Breaking down T-Mac’s return
(photo. Marc Morrison)
When Allen Iverson played his first game for the Sixers this season, you couldn’t have convinced me Andre Iguodala didn’t have an agenda. If the original A.I. had visions of adopting his old spot as “The Man” in Philly without dispute, the new A.I. let him know he was in for a battle: scoring 18 of his 31 points in the first half, doing all the things Iverson can’t do anymore (or never could do), and basically drawing his line in the sand. Iverson has been stuck in second-fiddle mode ever since.
The same dynamic was in play last night, when Tracy McGrady returned to the Rockets lineup. While Trevor Ariza was serving a one-game suspension and unable to enter his name into the pissing contest, Rockets’ leading scorer Aaron Brooks used T-Mac’s eight-minute cameo to re-establish his spot as dominant male in the pride. Brooks controlled the ball, scored on isos and pull-ups, and ran the show when the team was in sprint mode. One time he looked off a wide-open McGrady on his way to a floater in the lane. And T-Mac seemed perfectly OK with that.
Otherwise, how did McGrady do in his return after a nine-month layoff? As a biased T-Mac fan, I’d have to say he did well.
With Brooks (23 pts, 10 asts) and Luis Scola (23 pts) setting a pace that Carl Lewis would’ve been proud of — and that the Pistons couldn’t keep up with — McGrady was struggling to keep up. One time the Rockets announcers said he looked over at them during a stoppage in play like, “When are these guys gonna slow down?”
A non-factor when the Rockets were running, T-Mac only got the ball in half-court sets. Being guarded by Detroit rookie Jonas Jerebko, who has already drawn assignments on Kobe, LeBron, Carmelo and Vince Carter in his NBA baptism, McGrady missed his first attempt, a 20-footer on the wing. He later hit a three in rhythm on his only other FG try, and on one drive where he got past Jerebko and got fouled, announcer Clyde Drexler was surprised at the explosiveness Mac displayed. (McGrady missed the free throws, another symptom of being tired.) The one time Houston ran a set play for McGrady, he was supposed to come off a curl and post-up on Jerebko, but was moving too slow and struggled to muscle into the right spot in time, creating a turnover when the entry pass beat him there.
“After I missed the first one, I was like, ‘Damn, I’ve got to get one in,’” McGrady told the Houston Chronicle after the game. “My body was all thrown off. When I went to the free-throw line, I felt like I was still running. Everything was moving so fast.”
On defense, McGrady guarded Jerebko, the assumption being that he’d provide the lowest degree of difficulty. But it was obvious Detroit coach John Kuester had told Jerebko to go at McGrady. He was in attack mode and would’ve lit T-Mac up had he been making his shots.
McGrady also collected three rebounds in his brief court time.
“We want to continue to run the floor, and it’s important that he pushed himself to do that,” Rockets coach Rick Adelman was quoted. “The time he’s playing, there is no reason to not do that. We are looking at that and how he is defending and if he’s moving without the ball.”
McGrady said he didn’t know before he got to the arena that he’d be playing yesterday, and so far I haven’t heard what the plan is when the Rockets visit the Nuggets tonight. On one hand, getting in some minutes at Denver’s altitude would be a good conditioning test; on the other hand, older guys coming off injuries often sit out the second part of a back-to-back, plus Ariza will be in the lineup this time, impacting Adelman’s rotation.
McGrady is saying all the right things: that he’s just happy to be back on the floor and isn’t making any demands for PT or shots. Even if he’s thinking differently, he knows that playing his position and not making waves will benefit him next summer, when he’s a free agent.
“Microfracture (knee surgery) is not some simple surgery to come back from,” he said. “So far, man, it just feels good to know I’m able to go back on the basketball court and hopefully soon be myself.
“You guys have no idea what I went through. No idea. I don’t have to prove nothing to these guys. I mean, I’m a seven-time All-Star. I’ve got individual accolades that show I can play the game. I need to prove something to myself.”
December 16th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
quest??? says:
i cant believe my favorite two players are going through the same shit………btw great background
December 16th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
POPPI GEE says:
Houston up! That three had that young T-Mac feel. Rest of the time he did ok, but article is right, ya boy was struggling with the tempo.
I don’t think it was Brooks drawing an invisible line in the sand the way A.I.2 did (cause that was clear cut), but more of Brooks just doing his thing. McGrady got what he should have got last night, I don’t think he needed more, therefore Brooks had to continue rather than just find T specifically because he was on the floor.
Need an article about how Chase should be starting instead of Ariza or at least move Ariza over.
December 16th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
b says:
adelman said mac would play similar minutes in the next three games (four nights). after the game tracy said he expected to be tired but wasn’t, which is a good sign. i think him getting fouled on his only drive was good for his confidence. i’m most worried about his troublesome back acting up if he over compensates for his bum knee.
if he keeps progressing and doesnt get traded, i think the rockets can make more of a run than they did last season. a second unit of ariza, lowry, budinger, and landry could really do some damage.
welcome back mac, the haters got you wrong
December 16th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Chicagorilla says:
I’m still pissed that the Bulls didn’t draft Air Bud when we had the chance. That was so stupid. consider him a 2nd round beast along with Blair.
As for T-Mac, I’m amazed at the lack of respect he’s gotten over the past couple of years. The guy has one of the most unique games in the L and still can move and get buckets. Yet he can’t get the ball from Aaron f^kin Brooks? Seriously. No disrespect to Brooks…no f^k that, this is a dis to Brooks. T-Mac is still the best player on that team when Yao is not there. Aaron Brooks is really feeling himself. At least Iguadola is an all-star level player.
December 16th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
isotope says:
Its all coaching and GM politics keeping TMac off the court. Both Morey and Adelman look like geniuses by succeeding with a bunch of nobody players. But with an all-star in the line-up, not so much.
AB has had some games where he stunk it up offensively and defensively but he he has more good games than bad games. He had some great moves last night but most were against Chucky Atkins and when he was mismatched with a slower big man. He hasn’t earned the right for us to call the Rockets his team. Landry, Scola, and Ariza (unfortunately) carry as much of the load.
And TMac guarded Rip for at least one position and got list in the maze of screens. Can’t wait for him to come back, in close-to-full strength.
December 16th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Austin Burton says:
@isotope — You’re right, I forgot to mention when McGrady guarded Rip. I actually think he switched onto him mid-play, and like you said, got lost in the hamster wheel.
If you put McGrady on the court tonight against Denver’s first unit, who does he guard? I’m guessing Arron Afflalo or whoever they’ve got at the two. You don’t want to stick him on Melo yet.
December 16th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
isotope says:
Yeah, Ariza or Battier can guard Melo. Coach already said TMac isnt playing much tonight either anyway. Billups vs Brooks is going to be the key matchup for Houston.
December 16th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
ab_40 says:
running with denver? I think ty lawson is gonna have a good game.
I hope T mac comes backt to full strength around march. have a nice month of april and be ready to play in the playoffs(where despite the losses he’s been amazing, check the stats if you want proof) good to have him back. I always realy liked his game. in honour of T mac playing against denver you should post the youtube clip where he scores 51 points with that sorry a$s orlando team and still lose to the nuggets with a rookie carmelo anthony
December 16th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Chaos says:
T-Mac will end up starting alongside Ariza anyway and thats definitely a good thing because ariza is more naturally a 3 and not a 2. also, its gonna take at least ten games and some time on the treadmill for t-mac to get to running with this team but he will be effective. i like brooks but at this point he is gonna ahve to start deferring to the wings as far as shots and lead the team. Houston has a decent rotation with t-mac, scola, ariza, battier, landry, hayes, brooks, lowry and budinger but sadly still lack a big man
December 16th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
QQ says:
You don’t want to stick him on Melo YET? Damn, even at full strength, T-Mac on Melo means Melo getting his 40 points, guaranteed. Yall know TMac can’t play defense EVER.
December 16th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
LakeShow84 says:
The J looked good.. which is a good sign..
The man just needs his legs back underneath him..
@ QQ.. Tmac was underrated as a defender for a while.. i dont know about now with all his ailments but used to be a DECENT defender back in the day..
December 16th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
QQ says:
That was WAY back, Lake. Toronto days, when he was nowhere near superstar status yet. Once he became an All Star, it’s like he forgot all those skills he used to have. It’s kinda saddening, seeing he has the tools to be a dominant wing defender.
December 17th, 2009 at 9:31 am
SWAT says:
@ QQ even JVG used to say how good a defender TMAC was. CK THE STATS. the only rocket to step up his game consistenly in the playoffs was MAC.