studies have shown that mental stress often manifests itself physically in the form of backpain. maybe he needs to get some things straight mentally/personally first.
It'd be frustrating to make the playoffs first then watch the Rox get destroyed because T-Mac limps in and out with back pain. This season is a no win situation.
There is no doubt there is pain in his back that he is not able to play through, and if he tries, he can't perform at the level many expect him to perform at. I'm not sure if his pain is mental, physical, or both; but I know he is going through some tough sh*t so let him be. I have a feeling that this whole organization knows this season isn't worth killing his back over. What I don't understand is the people that say he's weak, fragile, not tough enough, etc. Before he left with the injury, T-Mac was 6/12 from the field with a steal, a block, and no TO's. Name one player who's played through the severe back spasms Tracy goes through. Actually, everytime a player gets back spasms, they aren't playing until they are 100% sure they are good to go. Oh yeah, and if you find one, please tell me his stats for that game. He's been trying this whole season to play for this club, but it's not his lack of desire that's stopping him, it's his over stressed back.
Frankly, I think we should not play him at ALL until the fourth quarter of every game from here on out. The game plan should be to keep it close enough, and then put him in to give Popovich a few more 'nightmares'
Here's the issue here, I think it's the other way around: I think his physical pain has stressed him so much that he can't get it out of his head, that every minute he's on the court he's subconsciously waiting for the next time his back goes out. IMO, his physical injuries have completely drained him -- mentally speaking that is. The sad thing is his back was just fine (i.e. manageable) until that incident in practice earlier this season when he reportedly fell hard on his back...from that point on it has been nothing but rainy days for him. Still, I really do think some serious off-season rest will get him well enough to go at again like he does every season and make his back pain more managable. I think he will also need to shed some of the pounds he put on (muscle weight) and get back to the weight he used to play with in the past. McGrady's body structure is not the type that can comfortably carry excess weight (muscle or otherwise) without having problems...not to mention the knee tendinitis he's been dealing with for a few seasons now, it flared up on him in the pre-season before he even had a chance to play much at all, but I think that was due to the excess weight he put on in the off-season than anything else. For this season, I say let him give it a go whenever he can, no reason to sit him down the rest of the season with only twenty games left (five or six weeks) in the season, it won't do a great deal to help his recovery. If limited minutes off the bench is the best way to utilize him, I have no issue with that at all, let's do it, if anything it would give us some depth all the while forcing the starting lineup players to take their game to another level and not have that 'safety-net' and comfort of relying on McGrady and Yao too much. So what do you guys think about playing T-Mac off the bench for limited minutes if it's the best way to utilize him without hurting him or the team too much? It's a possible temporary solution and beats the heck out of not having his services at all; I don't think it has to be all or nothing.
not to dump on T-Mac. . . but maybe the ones you don't hear about is because they don't talk about it constantly. . . at least not that WE, fans of another team in another city, would hear about it often I think we can Make the playoffs With TMac. . I say WE WILL without him . .we come VERY VERY CLOSE [comes down to last 2 games] I just want everyone to be at a point they can do everything Rocket River
One thing noone is mentioning is that in 2 years we havent had an adequate backup for Tmac at all. When he goes out, the team shouldnt collapse. No more 6'1 and under players please. Most star players have backup players able to handle the role for a limited time without the team losing all the ground it gained because the star is out. Lets get this man a tall SG to play next to him and a real basketball player at backup SF to take some minutes off of his hand so he doesnt kill his legs playing heavy minutes every year. Oh yeah, I've played with a stiff back plenty of times, and once it gets that way, it automatically takes away some lift on your jumpshots, your speed, and you just feel although you're trying your body just wont respond the same. Sort of hard to explain, but it definitely limits you.
Heh! You're right, but I just hate the Fakers and their fans so very much, even Jesus would hate them...I am quiet confident of that
When I read the title of this thread, I was thinking that it would be the other way around. We can rest tmac in those games that we know are losses and play him in those games we cannot afford to lose. I'm hoping for the best against the likes of SA and Dallas coming up but I know that it would be quite an upset for this year's team to beat either one even at full strength. If we are going to rest Tracy, why not pick these games where the chance of winning even with Tracy is not high?
Why do you say that? Is it because he's injured this season because he tried bulking up so he could be much more effective down low? So he's injured, and you forget last season? Oh, you're absolutely correct, I was giving T-Mac too much credit for locking down on Nowitzki last season in the playoffs. I guess you don't have to be NBA built to guard someone 4 inches taller, 30 some-odd pounds heavier than you. Not to mention that "someone" is an NBA superstar as well...
i like how you pharsed this offeseason. it will be an interestin one for sure. im anxious to see how it plays out.
why do u accuse me for being something that i am not, without any evidence... ppl like you should disappear..
