesn't seem to work well to start the game. Yao hasn't been making his jumpers and hooks consistently and he's turning the ball over more than usual and the rest of the team (including McGrady) just stood there and watch and missing their own shots. I'd rather put Yao on garbage duty in the first 5 minutes of the game, get him a couple easy layups/dunks, allow him to be comfortable before having to play his post up game. He seemed to work better as the game rolled on last night.
I watched the game and I think I know why the concern is there...I also was watching him close and I noticed Tmac grimace during one series where it looked like he was trying to shake the "cobwebs" off...probably got hit in the face or nose...although Bill or Clyde didn't mention it or even T-mac slow down afterward. I also believe that we've not seen anything out of him yet...he's experimenting wih the back and seeing what he can do and I believe that once the reg season begins...he'll go all out. This team is capable of winning now without tracy scoring 30 points...just a good all around game of 18 pts, 6 boards and 6 dimes will be enough to carry this team on most nights...but you know he'll have those "can't miss" moments of 35 points as well as some incredible dunks! I'm ready for the reg season...this has been a ridiculously long preseason!
Tracy McG is just using his head! After such a lomg time away from the game he has to gradually ease himself back into his rhythem. He would be foolish to push himself too quickly and have a bad fall that might cause him to injure his back again. I think that we will see a different McGrady this season, not quite like we expect but much more of a team player.
I think he's fine. He has those games where he puts up shots, and misses a few in a row, or just has bad shooting games, but he'll always make up in the other parts of the game. I'm not concerned. And, as some of you have said, no worries, once the regular season is here, I'm sure he'll turn it on.
Missing shots and losing his athleticism (Being a step slower) are two separate things. You can brick shots and still look athletic. In T-mac's case, he definitely has lost the athleticism he once possessed back in his Orlando and Toronto days, but he now has other people helping him out, so he needs to and can rely more on his bball instincts/iq as oppose to his raw ability.
I didn't have any concerns until he came down on his back and his legs went flying over his head. He looked like he was grimacing afterwards and I was just mouthing "no... no... no...". He seemed fine after that, but his shooting percentage stunk last night. I'll chalk it up to preseason madness and not get too worked up over it. I think after last year it is reasonable that we are a little gunshy. Regards, Brock
someone said tmac looks bored, and i agree. hes playing with like of scrubs such as jackie butler, fabrcio oberto and jaqcue(sp?) vaughn. of course hes not going to care about the game, as long as hes getting up and down the court quickly and getting his conditioning back, i dont care.
I think he's more focused on getting back to midseason form. I was glad to see him get up and keep playing after that hard fall. He almost looked like he was expecting his back to go out again, so I hope he over came a mental block in his head.
He's defenitely not the T-Mac from Orlando that's for sure, but that doesn't mean he's lost his explosiveness completely. He still dominates most of the competition. I think hell just need to recognize the players he can't blow by anymore and get his shot of using his height (he is 6-8 afterall) or defer to his teamates on those situations. Some say Tracy is 27, he's still young but he's also been in the league for 9 seasons. That's alot of mileage on those legs.
He looks healthy to me, what I've noticed is when Yao was out the first 2 games, T-Mac looked great, when Yao comes back the offense looks awfully sluggish with both TM and Yao on the floor together. With TMac out the offense runs much smoother with Yao. In english that means they are having problems playing together. Could just be the preseason blahs, but I think TMac is going to have to change his game a bit with Yao on the floor and take back over when Yao's not. I truly don't think you can have 2 masters on the floor together, someone is going to have to give up the primary role. 2 years ago it was TMac's team, this year it may have to be Yao's team to make things work best. IMO
T-Mac is alright. I believe it is the competition the Rockets have been playing. The other teams top players have not been playing the Rockets for some strange reason. Dallas didn't have their starting unit and Spurs also were without their starting unit. I will answer the poll after Wednesday's game against the Heat. The Heat should be playing their starting unit and T-Mac will be motivated for this game(He should be).
Were you at the game? Because on TV you could clearly see him grimacing during the fall and as he was laying on the ground, and for a second while he got up. Shook it off by the time he got up to walk to the free throw line, and very easily could have been his hip or tailbone or something hitting the floor, but he definitely did not look like he wanted a harder foul.
