Yao hasn't really let fatigue affect his performance they way it used to in like two years. Although every once and a while it may creep up. I'm glad you mentioned that though because some of the same people here using McGrady's tired reason for not scoring in the last 2 fourth quarters, I don't remember any of them posting in defense of Yao when he did have that problem more regularly. The mantra around here was that more was expected of him and that he must close the deal.
Watching TMAC, I am constantly amazed at how good he can really be. I don't think anyone disputes that he is an amazing basketball talent. My issue is the amount of energy he normally uses in a game is minimal. He doesn't get down the court fast on either side of the ball, when he has a chance for a fast break he almost ALWAYS slows down and pulls the ball out (unless he is all alone) and just generally appears to be physically on idle rather than full throttle. This is why it's hard to hear he's exhasted. Scola and Luis and even Rafer seem to play with so much energy and as many minutes, but don't say, I got tired. I love the guy, and he is amazing to watch, but that was a must win and he did nothing agressive in the fourth quarter. That's on you TMAC. I know you are what you are and we fans all appreciate that. I hope you appreciate we expected more, and maybe you just cannot deliver more. That's okay too. It's also okay that we are disappointed.
I think this season he was/is running the fast breaks very quick. Season ago he was slowing them down but this year he is the first to finish so I can't agree with that.
From my obersvations, TMac's jumpshot has gone downhill since he first joined the Rockets. Part of this is probably due to the fact that he does not have as much lift as he used to. What really frustrates me is that he has relied too much on his athletic ability (18 ft off-balance fade aways) and not fundamentals, like squaring his body to the basket. He's such an amazing talent but he needs to adjust his game as he gets older. Jordan did it and that's how he had been able to stay at the top for so long. Heck, even Kobe changed his game. I don't mind the jumpshots if he shoots them at a higher clip. I think TMac has some work to do in the off-season.
i've heard kobe though 2 years ago and didn't yao admit he was tired recently from a road trip and that was why he struggled in those 3 games? to a chinese newspaper somewhere. players get tired from having to do too much. that's why teams make trades to help their stars (lakers with gasol, cavs with all those moves...)
"banging with harpring, (blah blah blah)... that's a lot." go look at the video. you don't get more whiny than that. true great players don't say and feel like that. right there is where many have issues with. it's not like only mcgrady played for over 40 minutes. from what he has said afterwards (yesterday and today), i can feel he regrets the way he put it on the post-game press conf. a little bit. the issue is all mental with #1.
OK T-Mac is known to speak his mind, for better or for worse, and usually for worse. So why is a quote from him being eaten up yet again by some on this board? It's just something T-Mac does, that's one of his faults. He's a truthful guy and all that but sometimes you gotta keep it to yourself. Oh well, too late to change that. Everyone's tired whether they say it or not, and T-Mac throughout his career, not just in Houston, has said "it" a lot more. Whatever "it" is. That's nothing new. Why do people keep picking at it? The facts are he's out there playing. Could he play a little harder? Yes. But it's not like you can't begrudge him a couple comments he's known to make anyways. If that's your make or break point about T-Mac (and not the OPs valid point of "Go down fighting") then that's just sad.
people judge by quotes on this board more than they judge actual play. it's unbelievable to me how people can perceive the power of "words." tmac DID try to be aggressive in the 4th quarter, but he just couldn't do it. if you want to criticize that, fine. but he did try. all of his energy was drained from doing everything in the first 3 quarters. sure he should have better stamina, but as long as my players tried, i'm all for it. stamina is something tmac should keep improving b/c he's injured so much that it messes up his rhythm and endurance. he has to improve that this offseason. again, i want tmac to pace himself more (though if his team is trailing by double digits again, i doubt he can afford to do that) and so be fresh for the 4th. hopefully the guys can keep the game within a 3-4 pt distance so tmac doesn't have to feel he has to exert his energy to keep us in the game.
T-Mac needs to work on his stamina for next season and Rockets management need to work on getting better role players once again. We need players who can motivate like Bob Sura and Jon Barry. Those two might have been old but they motivated us to take a superior dallas mavericks team to game seven. Maybe Mike Miller would motivate T-Mac because they were butt buddies back in orlando.
everytime he speaks in public, i worry. it' almost like gw. but what he says or the way he says it is not the issue. no one is faulting him for being truthful or honest. him being frankly is the reason why i take what he says pretty much as what he thinks. and what he thinks is often problematic. for example, "i'm tired". by itself the statement is true. everyone has got to be, particularly late in the game. but he seems to let this "tired" mentality dictate his play in the 4th rather than overcoming or getting over it and taking the leader's role. that, is where the issue is. no one is faulting him for saying that per se. it's the fact that he can't get over whatever hurdle in front of him in that 4th quarter sutiation. and i think he realized that afterwards. he has said since that he could've been more aggressive in the 4th but "it didn't happen". not hard to comprehend the issue here imo. and his play so far in this p/o series has been good overall.
The one who get tired does so simply because he does not like what he is doing. Love what you are doing and you will never know fatigue.
I get tired when I'm "hittin it." I love that I'm "hittin it." but man, I get tired...I don't think that's quitting. I just am running on empty.
