duncan228
12-14-2009, 02:38 PM
For Rockets, T-Mac Coming Back About More Than Health (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=tsn-forrocketstmaccoming&prov=tsn&type=lgns)
SportingNews
As of right now, T-Mac is an All-Star starter (http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/The_Baseline/entry/view/47199/early_all-star_returns_are_weird). That’s neither here nor there, but has people thinking about the guard again. However, those vote tallies came right after Adelman insisted he wouldn’t rush McGrady back (http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/The_Baseline/entry/view/47106/adelman_doesnt_want_to_mess_up_a_good_thing_by_bri nging_back_t-mac__), especially not if the team was on a roll.
But now, Trevor Ariza will likely be suspended after his ineffective hissy-fit (http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/The_Baseline/entry/view/47628/trevor_ariza_temporarily_loses_it_in_toronto) from Sunday. With Ariza out, is there suddenly an opening for T-Mac to return? It has to happen at some point. And, according to Chron.com (http://blogs.chron.com/nba/2009/12/raptors_101_rockets_88_if_ariz.html), it’ll give a chance for Adelman to start integrating McGrady into the team—and if necessary, altering the way things are done:
The Rockets want to bring back McGrady when he was capable of being McGrady again. They were not going to ask him to go stand in the corner, wait for the ball and shoot a few 3s. They were not going to expect him to defend like Shane Battier and move the ball, shooting only when extremely open.
If McGrady is to play, it only makes sense to let him be McGrady. Adelman has long been about putting players in position to do what they do best. He never was wedded to a system, including the Sacramento style, as people assumed. He believed in the style that fit his teams best.
It may be unfair to paint Tracy McGrady as someone who can turn a team around. But it’s equally unfair and counterproductive to try and limit him to what makes sense with the team right now, or assume he can only do so much.
The Rockets may not be 100 percent satisfied with T-Mac in practice, but for one game, they might as well throw him out there, ask him to be himself, and see what happens. Unless they plan to keep him benched all season, which isn’t exactly the best strategy for a team that has over-achieved thus far and will need some sort of reinforcements if they’re going to make it happen in the playoffs.
Sidenote: Since Ariza can’t create or handle, even a toned-down version of McGrady—great passer, still draws attention, knows who his friends are—might be a big boost for him. He deserved more touches than he got in L.A., but it’s pretty clear Ariza is not a franchise swingman.
SportingNews
As of right now, T-Mac is an All-Star starter (http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/The_Baseline/entry/view/47199/early_all-star_returns_are_weird). That’s neither here nor there, but has people thinking about the guard again. However, those vote tallies came right after Adelman insisted he wouldn’t rush McGrady back (http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/The_Baseline/entry/view/47106/adelman_doesnt_want_to_mess_up_a_good_thing_by_bri nging_back_t-mac__), especially not if the team was on a roll.
But now, Trevor Ariza will likely be suspended after his ineffective hissy-fit (http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/The_Baseline/entry/view/47628/trevor_ariza_temporarily_loses_it_in_toronto) from Sunday. With Ariza out, is there suddenly an opening for T-Mac to return? It has to happen at some point. And, according to Chron.com (http://blogs.chron.com/nba/2009/12/raptors_101_rockets_88_if_ariz.html), it’ll give a chance for Adelman to start integrating McGrady into the team—and if necessary, altering the way things are done:
The Rockets want to bring back McGrady when he was capable of being McGrady again. They were not going to ask him to go stand in the corner, wait for the ball and shoot a few 3s. They were not going to expect him to defend like Shane Battier and move the ball, shooting only when extremely open.
If McGrady is to play, it only makes sense to let him be McGrady. Adelman has long been about putting players in position to do what they do best. He never was wedded to a system, including the Sacramento style, as people assumed. He believed in the style that fit his teams best.
It may be unfair to paint Tracy McGrady as someone who can turn a team around. But it’s equally unfair and counterproductive to try and limit him to what makes sense with the team right now, or assume he can only do so much.
The Rockets may not be 100 percent satisfied with T-Mac in practice, but for one game, they might as well throw him out there, ask him to be himself, and see what happens. Unless they plan to keep him benched all season, which isn’t exactly the best strategy for a team that has over-achieved thus far and will need some sort of reinforcements if they’re going to make it happen in the playoffs.
Sidenote: Since Ariza can’t create or handle, even a toned-down version of McGrady—great passer, still draws attention, knows who his friends are—might be a big boost for him. He deserved more touches than he got in L.A., but it’s pretty clear Ariza is not a franchise swingman.