if tracy is healthy, he'll do what he did the 6-7 games after he got that rest. but he'll do it more consistently. 20-21 pts, 5-7 boards, 6-7 assists. there's no "new" role or "expanded" role or "diminished" role for tracy. if he's healthy, he'll be a "playmaker." that's it.
If he's healthy then we run the McGrady offense. If he's not we run a Motion offense. I don't know why you think that the team can function on two planes because this year it has been proven that it can't.
I am not in favor of a major trade in middle of THIS season. We all know the team is in a win now mode. How can we wind up the experiment when it's not coming to an end. I mean finally after so many years of waiting we managed to set up an "elite" team and are about to see how it's gonna end up. Not to say his trade value is reaching the rock bottom now. T-Mac's never been the type of player I'm fond of. But all these Tmac talk are going a bit overboard. I never doubt the Rockets are going to make the playoff no matter how atrociously they're playing at the moment. That said, I dont want to judge T-mac untill that it comes the real battle. And if we can't chalk up a champ in the end, just send him away. He will be worth nothing by the time, not even a modest paycheck, because till then, I truely believe that he has no heart for the Houston Rockets.
a mcgrady offense? um check the 6-7 games when tracy just got back from his rest. we got our SEASON HIGHS IN ASSISTS in at least a few of those games. if you saw the first half v. philly, our offense was EXTREMELY efficient to start when tracy started well--9 assists on the first 9 baskets (defense was the problem). when tracy is playing well, this offense will be fine. he came back from his injury last yr and did the same thing. did we run the motion offense yesterday? NO. we only got freakin' 19 assists. we shot well b/c yao played extremely well on his ISOLATION PLAYS (10-13). again, what motion offense are you or other posters talking about yesterday? our best plays yesterday were either yao isolations, artest doing his own things, or brooks calling his own plays and doing whatever after the screen. so if those plays are any indications, tracy will be fine in this offense once he's healthy. like i stated before, our season high this season in assists in 26. we reached that multiple times (all of that WITH tracy mcgrady).
The thing is to me it looks like the rest of the Rockets players do not want to play with Tmac. Their energy goes down when he plays, and they don't cover for each other as much on defense. The last 2 games without Tracy resulted in much better team play...Boston and Atlanta. And with his teamates calling him out in the press, I think there is major angst between his teamates and Grady. DD
You were saying the same thing last year, and the Rockets peaked with McGrady in February/March. No one can dispute their energy as a team during that run. If McGrady can return just to that level of play (he wasn't exactly torching the league), then that makes us a far better team by itself.
True, but the energy happened with Tmac out last year, and when he came back, he fit in and got with the flow. If that happens again..great.....but we didn't have Rafer and Ron poining fingers at TSlack last year. Maybe, this is just a good old fashioned changing of the guard, where the team switches from one leader to the next....Tmac to Yao? Usually they are messy as the silverback doesn't want to give up his position, but eventually it works out. DD
So if you're right, until then we get on again/off again player who sometimes decides to play hard and sometimes decides to mail it in....sounds good.
How much value is an expiring large contract? You see the occassional trade for Pau Gasol, but it seems you see a lot more of those contracts being bought out, or just let expire. So, is keeping Tmac's contract really worth it? How many late deals for large contracts happen versus just letting them expire? And what does the team do while they wait? DD
he scored 26 in his last game.....i say let him rot on the IR for good until morey can find a worthwhile deal for him...
There is no IR anymore...but they can shelf him for the good of the rest of the team. If he is not going to practice hard, or play with effort be it because he is pouting, injured, or a combination of both, it would be best for the team if he just sits...and rehabs. Continuity is very important and honestly Wafer is better than he is right now. DD
I don't think Yao wants to lead in the sense you want him to. I don't think he's the type of guy that wants can take not being liked by a teammate fr getting on his case. Being a leader, everyone isn't going to like you, but they have to respect you through you game and words.
Forget this in out in out crap. I say sit his butt down until he thinks the can play everyday if it calls for it and just continue to play Wafer in his spot and hopefully wafer continues to play good and we keep winning because then he will see that we really don't need his butt.
