Portland series?? I think the best example was the LA series after Yao went down. The same team that couldn´t battle with the Jazz took LA to their best with Artest in place of T-Mac, and i don´t think highly of Artest...
Apparently people think teams without a star player wins in the NBA...I've yet to see it happen. Without Tmac...expect Game 5 and Game 7 from LA Game 5...lost by 40 http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200905120LAL.html Game 7 lost by 19 http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200905170LAL.html Nobody with more than 14 points in either game... wanna know why, cuz there is nobody to create easy shots for them, because Yao and Tmac were both hurt. No matter what offense we run...we still need the talent, and Tmac is our most talented player. It will be a rude awakening to some IF tmac isn't back this year.
I don't know if he is for sure...nobody does, but he has a better chance than anybody else on our roster. From what I saw in the videos, he looks like he's slimmed down, he's strengthening his core, and his shooting improved last year (37% 3's and 80% free throws) IF his athleticism is somewhat back and he is pain free, I think he'll be at a star level again...he just won't be as high flying like he was back in 04-05, but maybe similar to 07-08 before the injuries or even 06-07 level would be good enough. Also, I doubt he forgot how to play basketball, he still has the skills and the height that made him the great talent that he was before last year. But we'll find out soon enough... All I'm saying is, nobody else on our roster is fit to lead our team to a playoff berth...Tmac has done that before. There is a chance he could do it again next season. Remember, we did go 20-12 while Yao was out in 2006-2007, and that team was: Deke, J. Howard, Battier, Tmac, Rafer Hayes, Head, JL III, Snyder, Bonzi (few games), and Jake Tsakalitas, and VSpan. 20-12 is a 62.5 winning %...that pace gets us into the playoffs. I think with Scola, Brooks, Ariza, Battier, Landry, Lowery, D. Anderson and Hayes and the rooks (J.Taylor and Chase) we have a shot to have similar success, IF Tmac is back to being a star player. But only time will tell...I'm just going off of what I've seen so far. Tmac is still more talented than anybody on our roster skill wise.
whenever his knee felt right just for a little while (a brief 5-7 game period), his statline is around 20, 6, 6 (and you can still see some limping). then he really has some porous games b/c of the knee. and every game he took injections for his knee, he had a great game (noticeably the phoenix game last yr). so if his knee feels right, he should easily put up 20, 5, 5. EASILY. the question is can he be BETTER than that?
We had a better record without tmac last year than with him, and until proven otherwise you have to think that roster is better. You cant prove that otherwise until they actually play games with tmac back. I dont know why everyone is talking about how awesome it will be when tmac comes back, because the LAST and MOST RECENT tmac we saw hurt our team. You can watch all the work out videos you want of him... until he is playing with the team, you cant say the team will be better with tmac. We were 2-2 against the world champs last year without a star.
Game 5...lost by 40 http://www.basketball-reference.com...0905120LAL.html Game 7 lost by 19 http://www.basketball-reference.com...0905170LAL.html Game 4 win by 12 http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200905100HOU.html Brooks 12-20 shooting, 34 points Battier 6-12 shooting (5-10 3pt) 23 points You think these guys are gonna score like that next season for 82 games...I doubt it. Game 6 win by 15 http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200905140HOU.html Brooks 8-13 shooting (3-4 3pt) 26 points Scola 10-17 shooting and 12 reb, 24 points Landry 6-6 shooting and 9 reb, 15 points I highly doubt these guys will score like this (Scola, maybe 18-20 ppg), but no way Brooks shoots that good throughout an 82 game season. He couldn't do it over 4 games. Game 5 Brooks 4-11 (0-3 3pt), Scola 4-10, Battier 2-7 (1-4 3pt) Game 7 Brooks 4-13, Scola 4-12, Battier 1-6 (0-4 3pt) When the outside shots go in... it looks great, but when it doesn't, thats when you need that star player that can break down a defense and either finish on their own or create an easy shot for others... Clearly, our team doesn't have that, otherwise we wouldn't have been beat down by LA in Games 5 and 7...so please find a better argument.
A healthy McGrady may help the team (assuming he hasn't severed his relationship w/ his teammates), but not to the point where the Rockets become contenders. In my opinion, his presence would actually be detrimental to the team. Which would you rather prefer (assuming we keep McGrady the full season): A) Lowry, Brooks, Ariza, and the rookies get a chance to dramatically develop, and the Rockets get a reasonably high draft pick. B) Lowry, Brooks, Ariza, and the rookies get a minimal chance to develop, and the Rockets get a reasonably low draft pick.
we went 6-1 in a stretch of games where Tmac was relatively productive http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mcgratr01/gamelog/2009/ from Dec. 12th to Dec. 22nd He even had a triple double on one leg and no elevation vs. Denver http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200812160HOU.html he almost had another triple double as well, one assist shy of one http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200812120GSW.html If he can do that on one leg, in pain, with no elevation, what makes you think he can't come back?? He clearly showed that he still has skills...he just couldn't play through that pain. Microfracture surgery is done to stimulate the growth of cartilidge that is missing in the knee. Doctors say there is no scar tissue, and Tmac says there is no pain...I'll take my chances
You also don't want them to get "used to losing" either...I'd rather have them playing for a playoff spot in meaningful games. I doubt Tmac hinders their development...they are undersized point guards. One has a nice jumper and quickness, the other has strength and can finish at the basket. Brooks is too small to be a traditional point guard...he doen't have the height to see over defenders to make the right passes...he'll be a scoring point guard...they are what they are. They just need more confidence. Without all the pressure on them, they'll gain that confidence. Let a guy who's used to carrying the load have all that responsiblity.
Now whats our playoff record with tmac? No matter how you spin it, when it comes down to brass tacks, the rockets have a better playoff record without mcgrady. I think we have a better shot making the playoffs/beyond without tmac then with him. If we do make it to the playoffs with tmac it will be another first round exit, you will complain about how tmac didnt have enough help ignoring the huge obvious tumor that is mcgrady. He has been in the playoffs plenty of times and hasnt made it past the first round. How can you ignore all of that? When do you finally realize that it probably isnt his teammates fault all 7 times? Dont you think I would love for Tmac to come back and lead us? Hell yes I would. But am I going to dream and argue over whether our team will be better with him on it? Hell no, because last year we sucked with him on it. Tracy is almost 30 and just had major surgery on his knee as well as surgeries on other parts of his body... He wont be able to do what he has in the past. Tmac wont be double teamed anymore because they realize he is hobbled and isnt worth a double team. Tmac in his younger days relied heavily on his athleticism to get him into the paint. The Tmac we have come to love settles for jumpers more often then not. In all honesty, which form do you think is more likely to return?
You know, I really dont care to argue this. If we keep this roster the whole season (no matter when mcgrady comes back) it will be another first round exit. No way we beat the lakers, spurs, portland or the nuggets. So who cares?
Hmm, I don't recall in my memory of a worse defeat under a Rocket 'superstar(s)' than this one: http://www.redorbit.com/news/general/148731/mavericks_pound_rockets_11676_in_game_7/ Mavericks Pound Rockets 116-76 in Game 7 Posted on: Sunday, 8 May 2005, 09:00 CDT DALLAS - When they needed it most, the Dallas Mavericks put together a record-setting romp in their first really good game of the playoffs. And take note, Phoenix: They did it despite Dirk Nowitzki still misfiring. With Jason Terry leading the offense and Josh Howard setting the defensive tone against Tracy McGrady, Dallas took a huge lead in the opening minutes and built on it the rest of the way for an impressive 116-76 victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday night. It was the most lopsided Game 7 score in NBA history. Terry scored 21 of his 31 points in the first half, while Howard forced McGrady to miss six of his first seven shots. Although McGrady finished with 27 points, he shot 10-of-26 while trying to force the Rockets back into it. Frustrated that he couldn't, he punched the air and came close to hitting an official. Teammate Mike James also let his emotions get the best of him and was tossed in the final minute of the third quarter for arguing a non-call. Dallas led by 15 on a 3-pointer by Terry early in the second quarter. It was the Mavericks' biggest lead yet this series, but they were only getting started. They were up 24 before halftime and stretched it to 28 at the end of the third quarter. The advantage reached 30 points soon after, and the only drama left was how many records would be set. Dallas had its largest postseason margin of victory ever and dealt the Rockets the most lopsided playoff loss in franchise history. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the final victory margin broke the record of 39 for a Game 7 set by the St. Louis Bombers when they defeated the Philadelphia Warriors 85-46 in the final game of the 1948 league semifinals. Dallas became just the third team in playoff history to win a seven-game series after losing the first two games at home. The reward is a trip to play the well-rested Suns and their MVP-to-be, Steve Nash, who spent six seasons with the Mavericks until signing with Phoenix as a free agent last summer. For Houston, the blown series lead is one of many things to lament. The Rockets acquired McGrady believing that teaming him with Yao Ming would help them win their first playoff series since 1997. Instead, their drought continues and McGrady fell to 0-for-5 in the postseason in his otherwise stellar career. The end of their run also means coach Jeff Van Gundy must answer to the NBA over his accusations about officiating that led to a $100,000 fine.
Well, the difference between our ideologies is that my method has a chance of winning a championship a few years down the road. Yours does not. Its kind of hard for our pg's to develop when our point-forward is dominating the ball. Well, it's a good thing that if the Rockets tank, there won't be any pressure on the players at all. Hopefully, they'll take the opportunity to develop their games.
