We Reminisce: T-Mac’s 13 in 35
The Windy City has seen better days as of late. This season, the Bulls have been embarrassed by Toronto 78-110 at home, lost to the previously one-win New Jersey Nets and went 1-5 on a vicious road trip to close out November. But what happened last night in the United Center has to make Bulls’ fans cringe with disappointment.
You’re in your building and have the Sacramento Kings down 35 points in the second half. You’re up 35 points, where even in the NBA, it’s all but considered a guaranteed victory…Uh, for the most part. That is until Tyreke Evans, Ime Udoka and the rest of the Kings not only overcame their huge deficit, but they win by four points in regulation. For the Kings to swing this game in their favor, on the road, and without the aid of Kevin Martin, is absurd. So absurd that it got me thinking of a few other exciting comebacks in recent memory.
The Celtics over the Lakers in Game 4 of the 2008 Playoffs, Reggie Miller’s 11-seconds of mayhem at the Garden and – from our own Austin Burton’s findings – the ’99 Oregon/USC game, all blazed through the comeback trail.
My personal favorite: in December of 2004, Tracy McGrady single-handedly destroyed the San Antonio Spurs with a 13-point barrage over the span of 35 seconds.
Houston was down 68-76 when McGrady went to work with just over 35 ticks to go in the game. Three-pointer, bam. Four-point play, bam; seven points in twelve seconds. San Antonio would hit two more free throws to bring them up to 80 points; it would be their last of the game. After McGrady hit another three-point leaner, the Rockets got a steal on the other end and…I’ll just let the highlight speak for itself, thank you Marv.
McGrady finished with 33 points on 5-12 shooting from three; four of those five coming in the last half minute. Houston won 81-80.
On a final fun fact: The rest of the Rockets – sans McGrady and Yao – combined for just 21 points on 8-38 shooting. I guess that’s what Reece Gaines, Ryan Bowen, Scott Padgett, Andre Barrett and an aging Bob Sura will do for ya.
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December 22nd, 2009 at 10:28 am
QQ says:
When I watched this, I was in so much awe that I thought T-Mac is actually better than Jordan.
And then I realized how fucking soft he is, and got back to hating him.
PS: Gotta give props though. This sequence was just UNREAL.
December 22nd, 2009 at 10:49 am
jryu says:
i still remember watching this game in my kitchen at like midnight when i was in college… it was freakin amazing especially live.
December 22nd, 2009 at 11:04 am
Dagomar says:
I gotta say, when T-mac was at his absolute peak – especially in Orlando – there weren’t many players in NBA history who were better than him.
December 22nd, 2009 at 11:11 am
isotope says:
Yeah, Aaron Brooks will never do this. Trevor Ariza will never come close. Yet, the Rockets insist on keeping this man on the bench. sigh.
December 22nd, 2009 at 11:40 am
jryu says:
@isotope
yeah, and tmac can’t do that again right now either… that was several back spasms and 1 microfracture surgery ago…
December 22nd, 2009 at 12:00 pm
QQ says:
But you know what Brooks and Ariza are doing right now? Play hard and play with everything they got. When did T-Mac do that?
December 22nd, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Luigi says:
i remember this…i was watching n the spurs were winning by like 10 with like a minute left n changed the channel to another game or go to ESPN…just for like 5-10 minutes to see whatsup..n i turn it back to TNT for the 2nd game…n i see Rockets Win..n i was like DAMN….i feel like a dumbass
December 22nd, 2009 at 1:22 pm
SWAT says:
i rembr this game well. i must say though that there are btr youtube clips out thr of this sequence, nonetheless tmac was something special once upon a time. heres to hopin he gets bk to tht…
December 22nd, 2009 at 1:46 pm
NTstateOFmind says:
aside from the injuries, this will be the only thing T-Mac is remembered for
December 22nd, 2009 at 2:20 pm
SWAT says:
@ NT maybe u will only rembr mac for this but he always brought his A game in the playoffs, ck the stats.
December 22nd, 2009 at 2:24 pm
cdiz says:
@9 only thing hes remebered for?
He has led the L in scoring twice and been in several allstar games
December 22nd, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Chise says:
I think T-Mac in his hay day was better than Bron Bron is right now.
December 23rd, 2009 at 4:31 am
arisloco says:
Still so much haters. Would some of you haters think of anything T-Mac does that you couldn’t? This article was posted to reminisce one of T-Mac’s highlights, this was not supposed to show your hatred (or jealousy maybe). God Bless you haters!