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[USA Today] Rockets rolling since McGrady injured knee

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by topfive, Feb 26, 2009.

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  1. topfive

    topfive CF OG

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    Some interesting comments from Morey. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but it sure sounds like the franchise is ready to move on with the post-TMac era...




    The Houston Rockets are T-minus 25 regular-season games and counting as they begin to sharpen their style minus T-Mac. Losing Tracy McGrady just might be the lift the Rockets needed.

    A win Thursday against the Cleveland Cavaliers would give them a 6-0 McGrady-less homestand. The Rockets are 16-6 without the star guard, who this week had season-ending microfracture surgery on his left knee.

    McGrady's in-and-out status became more problematical because center Yao Ming and guard Ron Artest missed games with injuries, and Shane Battier slowly recovered from a mending left ankle. The Rockets were capable of beating the Boston Celtics … and losing to the lowly Memphis Grizzlies — twice.

    "I thought we did a fantastic job fighting through the uncertainty," Battier said. "It was tough coming to the (arena) every night: 'Who's in? Who's out? Who might play? Who can play limited minutes?' It took a toll."

    The offense is now more up-tempo, the spacing more to the liking of coach Rick Adelman, particularly with new starting point guard Aaron Brooks.

    "Tracy and Yao were very used to playing a (defined) way, at a certain tempo," Adelman said. "We're trying to change that because we've got some guys who can get out and run. (Plus), we know who is going to start and play. It's easier on everybody."

    Forward Luis Scola has posted five double-doubles in a row. Artest's minutes and production have increased during the same stretch — he's averaging 20.2 points with "signs he's starting to be the Ron of old," general manager Daryl Morey said.

    Defensively, the Rockets are beginning to lock down, too. Since a 124-112 blowout loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 9, Houston has allowed an average of 85.6 points. McGrady was 1-for-9 that night, his last game. From Dec. 23-Feb. 9, McGrady shot 35% from the floor — and the Rockets won only five of 14.

    "The team was built around Tracy being Tracy. Unfortunately, his knee wouldn't allow him to be that," said Brooks, a starter after Rafer Alston's deadline-trade to the Orlando Magic for third-year guard Kyle Lowry, who also allows the Rockets to push the ball, and forward Brian Cook.

    Houston's quicker, younger and cheaper perimeter players leave McGrady, 29, vulnerable. He doesn't want to leave, but he's owed $23 million on a deal expiring in the summer of 2010. In 38 playoff games over 12 seasons, his teams never won a series.

    "He's a player who can come back (from injury), but we had to plan worst-case," Morey said. "We'll know more as trading season heats up around the draft. We'll know more about how his rehab is progressing.

    "We want to continue to build around Yao. We feel like we're maybe short one high-level player to be a championship contender. Tracy was always that player. With him out, we'd still like to acquire a player" in the future.

    Five seasons ago, the Rockets paired McGrady and Yao, trying to win their first playoff series since 1997. They are still waiting. So is the star-crossed seven-time All-Star who wears jersey No. 1.

    http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/rockets/2009-02-25-in-the-paint-rockets-mcgrady_N.htm?csp=34
     
    #1 topfive, Feb 26, 2009
  2. ibm

    ibm Member

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    not another mcgrady thread! :cool:

    but i like what morey said in the end. hope he really means it.
     
    #2 ibm, Feb 26, 2009
  3. Rocketman2000

    Rocketman2000 Member

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    I have a feeling T-Mac has played his last game as a Rocket. I believe Morey will make something positive happen around draft time.

    On a different note, If Artest keeps playing well with Yao as he has been doing since T-Glass left the lineup. Do we re-sign him? :confused:
     
    #3 Rocketman2000, Feb 26, 2009
  4. yobod

    yobod Member

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    I think the main focus of this year is to try and get out of the first round, and then use this off-season to hopefully acquire the missing piece to compete for a championship next year. I think everybody (including Tracy) knows that there is no way he's going to be back in time to contribute next year, unless it's in a very limited capacity off the bench. If anything, I think we trade him to a team that needs the cap space before the trade deadline. I have a feeling we're gonna try and re-sign Ron this off-season, and then focus on re-signing Yao, and maybe one more solid contributor....no superstars.
     
    #4 yobod, Feb 26, 2009
  5. RMGEEGEE

    RMGEEGEE Member

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    Where does he say he's ready to move on..?
    He never mentions anything about moving mcgrady.
     
    #5 RMGEEGEE, Feb 26, 2009
  6. platy

    platy Member

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    i think morey would like to resign him if we play well in the post season with artest. the big question is the contract
     
    #6 platy, Feb 26, 2009
  7. ibm

    ibm Member

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    no he hasn't. so not the time to panic, yet.
     
    #7 ibm, Feb 26, 2009
  8. thacabbage

    thacabbage Contributing Member

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    I'm actually shocked he is so candid about this. I was expecting something more along the lines of "we are hopeful he can come back strong next year" or some other PC BS along those lines.
     
    #8 thacabbage, Feb 26, 2009
  9. ibm

    ibm Member

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    ^^ morey has always been a straight forward guy when talking to the media.
     
    #9 ibm, Feb 26, 2009
  10. ColomboLQ

    ColomboLQ Member

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    I think Artest is a good compliment to Yao when Tracy isn't around. Would not mind seeing him back.
     
    #10 ColomboLQ, Feb 26, 2009
  11. Dave_78

    Dave_78 Member

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    Yep. Sounds to me like they are eager to shop him this off season. McGrady made his own bed with the way he handled things this season and now that the organization knows he won't be back before the playoffs there is no need to cover for him. The days of stroking his ego and covering for him in the media are done.

    If his rehab goes moderately well I will be shocked if he is still in Houston next season. Adelman basically said that Tmac couldn't/wouldn't play the style the Rockets now want when he was healthy. There is no need to expect that he will be able/willing to after another surgery.
     
    #11 Dave_78, Feb 26, 2009
  12. tinman

    tinman Member
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    <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/x3DRcHUv1_U&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/x3DRcHUv1_U&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
     
    #12 tinman, Feb 26, 2009
  13. onreego

    onreego Member

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    Yeah, if only most players cared more about winning than money.
     
    #13 onreego, Feb 26, 2009
  14. tinman

    tinman Member
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    Barkley cared more about winning when he signed for the minimum so we can sign free agents.
     
    #14 tinman, Feb 26, 2009
  15. worzel gummidge

    worzel gummidge Member

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    No teams is going to trade for a $23M player who cannot play. He'd have to be healthy first and that could be a year away.

    IMO from Morey's comments it sounds like Artest is gone via S&T. If the Rockets pursue that "one high-level player to be a championship contender". They simply don't have the salaries to package for such a player without gutting the current roster unless Artest is involved.

    Last year Artest mentioned that he wanted around $12M. I think in recent history players who do not get the contracts they want always seem to imediately follow with disappointing season/s. So re-signing Artest at a bargain rate because of the market could be a risk. If theydon't the team would be committing Artest to a max level contract... He's good, but not franchise level good.
     
    #15 worzel gummidge, Feb 26, 2009
  16. dachuda86

    dachuda86 Member

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    Good point... I never knew that about Barkley. That puts him in a whole new light.
     
    #16 dachuda86, Feb 26, 2009
  17. tinman

    tinman Member
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    Yeah thanks for embracing Rockets history.
    http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/1999.html
    1998-99 Houston Rockets
    Salaries
    About ▪ CSV ▪ PRE
    Rk Player Salary
    1 Hakeem Olajuwon $12,943,000
    2 Scottie Pippen $11,000,000
    3 Brent Price $2,240,000
    4 Eddie Johnson *$1,000,000
    5 Charles Barkley $1,000,000
    6 Antoine Carr *$1,000,000
    7 Michael Dickerson $949,600
    8 Bryce Drew $857,000
    9 Matt Bullard *$662,500
    10 Rodrick Rhodes $639,300
    11 Stanley Roberts *$600,000
    12 Sam Mack $545,000
    13 Anthony Miller $475,000
    14 Othella Harrington *$425,000
    15 Matt Maloney *$425,000
    16 Cuttino Mobley $287,500
     
    #17 tinman, Feb 26, 2009
  18. s3ts

    s3ts Member

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    Agreed.

    Artest is the best compliment to Yao, IMO. Yao is such an honorable and humble guy. We need the toughness of Artest to balance Yao's lack of aggressiveness.

    Yao really has a lot of compliments on the roster for him now. And we definitely are building a team around him... TMac didn't work out, so here comes very small guards w/ agility like Aaron Brooks and Kyle Lowry. Yao lacked the toughness so here comes a tough character like Ron Artest. All this toughness that Yao lacks, the rest of the roster makes up for it -- Scola, Landry, Artest, Lowry, Wafer, Dorsey, Mutumbo, etc.

    We're just lacking one big superstar like Morey said. Keeping Artest and signing another big superstar... championship is a done deal.
     
    #18 s3ts, Feb 26, 2009
  19. ind0fo0

    ind0fo0 Member

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    His expiring contract makes him a HUGE tradable asset! Many teams will be vying for him.
     
    #19 ind0fo0, Feb 26, 2009
  20. ibm

    ibm Member

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    didn't portland trade for sf3 and then buy him out?
     
    #20 ibm, Feb 26, 2009
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