Tmac is truly frustrating to watch. I think a lot of us really connected to the Rockets during the championship years where we got to experience Clutch City and the heart of a champion, and that's where our expectations come from. Tmac is a good player, but doesn't exhibit the qualities that we're used to from the Rockets. It's not just about putting up numbers and being a great player in good times...it's about how you respond when your back is against the wall or when you're facing adversity. Tmac has failed consistently when faced with such challenges and is just plain scared to face the elite of today. He's such a talented player so it's even more frustrating. You can see it in his eyes and body language that he's clearly not one of those players who relishes a challenge and loves the big games where he's going to have to dig deep. There was a part in tonight's game in the 4th where the cameras was on Adelman and you can see Tmac in the background...and it's clear as day that HE KNEW HE QUIT ON THE TEAM. You could see it in his eyes and face.
Let's face it, if the Rockets are going to get to the 2nd round of the playoffs they're going to have to drag Mcgrady kicking and screaming. All the players are in their 4th game in 5 days. Ron Ron, Brooks, Battier, Yao, Alston are all warriors, Mcgrady doesn't even look like he's trying. Delonte West is kicking his BUTT today. Sorry, I was a TMac fan, but no more. He's our leader?????? What a joke, he's soft, we'll never advance if he has to take us anywhere. For all that talent, all he is is a fantasy league player. I could stand to see him not play well but this guy's got no heart. There was little effort out of him today, NO EXCUSE FOR THAT, not with Artest giving his all against LJ and Alston coming back from his injury and helps carry us. Say what you will against Alston but at least while he's on the court he's playing hard and giving his all, which you never know what you'll get from no heart Mcgrady.
Should of give T-macs minute to Wafer tonight, at least he drives to the lane hard and chase his defender.
+1. i used to be a big fan of mcgrady. not any more. and i won't be surprised to see more people walking down this path. ron ron and rafer both are "nyc playground tough" - according to bullard.
That's right. I can tell that from the post-game interview. I can still stand T-mac's absence tonight, but not for the playoffs. Be healthy, T-mac and we still need you!
Good post. On the lessened dribbling, (1) the offensive system calls for ball movement and motion of the body more than individual dribbling. Its possible for 5 players to touch the ball and score with less than 3 dribbles total (2) McGrady receives the ball a little more closer to the basket in the high post than before. (3) If McGrady did nothing but dribble past the defense taking 15 seconds to find a crease, he'd be called a black hole ball stoppper and not running the offense. But if McGrady "was" able to do the extra dribbling I'm thinking we'd have seen more of it. I think McGrady thinks about his declining physicality as much as anyone. And he needs to think about the things he CAN still do. But he probably wont, sucks to say.
In April, TMac is loved. In June, his efforts are quickly forgotten. This thread is sad. I can't believe how many people believe T-Mac won't be a super-star again this season. DaDakota, you implied Tracy was faking his knee injury (didn't need surgery). Why would he need to rehab if that was the case?
Dude, you make the erroneous assumption that DaDakota actually remembers what he was accusing McGrady of three weeks ago, not to mention what actually happened in the summer. Between the categorically false assertion that McGrady didn't rehab after his surgery (that alone is enough to leave one speechless) and the he's faking his injury thing, it's clear that logic has long been defenestrated from this BBS when it comes to this topic. Of course, all these wannabe ex-girlfriends of T-Mac will be nowhere to be found by the next game when he returns with fresh legs and suddenly looks good again.
No, I'm just smart enough to understand that a player who is still recovering from knee surgery and is trying to build strength back in his knee joint will experience physical limitations while playing his fourth game in five nights. I'm also smart enough to understand that a $20 million dollar salary does not grant him superpowers, or the ability to buy a transfusion of the cheerleader's blood on the black market. I also have enough of a memory to remember how well he has played since he returned to the court prior to last night, and how much he has busted his tail trying to carry this franchise on his back ever since he has been here. It seems many fans around here just don't have the mental capacity to think beyond what happened in the past few hours.
He's still recovering ... fair enough. I have to knock his mental approach to the game. He is a leader on this team, and he ought to act like one. I've watched Wade, Deron, Kobe, Redd... play hurt and it showed on the boxscore. But you'll never get the impression they quit. Right now, Tmac is playing the cry baby role on this team and the act is wearing thin. It would not surprise me to see himtraded this season.
physical limitations..? he was stopped dead in his tracks.. 4th game in 5 nights or not.. before his self-imposed DNPs.. he was still driving it in 2-3ft.. he couldn't make it past a foot against the Cavs..
you made it sound like he's the only one. he wasn't. everyone was. compare his play and act to ron's, the difference is clear.
Obviously he sucked and play with no heart and energy. But he had nothing left in him. The same situation with Shane. They were out of gas. It is tough to even run when you are still recovering and you play 4 tough games in 5 nights...
I think Adelman left him out there too long to realize that he was a liability tonight. I understand if he wanted to test the knee but it became pretty obvious that it wasn't working today. T-Mac looked like he was at 40% when we need him to be at least 75% of what he used to be for big games like these.
It's up to Adelman. If T-Mac is hurting the team (like tonight), Adelman should sit him sooner. It's not like T-Mac complains about playing time. He's actually one of the very few star players (over his career...obviously he's not consistent enough to be a star now) who doesn't complain about not being "The Man" and having more minutes. He's been more of the "I can't do it alone" sort of guy. So now that Barry is healthy and hitting his shot again, and Brooks has blossomed to AB 2.0, and Wafer is beneficial, and Head is...well, Wafer is a nice find, and most importantly Battier and Artest are healthy...so now that all that is in order, Adelman has the luxury of sitting T-Mac. There are other Rockets who can score and defend and the system can work without him. There's like a certain point: 70%, 80% health...who knows, but it's up to the coach to determine if T-Mac is healthy enough to help, or too hurt and thus hurts the team. imo, I think he left T-Mac out there way way too long. No matter if his passing and hands were quick, or even if his shot was on (which it was just so so); his immobility was a major liability that JVG wouldn't have allowed, and RA shouldn't have.
I hate that Tmac is all talk but nothing else. He always says yeah i'm happy we have Artest now we can contend etc etc But he doesn't mean it!
