Well T-Mac only shoots these shots when the rest of the team isn't helping him. T-Mac does everything for this team including playmaking. The other teams like Utah don't let T-Mac get open looks and easy shots. I agree that he is shooting too many crazy shots but, he is starting to drive more and draw a lot of fouls which is a good sign.
T-Mac will have much better chance to shoot close the basket when our perimeter shooters have decent FG%. If we can't score from the downtown, the paint will be too crowded to penetrate.
At least you justified yourself somewhat being no expert. That post is completely backwards. If I wanted game results, I won't run Shaq out of town. And if I wanted personal glory, I won't demand a trade from Orlando.
that may be true that Big O doesn't watch all the games, but I did watch the game and I did see TMac ... his second quarter was phenominal with him taking it to the basket on several occasions. ... in the second half he attacked and drew contact on several occasions, but we wasted at least 5-8 possessions with really bad shots ... he did it to end the half, he did it 2-3 times during a key 4th quarter stretch where we were trying to put them away, and even late when they were putting together a comeback ... utah woud pressure him and he would take a couple of lateral steps closer to the arc and fire away ... plain and simple he took too many off-balance jumpshots ... 2 or three is fine because he can, and is one of the few, that can actually drill them... but those heat check 3 pointers shouldn't become your goto move ... i'm not saying this is what he does always, I think he is usually very good with finding guys and playing smart offensive bball ... that alley-oop to Yao was a testiment to his playmaking skills ...but just before that he had put up some pretty ill-advised shots ... chuck hayes gathered a few offensive boards so we didn't completely lose those possessions i agree with the user who said that you almost felt like he kept taking them thinking "dang i just wanna make a couple of these" ... it's all good tmac, but next time more playmaking, driving, and jumpers off of curls and mismatches and less of the "i'm gonna rise over you and drill a tough game-winner type shot"
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I'm with Big O... the thing is, with Tracy, its hard to really hate on his shot selection because he can make any bad situation a good one. He's big, long armed, has amazing brakes, and can rise up over any player in the league. Every shot he takes is pretty much uncontested in that regard, so it seems weird to label it a "bad" shot... But, T-Mac does take some early and unnecessary shots. Watch the last 3 minutes of Game 2, we were nursing our lead and T-Mac ran several plays with himself taking a shot with less than 10 seconds off the shot clock. With that little time left in the game, there is no reason for that. You do not extend the game when you're in the lead and the other team is trying to come back hard, it was extremely frustrating to watch. But again, T-Mac can make those shots, so I don't know if there's a coach in the league that will really try and make him stop.
the point is that tmac has taken about 4 or 5 bad shot a game this series, thats five possesions. think how mad we would be if rafer was taking them
phil jackson would i think at least criticize him publicly like he did to kobe in the playoffs so far
And what about all of those 'bad' shots he takes ... and makes? How does the other team respond? It's disheartening for them. If the double team was slow before it comes a lot faster and helps the rest of the team. I wouldn't mess with TMac's game at this point. The big O is clueless now, acting like Kobe has more team game proves it. An imbecile can recognize who's more about team between these 2.
You don't publicly criticize a player in the playoffs when you are winning. Look we all want T-Mac not to settle for his jumper and take it to the lane, but as it has been pointed out, the lane has been a bit conjested as of late. Do you want T-Mac to defer to a lesser player or would you rather him take the shot? He's a rhythm player, he has to shoot a lot of shots to all of the sudden explode like he did in the 3rd quarter of game 1 and to hit the clutch shots he did in game 2. He has good instincts. If he stops shooting because he obsessing over shot selection it will be the demise of the Rockets. It isn't as if the guy never passes the ball to open shooter. The bottom line is that Oscar's critique is off-base and not even consistent with his own words. He praises watching Kobe and the same thought comes down on T-Mac for his shot selection? Give me a break. Then because he is legend, T-Mac ought to listen to that critique? T-Mac...just play the game, your game, and the Rockets will through with this series in 5.
Kobe was not playing team ball. I saw wide open players waving their arms under the basket while kobe decides to take his double team around the key. If someone is open under the basket, TMac hits'm.
I have no problem with the critisim and I agree and wish he would take better shots BUT I think it's a little misguided to not apply a similar critisim to Kobe, had he not mentioned Kobe I don't think most people would have been bothered by what the Big O said.
i actually LOVED tmac shooting in game 2. his teammates were not making. so i think b/c of that, he forced the issue and didn't get down on himself despite missing. that's why he was able to make that last tough fallaway over giricek. and he knew his shot was fallin so he did try to go to the line. but i think he still mixed in jumpers b/c i believe he thought shooting fts gave him a bit of a rhythm, which it did not. but i love tracy's confidence and aggressiveness right now. to shoot that bad and still put up 31, 10, 5 => greatness.
Yeah, if he were talking about Kobe, it would make sense for sure. BTW, I saw Big O on the BDSP, and he really seemed very full of himself. For a guy who is such a respected time 5 all time NBA player, he is extremely arrogant. He made it seemed like none of the guys today were close to him. He has a very different attitude than some of the others like Russel, and Dr.J
I think this is spot on. Criticize Tmac? Fine. But then give Kobe a pass when he's a much bigger offender? Look, when you have superstars, they are going to attempt things much more difficult than average players. Coaches and teammates have faith in that star that they know what they can and can't do. Fine. Now there isn't a magic number, but there also has to be a point when even the said superstar is overdoing it. I feel like Tmac might have gone a little past the line in game 2. But it's one game. I'll be concerned if he does that the rest of the series, even if we win.
whatever, Oscar Robertson can say what he wants. Despite taking 9 threes, Mac still went to the line 14 times. He facilitated the offense pretty damn well, and he rebounded well. sure, some bad shots here and there, but it's not so bad that he can be considered worse than kobe. looks like old age is getting to the Big O.
Okay, I guess we agree. Now to what I'm really wondering...how in the world does someone make 1,450 posts since February?!
There has to be some allowance for maturing as a player. McGrady is not the same player that saw his team blow a 3-1 lead over Detroit. Even still he's never been on a superior team than his playoff opponent until now. If they don't make it past Utah, then your point has some validity. Give the guy a chance.
