Maybe T-Mac is expending more energy playing defense, making him too fatigued to score. If you had Yao, you would focus more energy on defense than offense, too.
As long as tmac elevates his game for the playoffs, takes over and realizes he needs to be the #1 option, we will be fine. The bottom line is the Rockets are only going to as far as tmac takes them. We still need Yao's points and influence, but tmac is the key to this team, without him we are toast. He should be the #1 option always.
Yao usually draws 2 people, sometimes 3 in the lane and he's almost always in there. Even if he gets out of the way, his man and his help almost always sag in there for T-Mac. That leads to open 3's when T-Mac kicks out, but that bucket is almost always blocked off. Almost. Deke draws nobody and he has no problem getting out of the lane for T-Mac to come through. And he won't have 2/3 defenders sagging off of him onto T-Mac.
Maybe it is that as much as tmac denied it and says he like deferring to yao, he simply plays better as the #1 guy. I can't argue, when Yao was down, tmac was simply amazing, and this was playing like a well oiled machine. That sais we are 44-25, about to get in homecourt and win 53-54 games and are 22-8 with 111 together. all I can say is that Dallas doesn't really have an answer for either tmac or yao.
Yes, that's it. I think TMAC is smarter enough and will adjust his game!! I believe we could make something out this year! maybe Championship.
Wins are always good in the regular season but I do not think that we will get far in the playoffs, which is the ultimate goal, if we do not have Tmac shooting at a high percentage coupled with a dominant Yao. Some people say he is saving his energy but you listen to what he said in the paper, that he is frustrated by his shot not falling and also shouldn't we be fine tunning in this stretch run to the playoffs how is he saving energy by lowering his field goal percentage. Dont get me wrong he brings so much to the table that he really creates value to our team, but if this was the Tmac in his first year here with single coverage he would be dropping 40 points no sweat. Anyways a healthy Tmac is still better than most in the league
I think he's been great. He's still hitting big 4th quarter shots, he's been an assist machine and a great creator. Yeah, he misses some shots, but when he hits them it's all good. Plus, we're winning...and we just beat a good team tonight. Mac is still fully capable of putting up 30 if we need it...
8 wins in 10 games, 1 was right when Yao returned, and 1 to the Suns, and you are still complaining? Wait, we want Tmac to hit 30+ pts each game, and yao to hit 30+ pts each game, Rafer to hit 20+ pts each game, Juwan to hit 20+ pts each game, and Battier 7 threes each game (for 21 pts), and the bench for another 30+ pts each game, for a total of 151+ pts each game. Yep, that's what we want!!!
He's coasting. In other words, there is nothing "wrong" with him, and he intends to ride Yao's coattails for the most part until the playoffs, which is perfectly fine by me since Yao is trying to get back to his consistent, dominant form after his long layoff and McGrady is resting for the playoffs. The good news is his assists and rebounds are up, and he looks to be trying a bit more on the defensive end as well. But his shooting his off because he isn't driving nearly enough and he's taking WAY too many "walk up the court and chuck up a three" type of shots, which will screw anyone's FG% not named Ray Allen/Michael Redd. He's very lazy on the the offensive end right now, it's abundantly clear that he isn't trying nearly hard enough to score. Yao will be enough until the playoffs get around. McGrady has already done his part carrying this team on his bad back for over 30 games, he has expended enough energy, and we will need his skills in a healthy body in late April. I am not worried one bit, and I think anyone that's worried is overreacting.
yea, that's what I don't understand neither. why? when yao in the game, he surppose to have more open space to shot.
He is definitely coasting. You rarely see any fire in his game as of late, and I am fine with that until the playoffs hit. You guys can bet that the REAL Tmac will show up when the playoffs arrive.
I'm stunned you even replied in this thread. But if it's true that Yao's presence impedes T-Mac's game in any way then we have a bigger problem than anyone here is willing to acknowledge.
i wonder why tmac doesn't post up more often hes usually bigger than his opponent and he has an awesome fadeaway
He's not an outside shooter. That's not nor has it ever been his game, because outside shooting is not a strength of his. The worst thing in the world is repeating the "Pippin experiment" with McGrady where he wouldn't be utilized at all and basically reduced to a spot-up shooter, which would kill his effectiveness. Right now though it's mostly mental (although I DO think the way some teams defend Yao by packing the lane does negatively affect him), he's not aggressive enough offensively in terms of shot selection; too many instances where he settles for jumpers. But he's also pacing himself for the playoffs, IMO, and focusing on getting Yao going and into a rhythem (the whole team seems focused on that), which is the most important thing for our playoff chances.
I also noticed this and feel a little bit worried. But since tmac is healthy, I think it is different from his performance in the early season. He will take over in the playoff!
I see a combination of reasons. First, Tmac always takes some bad shots, but he was good enough to make some when he was in a zone. Now with Yao back, his shot selection is highlighted since Yao normally shoot a high percentage, and he won't have that many shots to get himself into the zone. Second, the defense. With Yao in the game, the defense normally packs the paint area, makes it hard for Tracy to penetrate. When Mutombo was in the game, the defense never pays much attention inside. The last reason is that Tmac has forced his game more and more, with the belief that Yao's coming back won't effect him. You can hear this from his comment regards Yao's coming back, and he was forcing it, no slack it.
