When did I say that I wanted T-Mac to score and not the Rockets to win? Or what did I say that made you feel that?
Trusting in your teammates in RA's system has different meanings. It's not about throwing a highlight pass to a role player, he scores and you collect an assist. It's about letting the situation decide who would collect that assist, it's about trusting your teammates to make a play. In RA's Kings team, assists didn't have to come from Bibby or Miller or Divac, everyone moves and cuts, EVEN the "playmaker". When guys like Yao or TMac move, they attract lots of defensive attention, which opens up lots of opportunities for their teammates. TMac doesn't have teammates like Parker or Manu, but if he can move and draw defensive attention, the life of his teammates would be a lot easier. Even a Rafer or Head or Bonzi or Scola can make a play out of it. That's how you make your teammates better. TMac is no Steve Nash, who is going to reward almost every open spot you get to, that's why his teammates are running non-stop. TMac can throw beautiful passes every now and then, but you can't expect Battier to cut on every play, to be ready for that 2 or 3 passes in a full game. But if everyone is moving and cutting, everyone could become a playmaker, and everyone could be beneficiary of the playmaking of his teammates. That's what trusting your teammates is about.
I really hate this. All wins are because of T-Mac and all losses are due to his teammates, or coach. From this point, he is really unselfish. By the way, how do you explain he led a team with 19 wins a season? His teammates suck.
His girl friend at that time. That was really rediculous reason after we found that out after he said he had some personal things to deal with.
How do you define lead? I don't even think T-Mac's mentality is strong enought to lead this team. T-Mac would still like to think this is his tem, probably, but I really don't think he is qualified given that how soft he is when the team need him most.
I never said that. He has to take responsibility for most losses since he is the best player on the team, but he does not get enough credit for the MANY things he does do right that GREATLY outweigh his faults (looks lazy on the court, poor FT shooter, defense sometimes poor, etc...). How do you explain that the Rockets are 13-42 without T-Mac since he arrivd in Houston? Does Yao not deserve flack for that? Do his teammates not deserve flack for that? Bottom line is they have a winning % of 63% since he joined the team...that is 52 wins of an 82 game season. Without him we are a 30% win team...that is 24 wins out of an 82 game season. Basically everyone needs to calm down concerning T-Mac. Lets see this team, who have now seemingly "got" the system, play with their best player on the floor and healthy (something he hasn't been since the Philly game).
I'm enjoying watching the team play without TMac so far... There is better ball movement, and Brooks and Scola are getting to develop, while Battier is forced into offensive action. The rest is business as usual, aside from Bonzi starting. I hope TMac can integrate into the team and play team ball-movement ball, rather than trying to ace his man one on one... Inside out has been working lately; even in the Denver game that went to double OT, Yao was the playmaker in the post, he was running the team from the pivot, telling guys to cut, throwing it back out for the open shot... Can Tmac integrate into the team-ball concept?... In the past, Tmac's 'It's on me' worked, but only on losing teams. I don't want to see Tmac score 40 and the Rockets lose. I think he needs to watch tape of Jordan and Pippen from their championship years, when they added a cerebral dimension to their games. Jordan would get his teammates involved and then take over in the 4th... On this Rockets team, TMac can do that, but there's a problem - we have Yao, who is just as dominant or more so an offensive threat than Tmac. So, I'd say that whoever is hot gets the touches in the 4th, or alternate. TMac can also take on the Pippen role from time to time; play defense, rebound, block shots, make steals, make assists, don't worry if you only score 15 some games, if your team wins. Can his ego stand taking such a role?... Can TMac join the team?... Can he get rid of the 'It's on me' ridiculous individualism ('My teammates were making shots tonight, which makes my job a lot easier')...? Those are the $20 million dollar questions that Rick Adelman and Tmac need to answer.
"How do you explain that the Rockets are 13-42 without T-Mac since he arrivd in Houston?" Easy. It just mean what a team can achieve if the team can only has $20M less on its roster. Let me ask you: Just replace $20M with some solid $10M player, do you think the record will still be 13-42? No way.
Well, look at what guys like Gordon and Deng are asking for, and where is THAT team? The Rockets may not have been as bad as they were, but still probably wouldn't hav been .500 considering how reliant the team was on T-Mac (he had highest usage rating in league last year). There are PLENTY of $15-$20 million players out there that are injury prone, overrated, haven't filled out their potential, haven't succeeded in the playoffs, etc... At $20 million, you get one of a handful of players that consistently gets you 25/6/5. Under Adelman, when healthy, I think he can be closer to a 30/6/5 player, as he was early in the season before the elbow injury.
We are talking the present Rox team not the past. I was a T-Mac fan before. And I believe many guys here were T-Mac fans before. Only that he fooled us os many times. It's time to move on. Can you tell me one thing, why didn't T-Mac come to the game and cheer for his teammates last night? Do you think he doesn't need to understand his teammates' play better, or he is just so talented that once he come back, he will do well with his teammates. Basketball is a team sport, players as talent as Kobe even followed his team when he was injured and LA travells.
I'm curious. . . I remember in the Francis Headache season we were like a 20 win team . . .and francis played that WHOLE SEASON with headaches and refused to sit out What was the record without Francis in the Line up during those years Rocket River
What are you talking about? YOu think opponents are going to double team Hayes so T-mac can cut to the basket and get an easy layup?!!!!? THere's no system in the world were the offensively inept turn into playmakers. T-mac averages more assists then anyone on those Sac-town teams, he already passes the ball. And you think Sac town was a cut to the basket for easy layups team? NOOOO - they were a jump shooting team that moved the ball around for sure....but they didn't have a playmaker like you have in T-mac. Their best passer and scorer was probably Chris Weber, and you bet your balls they put the ball in his hands more then anyone. It wasn't this democratic system you make it out to be. Peja was the shooter, and Weber and Bibby dominated the ball for sure. T-mac and Yao are going to touch the ball the most - that's never going to change, it woudl just be stupid to do otherwise. But what you'll see is that the motion of the other guys on the floor will create more opportunities. The problem hasn't been T-mac and Yao, it's been the other players not moving or following the offense, and missing their shots so atrociously that T-mac and Yao have tried to put the darn team on their backs and carry everyone else. You have no clue what you're talking about man. This is the FIRST year we're running a real offense....just please...stop - because first of all, if everyone was moving and cutting at the same time it woudl be a disaster. Offenses are not as simple as you make them out to be. And if you don't execute the offense correctly, for instance by being uncomfortable and hesitating, or not being in the right spot at the right time, you get pretty ugly looking offense. That's what you've seen....takes time man. Just show some patience, because dude, you really have no clue what you're talking about.
If he can limit his jumpshots, only makes it when needed and get them in, if he can be tough and faster, then he can lead the team to win. That's ture,when he's on court and makes some consecutive jumpshots, we gonna win,elsewise,we might lose, that's primarily why Rox always get up-and-down. So if we wants some deep-in to the playoff, i m not convinced we can rely on this guy, cuz in Yao's country,there is a saying,'It is easier to change a mountain then to change a man's character'.
Arguing about whether this team is better with or without Tmac is like arguing about religion. Pointless. The team is improving and try to find ways to win while Tmac is nourishing an injury. There is nothing we can do about it so why get all frustrated over something we can't control? Tired of all these ppl copying/imitating Nostradamus or whatever like Northeastern. Yeah, bravo...Here's in idea: how about sitting back and enjoy each game and see how the season will unfold, see how players react to challenge instead of being that annoying guy with the urge to blurt out the ending?
There is no point arguing with guys who don't understand basketball or who are so obviously biased in their opinions. They'll just end up calling u a Yao hater or a Tmac fan or whatever it is termed around these parts. LOOK, NOBODY SAID TMAC IS PERFECT. -he has had a history of quitting on his team (making it justifable for fans to question his desire) -he has a history of injuries (some might call him soft) But for you guys to call him a pu**y for missing 3 weeks b/c of a bone bruise is just hateful. A bone bruise is no "ordinary bruise" -you'd realize that its painful as hell - and makes playing basketball rather difficult particularly when it affects one of your knees. Effectively you're running around on 1 leg. I'd ask some of you to go out to your local playground and just try playing some pickup ball on 1 leg. As somebody already posted on this board, Clyde Drexler missed 7 games with a similar injury. 3 weeks is actually an appropriate amount of time for an injury like this to heal. I actually am a medical doctor but what the hell do i know?
Hmm, I remember Francis missing games because of the headaches. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_8_226/ai_83450458 Last Tuesday, Francis missed his fourth game in less than a month because of head pain.
I cannot tell you why he didnt travel with the team and sit with them on the bench, and I am not going to speculate why. What I do know is what I posted before...the team has a 63% winning % with him on the floor, and 30% without him. This year the team is 5 games over .500 with him starting and finishing the game, and 2-7 when he isn't playing or doesn't finish the game. The team NEEDS T-Mac, and despite all his faults he still PRODUCES and does so at a superstar level. The team is better with T-Mac in the lineup, period.
I don't see TMac capable being a good leader. I am really satisfy with the way this team played without him. Even when he can play, we can't rely on him too much.....TMac is NEVER_PASS_FIRST_ROUND disease.
