[nbatv-gary payton] "I think Houston is better without McGrady"

All the evidence shows that a healthy Tracy McGrady always improved the team. There isn't a shred of evidence that says otherwise.

 

It's been long enough since he was entirely healthy that people are forgetting what it felt like. *shrug* Guess I cant blame them.

 

Hmm..
Am I the only one that noticed a lot of 'team' basketball during the 22game win streak?
McGrady played a huge part in it.
We also wrecked on Defense.
McGrady was being considered for MVP.
I think that a lot of you guys are simply judging the team that played with an unhealthy McGrady that also had minimal time to gel and create chemistry.
McGrady is all about winning.
We would be a better team with a healthy McGrady.
We just needed him healthy and more time to figure out how to get some consistency.

 

I think that's the common misconception. Many fans, analyst, etc. will just use the blanket statement "they are better without McGrady." It's just not that simple, in my opinion.

You have to be more specific stating they are better without an *injured* McGrady *this year*. To say they are better without him period is plain false.

It's one thing to believe whether or not he can lead or be a part of a team that makes a playoff run. That is up to MUCH debate and rightfully so.

It's another thing to say the team is better without him vs. with him. The plain W-L stats since he's donned a Rockets uni says very much that this team is much worse without him. I mean if people are going to use the W-L record as a measuring stick this year.

 

The team came together when Tmac was injured, and he came back for a while and played within the system, but gradually he went back to his comfort zone of dominating the ball and the team struggled because of it.

Again, if he comes back, he has to commit or sit.......this is part of the organizations fault for not putting their foot down sooner.

Either way, I get what Payton is saying and I agree with him.

DD

 

No. People stopped hittin their shots.
Be for real.
The guy HAD to step his game up and carry the team.
And why wasn't anyone complaining then?

 

basketball is a game of rhythm the team is hitting their shots bc of the ball movement something that wasnt there when Tracy was in the game. if you catch the ball when in rhythm you have a better percentage of making the shot.

 

So ball movement was magically there for 10+ games?

 

No, it was magically there because Tmac went out with an injury and the no longer had a guy stopping the ball.

DD

 

Is Webber implying that T-mac won't make a strong return from microfracture surgery? "its not for the faint of heart" - faint hearted is exactly how i would describe tmac's motivation these past 2 years. When the rockets get past the 1st round of the playoffs this year without him, hopefully that'll be a wakeup call for him.

 

DD, I agree with most of what you say, but right now, you're speaking nonsense.
McGrady was a HUGE part in our success last season.
I don't know what you have against the guy, but you needa get your facts straight.
Stop being like every other ignorant hater on this forum.

 

horrible, just horrible

 

MJ, I'm with you, but even Kobe needed help in the post season. Horry, Fox, Fisher, and the like...who were all set up by Kobe's play so I certainly am not dismissing Kobe. Who actually came through when the series was on the line for the Rockets? No one. Not McGrady, not anyone else.

I won't deny this partly falls on Mac. He didn't seem to trust anyone else to take the shot(s) or make the play(s).

With all that said, I do think we need SOMEONE that can close. I love our team, but I'm still concerned about how they will be in the post-season still.

 

Well he's the best closer on the team.
UNFORTUNATELY.

 

what success?

 

Yeah, I see Yao doing that. Ron, when he goes iso-mode I get scared. Takes me back to the Francis era. He has been improving though. So far it seems like they put the ball in Artest's hands at the end of quarters.

 

I would assume he means the fact that we even made the playoffs considering everyone and their mom declared last season lost as soon as Yao was out.

 

Yeah. I ignored the kid.