???? Tmac was guarding Dirk. FAIL 1. as a Tmac fan 2. as a Rocket fan http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2005_3866985 Mavs' tactics work on McGrady / When Dallas denies top scorer, Rockets failing to take up slack MEGAN MANFULL Staff SUN 05/01/2005 HOUSTON CHRONICLE, Section Sports, Page 4, 4 STAR Edition Tracy McGrady tried to do it all again Saturday. The Rockets changed their lineup in Game 4, giving Scott Padgett the start instead of Ryan Bowen. That left McGrady guarding the Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki from the get-go.
dude, this rookie has more FAIL than the worst HISD middle schools. 95 playoffs (both jordan and pippen were there) Playoffs: Lost NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals (4-2) versus Orlando Magic Won NBA Eastern Conference First Round (3-1) versus Charlotte Hornets
On a team that came off a three year championship streak the year (or two) before in the Eastern conference and once Jordan came back did again, all with the same coach. Yeah, that team was ALL on Pippen's shoulders. Pippen is the equivalent of Shane Battier but with a legendary player to pick up the slack and draw the double/triple teams to get him open. And to keep using the McGrady never made it out of the first round excuse is nonsense, it is a team sport, if you measured a player by how far they have gotten in the playoffs, then that would be like saying Bosh is worst then Brian Cook because... DUM DUM DUM DUM, Bosh has never made it out of the first round.
Pippen is listed as one of the greatest 50 players of all time. Tracy never made it out of the first round his entire career with 3 different teams, that AFTER HE LEFT made it past the first round. Look I hate Pippen more than any other player. But at least Pippen took the Blazers further than Tmac did with any team. Basketball is a team sport, me-mac hasn't learned to play well with others. This all started because he didn't want to play with his cousin Vince Carter in Toronto.
I have to disagree, overwhelmingly. Pippen is a much superior player to Battier. Even with the (possible) loathesome personality and his clashes with teammates/management lackluster play, the Rockets would've been out of the 1st Round multiple times against the Jazz, played in a few WCFs, and possibly beaten the Lakers, last season. If you insert Pippen from his prime with Battier. Battier lacks the (offensive) consistency, shooting range, passing skills, rebounding, scoring prowess, and most of all (probably) a better defender. Having Yao, T-Mac, and Pippen (in his prime) alone would've be enough to have beaten the Jazz, fairly easy. Yes, Pippen was such a good (lengthy) defender, you could put him against point guards and even Carlos Boozer. The guy was guarding the likes of Magic Johnson, Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley, Steve Smith, Tim Hardaway, John Stockton, Jerry Stackhouse, Dominique Wilkins, and even the great Kobe Bryant. I have to point to the 93-94 Chicago Bulls' season (and playoffs) or Pippen's first season with the Blazers. Do you really think those teams would be nearly as good as they were without Pippen (putting Battier in his place)? Of course, not. At times in his career, Pippen could actually carry offensive load for a premier team (while having the responsibility of stopping the main offensive threat on the wing). Battier is anemic as offensive player to put mildly.
The fact that we clutchfans are defending Pippen's basketball credentials shows us that the Twacks' knowledge of NBA basketball is completely wrong.
Pippen is overrated IMO. Had he played on any other team besides being Jordan's sidekick, he'd be a star but he wouldn't be one of the greatest 50 players of all time. And the fact is, McGrady averages are some of the highest in playoff history. He averaged more points in all but his first playoff runs then Pippen and even in assists has done about the same if not more. Granted, I realize that is obviously skewed because of McGrady's lack of games, but Pippen's one good Portland run is only two dozen points higher then McGrady's one series against the Magic. Regular season averages, Pippen's higher then McGrady in turn overs, rebounds and personal fouls. Once again, by that logic of playoff progression, Brian Cook is better then Chris Bosh. So really are we going to still stick with that excuse as why Pippen is better? Because the McGrady hate has got must have you and so many others tripping. @plutoblue11: Pippen is a better offensive player then Battier, but I don't know if I'd rate him as the better defender. The fact is, he usually had the best wingman on the floor on his team and when he didn't well, he could slow folk down but I can't say Pippen by himself is a better player then Battier.
^ I HATE pippin as much as the next guy but the guy is light years ahead of Battier both offensively and defensively i dont know you can make a statement like that. Pippin slowed down Magic in the 91 finals when Magic was still Magic and not Earvin Johnson Jr
I'll take Pippen as my All-time best wing defender. He was Battier with (young) McGrady's athleticism.
Pippen can dribble the ball and run a break, Shane can't do that. Yoyo, I think some people here didn't watch the same NBA as we did.
**** Scottie Pippen, that douchebag took this city as a joke. Anyone defending him isn't worth a BBS account. Comparing the careers, sure Pippen is better all-time, but as a Rocket..it's not even close. Tracy by a landslide.
Hold on a second.... What did McGrady do for Houston that was so much better than what Pippen did? At least Pippen didn't hide the fact he was a complete and utter a$$hole.
