Granted there are a number of problems on the Rockets right now but something that has really been bugging me as of late is Tmac's LACK of getting to the FT line. With the new rules in place that really give the offensive driver more of an advantage against their defender, I just dont see why Tmac isnt going to the line AT LEAST 10 times a game. Last night Kobe went 19 times. Francis went 18 times. Imagine what Tmac could do offensively if he could get to the line that many times a game? You dont have to shoot all that well from the outside if you can drive and get FTs all night long. And I feel until Tmac is willing to be VERY AGGRESSIVE in this manor on a NIGHTLY basis he isnt going to be able to take his game to the next level. In fact the team as a whole should get to the FT line more, including Yao. But the problem is the team as a whole is playing very passively offensively. There is too many jumpers and not enough physical play. Not enough going TOWARDS the basket. Our lack of quickness and lack of players that can create also can be attributed to this. This team needs to toughen up. They need to EMBRACE physical contact!
hes a jumpshooter who can slash. i dont think he will ever get to the line like kobe, or even maggette can because hes just so darn good nailing the J in peoples faces. like KG, the guy could go to the like 12 times a game if he wanted to, but its just not part of his game.
Deuce I agree with, I would like to see T-Mac impose his will on the opposing team more often. It still looks as if he is still trying to find his way around with this new team.
He might be settling for jump shots right now because of the injury he had earlier in the season. His hip is probably still bothering him and he doesn't want to risk a lot of contract to aggravate it again, all just for a couple free throws.
In 02-03, Kobe averaged 30 ppg, and went to the line 8.7 times a game. That same year, TMac averaged 32.1 ppg, and went to the line 9.6 times per game. If you look at McGrady's career in Orlando and the beginnings of his time in Houston (since he started averaging 20+ ppg), TMac averages 7.98 trips to the line a game. The season's early, but he's averaging around 6.5 so far this year. Part of it is trying to fit the offense together. TMac could probably take the ball and drive to the hole, draw the foul, shoot the free throws a lot. However, this team is still trying to fit together. Having people standing around watching McGrady go to the line is not going to do much in terms of us developing offensive cohesion- which as we can see, dearly needs to happen.
always remember. . . the rockets games have LESS possessions per game than other games. . .so less opportunities to get to the line Rocket RIver
Maybe the refs just aren't calling fouls for the rockets. I mean, Yao ming gets hammered and nothing is called. I know about the new rule changes and also know that their is a big foul difference for the paint and outside the paint.
Maybe because on 90% of the possessions, there is a big 7'6" guy clogging the lane and not allowing McGrady the room to drive, so he settles for a jumper. DD
McGrady definately needs to go to the line more. What pisses me off is when the Rockets are in a drought and can't BUY a basket, McGrady still ends up taking another jumper. He can AT WILL, drive and draw the foul if need be or find Yao for a layup, yet he chooses to keep shooting jumpers.
Shaq is a great offensive rebounder so no one could leave the Diesel to help on Kobe. Yao isn't even a good rebounder or catch the ball in traffic.
He can, but he doesn't. Very rare are the games where he did when he was in Orlando. If you bring in a Kobe or a LeBron or another elite swingman, those matchups are the ones that McGrady actually gets it in his head to drive the ball to the hole. The rest of the time, he is seemingly content to shoot jumpers. When they are going in, he can get on a roll. But, as we found out in Orlando, he can do so much more, but doesn't. I just don't know if he has the drive to do so. Perhaps some of it is a nagging concern about his bad back, I don't know. However, nagging injuries have never stopped Iverson or Kobe or others. It starts to become a question of desire, and I think you all are finding out that McGrady's desire wavers from night to night.
t meac has a kobe type first step and can get in front of his man any time he get ready.I wish he would drive to the hole it would help the team as a whole.
Fair enough. I will not argue with that. But do you think you have it better with Francis? Well that is besides the point. There is hope for Tmac because he is still young and hopefully he will understand that a jumpshooting player's best friend is his driving to the basket ability and double team attracting low post man. Francis started doing the jump shooting this also in his last two years as a Rocket and it severely turned me off. Maybe it is zone defense and bad offensive schemes but Tmac is not in the top 10 players in the NBA for nothing. He will figure it out (hopefully) and start to drive more. This same issue also plagues KG, Webber, Nowitzki.
Funny that no one has even noted this yet- TMac went to the line 14 times last night. I'm still holding out hope that this team takes off when Sura takes the helm. There were times with Sura in there last night where this team looked like a cohesive unit. He and TMac looked to have great chemistry, imo.
yes. we have everything set but starting fowards. our guards play very well together, our centers are great, but all we have are backup fowards. deke, mo, boki, jj, ward: should be our bench, with padgett and barrett as the 11th and 12th men. jh, spoon, lue, gaines, and the TE need to be used to get a 3 and a 4 who fit.
TMac is making his feelings about JVG known with his play on the court. He is just jacking up jumpers out there not wanting to risk his body going into the paint. He did it last year when he pretty much knew the season was over. Anyone remember Steve last year just laying the ball up on fastbreaks rather than dunking? Steve never ever wants to lay the ball up when he can dunk. Steve is dunking like a dunking fool now. I find it hard to see any player wanting to play hard and risking life and limb for JVG.
