Biernutz
11-23-2008, 11:16 AM
McGrady shows signs he could be in decline
10:59 PM CST on Saturday, November 22, 2008
David Moore
Dallas Morning News
One of the most explosive, exciting players in the league is missing.
It's too early to determine if this is a slump or the first signs of a star in decline.
Tracy McGrady isn't himself these days. Even if he wasn't the first to tell you, a glance at his stats would reveal something isn't right.
His average of 15.9 points for Houston is a nine-year low. McGrady is shooting below 40 percent for the first time in his career and has already failed to score in double-digits four times.
McGrady, 29, had surgery on his left knee more than six months ago and still grapples with a loss of leg strength. There are 42 players in the league who average more points.
Are you sure we're talking about Tracy McGrady and not Tracy Morgan, that guy on 30 Rock?
"I feel like I can get to the basket," McGrady said. "I feel like in spurts, I can go out there and play normal. I can't jump [well] right now, but when I'm out there, I really try not to think about it."
It's hard to look at McGrady early this season and think he's the same player.
"We've got to get him to a point where he feels confident, and he's got to get to a point where he feels confident in how he moves," Rockets coach Rick Adelman said.
"Right now, he's having a hard time. On the floor, we would play pick-and-roll. It used to be something he could do so easily. But right now, they're just jumping so hard, so it's tough to come off and find people he used to find. That's something we have to live with right now."
Houston is using McGrady more as a facilitator than a scorer. He is the Rockets' best passer. But his average of 4.3 assists is also at a nine-year low.
McGrady feels out of sync and suggests he might need a few more touches, a few more minutes, to get going. Here's the conundrum if you're Adelman: Do you give him more minutes knowing the wear and tear can catch up to him over the course of the season, or do you use this opportunity to transition him into a new role?
McGrady's and Yao Ming's durability has plagued Houston for years. Ron Artest will ease the nightly demands on both players. He's a temperamental time bomb, but his presence will make the Rockets a little less reliant on McGrady for success.
The key is to get all three on the same offensive page.
Houston has scored 100 or more points in a game only twice. The team's average of 91.7 is five points less than last season and ranks among the bottom five in the league.
Yao's scoring average of 16.9 points is the lowest since his rookie season six years ago. The Rockets must get him the ball when he's on the move. When they wait until he's stationary, it allows defenses to double-team and force him to pass.
Forward Shane Battier, recovering from off-season foot surgery, hasn't played. Houston misses his ball movement, 3-point range and defense.
"We haven't been real happy offensively," Adelman said. "We've struggled with ball movement and shooting the ball. It's been difficult getting into a really good flow. We haven't been as good defensively as we have been last year.
"We have a lot of work ahead of us."
The same can be said of McGrady.
"It's a different role for me," he concedes.
We'll soon find out if that role is by design or defined by a decline in skill.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/columnists/dmoore/stories/112308dnspomoore.3be7118.html
10:59 PM CST on Saturday, November 22, 2008
David Moore
Dallas Morning News
One of the most explosive, exciting players in the league is missing.
It's too early to determine if this is a slump or the first signs of a star in decline.
Tracy McGrady isn't himself these days. Even if he wasn't the first to tell you, a glance at his stats would reveal something isn't right.
His average of 15.9 points for Houston is a nine-year low. McGrady is shooting below 40 percent for the first time in his career and has already failed to score in double-digits four times.
McGrady, 29, had surgery on his left knee more than six months ago and still grapples with a loss of leg strength. There are 42 players in the league who average more points.
Are you sure we're talking about Tracy McGrady and not Tracy Morgan, that guy on 30 Rock?
"I feel like I can get to the basket," McGrady said. "I feel like in spurts, I can go out there and play normal. I can't jump [well] right now, but when I'm out there, I really try not to think about it."
It's hard to look at McGrady early this season and think he's the same player.
"We've got to get him to a point where he feels confident, and he's got to get to a point where he feels confident in how he moves," Rockets coach Rick Adelman said.
"Right now, he's having a hard time. On the floor, we would play pick-and-roll. It used to be something he could do so easily. But right now, they're just jumping so hard, so it's tough to come off and find people he used to find. That's something we have to live with right now."
Houston is using McGrady more as a facilitator than a scorer. He is the Rockets' best passer. But his average of 4.3 assists is also at a nine-year low.
McGrady feels out of sync and suggests he might need a few more touches, a few more minutes, to get going. Here's the conundrum if you're Adelman: Do you give him more minutes knowing the wear and tear can catch up to him over the course of the season, or do you use this opportunity to transition him into a new role?
McGrady's and Yao Ming's durability has plagued Houston for years. Ron Artest will ease the nightly demands on both players. He's a temperamental time bomb, but his presence will make the Rockets a little less reliant on McGrady for success.
The key is to get all three on the same offensive page.
Houston has scored 100 or more points in a game only twice. The team's average of 91.7 is five points less than last season and ranks among the bottom five in the league.
Yao's scoring average of 16.9 points is the lowest since his rookie season six years ago. The Rockets must get him the ball when he's on the move. When they wait until he's stationary, it allows defenses to double-team and force him to pass.
Forward Shane Battier, recovering from off-season foot surgery, hasn't played. Houston misses his ball movement, 3-point range and defense.
"We haven't been real happy offensively," Adelman said. "We've struggled with ball movement and shooting the ball. It's been difficult getting into a really good flow. We haven't been as good defensively as we have been last year.
"We have a lot of work ahead of us."
The same can be said of McGrady.
"It's a different role for me," he concedes.
We'll soon find out if that role is by design or defined by a decline in skill.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/columnists/dmoore/stories/112308dnspomoore.3be7118.html