So as I watched tonight's game I had a revelation when it comes to the new style that TMAC has been playing with since he came back from injury. He's a point guard. Does he bring the ball up the court? Most of the time no. But watch how he plays in the half court offense. He controls the ball at the top of the key most of the time and dribbles side to side looking for a pass inside. If he sees a gap to drive into he does, just as Nash would or Paul or any other top point guard. He rarely slashes to the basket without the ball. He tends to stalk the perimeter just wanting the ball so he can make a play whether score or find a teammate.In feb. he is averaging 6.6 assists which is quite a bit although he averaged 6.5 last year. One could argue he started this last year because Van Gundy always had the ball in his hands to start the play. It's more an observation of how he works in our offense than a statistical analysis. Hey he's at the least a point guard in the sense that AI is a point guard. He's a point guard who likes to score (call him Starbury? ).
Well, AI doesn't really play like a PG, does he? T-Mac is always going to handle the ball more than you're average spot up SG, because he's such a good passer. But McGrady gets a lot more shots coming off pin-down screens than your typical NBA PG. He gets more isolation plays in the mid-post area than your typical PG.
I agree he gets more of those things than a typical point guard. That's my point. He's a point guard just not typical. In the essence of what point guard means he fits the bill.
T-MAC can play center...for all i care. as long as his attitude is in the right direction. he better keep his ass on his P's and Q's...that's all i care about.
He sure settles for those long jumpers a lot. He seems tentative about slashing to the basket- the best aspect of his quick game....
maybe his knees are gone like Francis', time to trade Tmac for the current league leading scorer, KING JAMES IN 2010!
you and everyone else here would love that too bad LeBron would require everyone on our roster. On a side note we have to win a championship soon because once either Cleve gets him talent or he opts out for a better team no one else will be able to win.
Tmac has been quoted as saying his favorite player growing up was Magic Johnson, and his game bears this out. He's more athletic than Magic was, but is not quite as strong and of course doesn't have Magic's ungodly will to win. While he's not as good a passer as Magic (but there are only 3 or 4 guys in history who are even close), he's still one of the best in the league.
He said his favorite player that he wanted to be like was Big O. When he came in the league Toronto wouldnt let him play unless he played D. Then in Orlando, Grant Hill never got healthy so they relied on him for scoring. Thats the story.
You know what else is a funny change about Tmac's style??? He also yells and screams when he takes it to the hole now.... ARGHHHH!!!! AHHHH!!!!! He used to be calm and smooth taking it to the hoop and would give us a nice little left handed nothing but net finger roll, then land and calmly jog down court with that silent I-just-did-your-whole-team-up swagger.... Now, he's like "AHHHHHHHRGHGH!!!" (damn I missed).... I think its cuz he's scared of getting hurt if he elevates in the lane...
