Honestly, let's have real talk about Tracy McGrady

[pikkiwoki]

Barnes was on fire last night and he would have been too quick for this slow pudgy version of Mac.

T-Mac still plays pretty good one on one iso defense. When he plays on ball, iso defense is one of the few times his defensive energy level still perks up. Barnes isn't quick enough to take advantage of his old age tbh. Barnes was getting his by picking on midgets. T-Mac's length would bother him.

OTOH Barnes might exploit him in transition since Mac likes to jog instead of run these days.

[spurraider21]

I'm starting to lose hope in Neal, and I've been one of his strongest backers all season long on this site. Along with Jax, I kept going with the "they make big shots" thing. I said I felt comfortable with the Neal-Manu backcourt since Manu can essentially run the point there. However, with Neal playing so poorly, even I'm losing patience there. At least when Manu isn't shooting well he is still running the offense and generating points, and makes plays on the other end as well. Neal has never been a great "point guard" and was always been a poor defender, but he made up for all that and then some because of his dynamite scoring punch, where he can just come off a screen and nail a 3 as if it was a wide open spot up shot. He also was able to get into the lane and was decent with his floaters. While he WAS coming along in the end of the regular season, he's back to what we've seen all year. If he's not going to be a LETHAL 3 point shooter, he's not really worth being out there, as his defense is matador and he doesn't exactly run the offense (to be generous). If he's only getting about 5-10 minutes per game, why not throw Tmac in there instead? His defense can't be worse than Neal's and he can contribute more on offense

[ace3g]

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Barnes was on fire last night and he would have been too quick for this slow pudgy version of Mac. Neal also was on him a lot on switches. Besides, on the offensive end I don't want Mac running point. TP or Joseph only on point except the times Manu takes it in half court (I'm not like that much these days either).

I don't think Bonner has done a damn thing right other than hitting a 3. I just think McGrady would be even worse if you have him at SG or point, and just as bad if not worse at PF/SF. I just don't see him contributing anything and would rather Joseph and Diaw get those minutes.

I think the end demonstrated that he could match up with Jefferson. In a limited capacity if GS goes to RJ at the 4 or 5, and the option for Pop is to trot Bonner out there, I'd say send in TMac instead

[SenorSpur]

I thought he looked pretty good at the end there. He showed good athleticism for his age and he has good age. I think Pop should play him a little bit. Honestly, can he be worse than Neal? He had two blocks in the few minutes he played and a nice assist to Blair after burning RJ, and a couple of rebounds. I know he's unproven, maybe he will suck, but I say if Spurs survive this series, try him out a little bit in the WCF. Granted, playing garbage ball the compe ion is easy, but still, it's worth a try, because Neal aint cutting it. It'd be nice to have a backup SF behind Leonard!

Yes it would!

[Raven]

McGrady may not have anything left, but every potential flaw that doubters have mentioned also applies to Gary Neal in every capacity, tbh..

at this point i have no argument about it anymore. just play a shortened rotation tbh

[Raven]

You were never a good poster, but you are quickly becoming the worst ing poster on this site. Like TDMVPDPOY with decent grammar.

worse than robzdiaz or whatever? now i am offended.

[GrandeDavid]

I would play McGrady over Neal ten times over any day.

[Obstructed_View]

Clearly, McGrady has something left. That's not the issue. But if you don't have the defensive rotations down, you don't get more minutes. At this point, he's a worse defender in the Spurs system than Neal or Bonner. Would I love to have McGrady soaking up Neal & Bonner's 12 minutes? If he knew the playbook, absolutely.

I find that incredibly difficult to believe. Positionally, Bonner looks like Francisco Elson on both sides of the floor.

[Obstructed_View]

Barnes was on fire last night and he would have been too quick for this slow pudgy version of Mac. Neal also was on him a lot on switches.

Barnes is already too quick for Bonner and Neal. McGrady has not looked slow in his garbage minutes, and he's got more length than both Bonner and Neal and even in potato couch shape is probably quicker than both.

I'd be fine with Joseph and Diaw getting the minutes, but if not, put TMac out there. Unless there's a rule that baskets start counting for four points with Mcgrady defending, there's simply not a downside.

[Obstructed_View]

good enough to see he has absolutely no confidence in his shot and is only trying not to make mistakes, which for tmac means he is absolute garbage since his offense is the only reason he was in this league for this long.

Agenda.

[hater]

he looked like complete garbage tbh

yes. Gary Neal did. TMac led the spurs in blocks

[kaji157]

I just like that McGrady now has a chance to advance to not just the second round, but the third and possibly fourth as well (WCF and Finals.)

LOL in the end McGrady has the chance to advance deeper in the playoffs than the Rockets ever did since he entered the league. (16 years)

[kaji157]

Back to topic. Neal needs to be benched untill he heals, and re-signed next year. This slump will also help get him on the cheap.
That said, when he is fully healed he must play only SG minutes, while TP and CJ should manage the 1 spot along with "human cigar towell waving" Mills.
In the meantime we have to try to find someone to sub in for the 3 spot and sometimes the 1-2 (that means playing alongside Manu). DeColo and McGrady are the only players we have that may be up to the task. Pop just needs to stop being so stubborn and try both.
Neal is injuried, he has planctar facitis, remember what it did to Duncan, diminishing him a lot. Neal is nothing with it. Pop has to stop trusting an injuried role player.

I would understand this if it was Tony, Manu or Tim, you don´t have anyone to cover those holes. But the holes Neal leaves, those can be covered... with other role players.

[TD 21]

Neal was a much better player in 2011, though..he's progressively broken down since his breakout series vs. Memphis..

He's going to have less defensive responsibility if the Spurs play Memphis, but he won't get any good looks against them..

The great thing about playing the Grizzlies is, Neal's spot in the rotation can be eliminated altogether, since the Grizzlies almost never play small ball and wouldn't bother even thinking of doing so against the Spurs, who don't exactly have Durant to slide to PF (even then, they've stayed big at times).

The Spurs can easily go down to a three wing rotation and even the lack of a backup SF won't be an issue, as Leonard will play more minutes than Prince and Pondexter is an undersized SF, with no post game to speak of.

[Mark in Austin]

I find that incredibly difficult to believe. Positionally, Bonner looks like Francisco Elson on both sides of the floor.

Even if Bonner and Neal are late on rotations, etc, they have YEARS of familiarity with the system and main players. McGrady has had... a couple practices? This year, McGrady is an insurance policy, nothing more. I'd love for them to re-sign him though...

[cd021]

Seriously with some minutes this guy could produce. He showed me more in those 3 minutes than Bonner has all series.. play the man.

He had an offense rebound, block, and assist in the 3 minutes and 47 seconds of a blowout home win. Lets hold off on making him a rotation piece in the next round just yet. Though I was as excited as anyone to see him play.

[emanueldavidginobili]

He looked very, very slow tbh but he can't be worse than Neal

[taps]

I've been playing with him off the bench on 2K13, and he's been putting up points.

The ultimate endorsement.

[GSH]

I'll be honest and say I didn't read 5 pages of posts on Tracy McGrady. If I was feeling really optimistic, I would hope that T-Mac could be like Grant Hill, in his resurrection with Phoenix. I didn't believe that there was any way he could stay healthy for more than 30-40 games, when Phoenix signed him. I also thought he was way too broken down to be anything more than a conversation piece. He proved me way, way wrong. He wasn't the Grant Hill of old, but he was a damned solid player, AND he turned out to be pretty durable, too.

McGrady was a scoring machine. (Sometimes the machine was efficient, and sometimes it was really inefficient.) If he could accept being a role player, and not have ADHD on the defensive end, he'd be worth having around. The problem is, it hasn't been that long since he couldn't accept that the Rockets were Yao Ming's team. I'd love to believe that he could become a different person... but I don't. If I had seen him on the sidelines, hawking the games and trying to soak up the Spurs' system, I might hold out a little hope. But to me he's looked like a guy who still believes that he should be starting, instead of a guy who is grateful for another chance in the NBA.

[ace3g]

[waisman]

But , NEAL is number one shooter in SAS .

[TrainOfThought5]

But , NEAL is number one shooter in SAS .

Neal is the number one Chucker in SA. that is all.

[Obstructed_View]

Even if Bonner and Neal are late on rotations, etc, they have YEARS of familiarity with the system and main players. McGrady has had... a couple practices? This year, McGrady is an insurance policy, nothing more. I'd love for them to re-sign him though...

So you're saying that even though Bonner is slower than a fat Tracy McGrady, is shorter, doesn't defend, doesn't hit shots, is late on rotations, fouls without preventing baskets, and inspires opposing players to drool over the mismatch, he should be getting minutes over McGrady because...he's been doing this exact same to the Spurs for a longer time??

[moisaenz]

If we were up 3-1 pop would give him a chance with the starters but as of right now that is not going to happen. Besides he is a veteran, don't you think he knows many of the plays pop runs? He played against the spurs for years.