Damien Pierce Rockets.com Staff Writer HOUSTON -- Tracy McGrady admitted Monday being a little freaked out when he learned that he had blacked out from a minor concussion suffered during Saturday's win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The good news is that the freaky incident appears to be behind him. McGrady returned to practice Monday without a lingering headache and said that he expects to play in Tuesday's game against Golden State. The Rockets swingman said he didn't remember collapsing on the bench during a timeout and that he didn't even really recall the collision with Dikembe Mutombo's elbow in the first half. "I blacked out," McGrady said. "I don't remember anything. The guys were telling me about the stuff going on on the bench and I just asked, 'Was I really doing that?' They told me I was laying down (on the bench) and that I took five to six chairs. I don't remember that and, for me to not remember, that is freaky." The Rockets' six-time All-Star suffered the minor concussion in the first quarter after being inadvertently elbowed in the forehead by Mutombo. Nearly 20 minutes after the incident, McGrady tried to stand up in front of the team's bench and sunk back down. He was eventually taken to the locker room, where he spent the remainder of the game. McGrady said he started feeling better in the locker room and was basically himself when he left the arena. The Rockets star said that he didn't leave the house Sunday. "I had a major headache on Sunday," McGrady said. "I pretty much stayed in bed all day." McGrady said it was the second concussion that he has suffered in his career. During a game with the Toronto Raptors in Jan. 2000, McGrady was knocked out by Kevin Willis while retrieving his own offensive rebound. He was hospitalized after the hit and needed several stitches. "Hopefully, I don't get another concussion," McGrady said. "I don't want to turn into Steve Young." After seeing his star player go down, Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said he might re-evaluate whether Mutombo needs to start wearing elbow pads during games. "Deke is like a tornado," Van Gundy said. "He cuts a destructive path and sometimes it hurts those that you love the most. We make him practice with elbow pads to keep him from hurting our guys. You would think in games that he wouldn't be hurting our guys when he doesn't wear elbow pads. We might have to rethink that." Early meeting: When Dikembe Mutombo showed up for work Monday morning, he had a note waiting for him in his locker. He was being summoned to the office of Jeff Van Gundy. "It's never a good thing when you get that note," Mutombo said. The Rockets reserve center said he spent what seemed like an hour inside Van Gundy's office reviewing the play that led up to McGrady's mild concussion. Van Gundy wasn't upset with the center for the accidental elbow, but instead wanted the center to see that the injury occurred because Mutombo didn't block out on the possession, allowing Cleveland to pick up two offensive rebounds. The center collided with McGrady after a scramble for the second offensive rebound. Van Gundy said that he hopes Mutombo got the message. "He's a great guy and he does a lot of great things in this world, but he's got to be more ready to play," Van Gundy said. Not returning yet: Bob Sura has suffered a setback in his comeback. Sura, who was eyeing a return to the practice court this month, has been sidetracked by a back injury, according to Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy. "That's why you haven't seen him yet," Van Gundy said. Sura, who began his comeback attempt this summer, hasn't played in an NBA game in over 19 months since undergoing a successful arthroscopic procedure to remove loose particles in his right knee. He also underwent surgery to repair a ruptured disc in his back on Nov. 22, 2005. Van Gundy also said there was no update on Bonzi Wells' status, except that Wells has been recently slowed down with a hamstring problem. Link
Do local reports ever ask questions? How about, "Is Sura's back injury serious"? "When, if at all, do you anticipate Wells joining the team"?
That's relieving news. I was a bit concerned when I saw his failed attempt to stand up during the telecast. He was playing well before the KO, so hopefully he can remember what he was doing right.
"Hopefully, I don't get another concussion," McGrady said. "I don't want to turn into Steve Young." lol thats funny
Sucks about Sura. The Bonzi situation sounds worse and worse. How does it work again if Sura is unable to play? We get some kind of exemption at a deadline, don't we?
What do you think would happen if Dirk got hit by that Deke tornado in the face? I'm sure he would flop no more.
you guys misunderstood. he has a "ham on a string" which is injuring his chances of playing anytime soon...
"He cuts a destructive path and sometimes it hurts those that you love the most. We make him practice with elbow pads to keep him from hurting our guys. You would think in games that he wouldn't be hurting our guys when he doesn't wear elbow pads. We might have to rethink that." LOL. Van Gundy is quite funny sometimes.
damn, I was excited about having Sura practice this month. Oh well, take a few more weeks off for your January return Bobby! As for Wells....ugh. And TMAC...great news..... Pretty funny they make Deke where elbow pads.
They should have put the sura/wels news in the beginning so it wouldnt have ruined a good news aas bad
Too bad about Bobby, his heart is so big but his body seems to be unwilling to cooperate. Great news about TMAC, but it seems like the team is trying to make up injuries to keep the drama with Wells out of the media. Any chance to swap Wells for serviceable backup 4-5 after January 2nd?
Deke is a tornado. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1956133 Meanwhile, Dikembe Mutombo's elbows have done a lot of damage over the years. Left in his wake were 25 affected players, five broken noses, 20 stitches. The log: # April 20, 2004: Kenyon Martin, hit in the eye and retaliated by clubbing Mutombo across the arm. Received a technical foul # March 31, 2003: Yao Ming, hit in the throat. Mutombo assessed flagrant foul # Feb. 4, 2002: Vince Carter, hit in the gut # May 16, 2001: Vince Carter, hit in the head. Carter did not return to Game 6 of the Eastern Conference playoffs # May 6, 2001: Chris Childs, broken nose # Feb. 26, 2001: Ray Allen, broken nose # Jan. 13, 2001: Corey Maggette, eye trauma # Dec. 28, 2000: Chauncey Billups, hit in the mouth, four stitches, fractured front tooth # Feb. 6, 1999: Jayson Williams, broken nose # May 4, 1999: Mark Strickland, broken nose # May 8, 1999: Lindsey Hunter, left eye # May 8, 1999: Christian Laettner, cut on face # April 9, 1999: Chris Childs, lost a tooth; Marcus Camby, shot to throat; Larry Johnson, hit in the head; Patrick Ewing, hit in the head # March 4, 1999: Kevin Willis, injured shoulder. Missed several games # May 6, 1997: Dennis Rodman, retaliated and ejected with second technical foul # April 12, 1997: Tom Gugliotta, broken nose # Jan. 30, 1997: Antoine Carr, knocked senseless # Jan. 4, 1997: Charles Oakley, four stitches to the lip # Oct. 22, 1996: Michael Jordan, bloodied nose (preseason game) # April 10, 1994: Robert Horry, hit in the head, fell to the floor # Dec. 30, 1993: Chris Webber; Mutombo later ejected for taunting Chris Gatling # Dec. 28, 1991: Robert Parish, hit the floor # Nov. 29, 1991: Ricky Pierce, 12 stitches in forehead
do you know if bonzi's hamstring is the reason he hasn't been practicing? if so, i think that's atleast good news in that there's a reason he's not with the team. sucks with sura but atleast it's not the knee.
if bonzi didnt have so much fat on his gut he wouldnt have torn a hamstring...and i'm sure sura can do a jason kidd and come back greater than ever...
