Oh god I hope that does not happpen. Rockets basically give up on the season if it went down. I honestly rather be a big player in the 2010 FA than in 2009.
Jeff, This article is not about back to backs, it is about his teamates losing all respect for the man....it is much deeper than just missing a few games. They have called him out, confronted him, and now are shutting him out....it seems he has become a cancer. Look how much better or harder the team plays without him, they cover for each other, pass the ball, trust each other....are they equally as talented? No...but they are better as a whole... Trade him.....or bench him...but move on......and if he comes to his senses and apologizes...give him another chance...but move on for the good of the entire team. DD
My only concern is that the Rockets take on a bad contract in the false hope that they can get over the hump. God, how many years was this franchise buried because they had so many overpaid marginal players holding them back. Also, it would be a huge mistake to trade him when his value is so low and his value couldn't be much lower right now.
Fran did, but he made it out to be McGrady's fault. As if Artest isnt in control of his own actions. I always took Artest to be day to day. But if being perfectly healthy and day to day have no difference in missing games, why the distinction on the injury report. Ya know, the first couple times McGrady didnt play in the 2nd half of B2B the story was just that, him not playing in the 2nd half of B2B. But apparently that story is old now and maybe Fran is trying to find a new angle for a story in his blog. As far as I can tell, there really hasnt been much of a change since T-Mac made the statements regarding the Toronto game a few days ago. That was the last big piece of news about the situation.
I may understand your standpoint, but you really don't know what is going on. You really don't know what is going on in the locker room. Only the players know it. I am sure you will miss him in the playoffs.
As I've stated before, if the rox are tired of tracy, just trade him. NY, Mia are a couple of teams that can give the rox salries and players and still keep them in the 2010 sweeps. Marion and Blount for Mcgrady, Head, and Hayes. Mcgrady and Hayes or head for Harrington,Thomas, James. Does any of those deals make the Rox better? Probably not, but they have replaced his production, but maybe not his impact. If fans and coaches are disappointed with his effort, both deals address that. Marion is a non stop player who runs all day, doesn't need any plays run for him and is used to running and cutting. Harrington is the big tweener who can play 3/4, plays hard, shoot the 3, matchup problem for a lot of guys that spot. Thomas is capable also. James is a big backup. Both deals keep all three team in the big free agent hunt in a couple of years. Don't tell me what you can't do when shaq got traded last yr.
I happen to agree too that this stretch of home games w/o back-to-backs will help the team find some cohesiveness with the starting lineup. It will help McGrady get more practice/court time with the team on a more consistant basis. Ron Artests has gotten a pass because despite his flaws on the court, he means well and goes all out. But his in-and-out of the lineup equally has impacted the team negatively. Ultmately I feel it falls on the coach because Adelman has allowed this atmosphere to fester ... He needs to have more backbone like JVG ... If you can't play in consecutive games ... then sit and heal.
Real quick question for all of the TMac lovers in this thread... Do you admit that he QUIT on the team in Toronto? It's as if you all conveniently leave that fact out when talking about his "injured" knee Please answer...
But how can you continue to ignore everything that is going on ? Rafer called him out, Artest called him out.....it is clear to anyone that is paying attention he is a cancer in that clubhouse.... Even on 1560 the other day when Clutch was on, one of the radio guys was talking about how TMac is like a black cloud, and that after the Celtics game, some of the players probably didn't want him on the bus bringing his aura to the team..... I would LOVE it if Tmac came back and tried hard, but just look at the way his teamates play when he is on the court....the effort level is perceptively lower. There is a problem there, a big one...whether you or anyone else wants to admit it. And Doc Rocket was right....it was worse in the clubhouse and what was inside is now getting outside..... DD
On another note. I don't get the guys losing respect for him either. I mean why would scrubs like hayes,alston,head, even be worried about it. Those guys wouldn't get minutes on another 50 win team in the league. DD, I do remember you last year saying he was faking. I'd imagine if this site was running in 92, you probably would be saying Dream was faking also. Dunno, we'll see how it works out.
This statement is not incorrect, but McGrady wasnt the only change in the lineup yesterday from the Thunder game. McGrady out, Barry and Battier in. Technically the team was deeper against NY than they were against OKC. I'm still wondering about his teammates calling him out. The closest I can think of is when Artest said he needed to be more of a dog when he gets back healthy. Dont read into something more than there is.
Leeb, I don't know where you are getting the scrubs losing respect, but if the TEAM loses respect...Yao, Artest, Scola, Battier, etc..etc..etc... His time is done.....this happened to him in Orlando too, eventually the coaches and organization got tired of waiting for him to grow up....and they moved him. Well, nearly 5 years and the Rockets are waiting on the same thing..... Give me Wafer over Tmac any day of the week, he plays harder, and the shots are more evenly distributed, the team plays better. Tmac is a great talent, but he is a loser, a prima donna with an attitude that he is more important than the team...... Time to trade him...hopefully for a PG or an athletic PF that can stroke the 3ball. And I still believe he was exaggerating last year....for maximum prima donnanish.....it is what he does. DD
Excatly. Adelman is not doing the right thing. He just let players play when they are ready, he allows Ron to choose game, it is kinda unbelivable. If I were the coach, I'd say: "T-Mac, Ron I don't care if you can play in one game of every back to back. I really don't. You can choose now. Either you play in every single game and play HARD or you just sit out until you are READY" Coach just cannot allow that
With TSlack, we won't even make the playoffs. When he's been playing of late, we lose to bad teams or barely beat them and get crushed by good teams. He is one of our worst shooters (in terms of FG%) yet insists on jacking up a huge number of jumpers. He'll shoot 40+% one game and his fans will say that he's back (forgetting about the other 4 games where he shot sub 40%).
When certain players continue to get minutes on a team year after year, despite a coaching change, and despite roster changes, and with the team continuing to win 50+ wins each year, that undercuts the claim that they "wouldn't get minutes on another 50 win team in the league".
I totally agree with this, Adelman has to step up here and take a stand. Bench him, trade him..but don't let him dictate when he can play...if he can play, he can play...but if he wants to sit out back to backs.....sit him....until he can go hard in games and practice. DD
yes yes. chuck hayes striped kevin durant cleanly, and made kg look like a clown for a while - all because of mcgrady who makes player better. and what is the infamous w/ and w/o mcgrady record lately this year (i really don't know)? not that it says much to begin with.
