Just throwing this out there...

by grungedave on Jan 7, 2009 9:24 AM CST in Random Commentary

Since McGrady "played" last night, we can assume he is not playing tonight against the Celtics. Correct?

Yes, "played" is in quotes for a reason... because I don't care about his 9 assists and his 3 steals. Those are hollow stats to anyone who actually watched the game.

Okay, so tonight our lineup will probably be Rafer, Wafer, Artest (please?!?!), Scola and Yao. If not Artest then we get Brooks in the lineup. Yikes. That's a small team to go up against Boston.

Furthermore, if tonight's effort is to the same level as last night's "effort" - the final score is going to be something like 100-75. With Luis Scola putting up a 20-15-2 and wondering why no one will help him.

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Really?

Yes, “played” is in quotes for a reason… because I don’t care about his 9 assists and his 3 steals. Those are hollow stats to anyone who actually watched the game.

He was moving the ball well, and he made some heads-up plays on defense. Have you considered that your attitudes towards T-Mac have crossed over into the irrational, Dave? It wasn’t a great game from McGrady, but it was a good effort and he made significant contributions to the offense and defense. If you’re pissed off that the Rockets lost last night, don’t blame McGrady; blame Yao and Scola for blowing the inside defense.

by Only_A_Lad on Jan 7, 2009 12:10 PM CST reply actions

and by "Yao and Scola"

I mean “just Yao”

by Only_A_Lad on Jan 7, 2009 12:15 PM CST up reply actions

what?

McGrady had maybe 8-10 possessions where he was fully engaged. Most of the time he moped around outside the 3 point line. He did not post up at all. He made by my count 4 attempts to take a layup, making 2. Beyond that he played the pick and roll nicely with Landry… but that’s his job. I’m not going to blow sunshine up his ass for doing his job.

On the flip side, T-Mac boxed out on no occasion, he rotated slowly and left Yao exposed. Many of the 13 offensive rebounds by Philly were because Yao/Scola/Landry had to rotate to T-Mac’s guy, leaving open Speights or Young. This is bothersome.

by grungedave on Jan 7, 2009 12:48 PM CST reply actions

I'm not saying he was perfect last night.

I’m saying that those were anything but “empty” stats. He had more than 8-10 good possessions. Yeah, there were plenty of possessions when he didn’t have any off-the-ball movement, but there were plenty when he did. Calling his stats empty is saying that his contribution was empty, and that’s just flat-out wrong.

There’s a difference between “blowing sunshine up his ass for doing his job” and “recognizing that he had an alright game and not perpetuating this bullshit ‘T-Mac is the problem’ meme by calling his contributions ‘empty.’” You can do the latter without doing the former.

by Only_A_Lad on Jan 7, 2009 1:19 PM CST up reply actions

here's the thing

Like it or not (and I despise it), the Rockets tend to respond to T-Mac’s body language. When he whines and cries… or just takes a play off… that filters down to the other 4 guys on the court. Even Artest when he’s playing.

T-Mac is not the problem, but right now he’s not the answer to our problems either.

by grungedave on Jan 7, 2009 1:43 PM CST up reply actions

I agree with OAL here

Tracy wasn’t “good” last night, but his contribution was clearly there

by UofTOrange on Jan 7, 2009 2:18 PM CST up reply actions

How is the problem

by that I mean T-mac fixed? Other than simply dealing with it the rest of this year.

bags030404
www.acowboynation.com

by Phillip Baggett on Jan 7, 2009 12:54 PM CST reply actions

Worry about the Mavs, buddy.

How are their problems (by which I mean Cuban) fixed? Other than dealing with his spectacular (Harris-and-four-other-dudes for 35year-old Kidd) trades and histrionics for the next decade.

by Only_A_Lad on Jan 7, 2009 1:24 PM CST up reply actions

What is it with

the anyone who likes Houston hates anything Dallas, and it is obviously illegal for a Dallas guy to take intrest in any team from the city where he lives! You guys love to beat dead horses. Besides that Cuban is a great owner! I guess Houston teams have never made any bad moves?

bags030404
www.acowboynation.com

by Phillip Baggett on Jan 7, 2009 3:50 PM CST up reply actions

Because Dallas sucks

I guess Houston teams have never made any bad moves?

Of course they have. And trading away a young, franchise player in Devin Harris for an aging star in Kidd smacks of the same idiocy that drove the early Astros (the Joe Morgan trade comes to mind).

Besides that Cuban is a great owner!

Yeah, because he’s done more good than harm for the franchise. Which sounds a lot like T-Mac.

by Only_A_Lad on Jan 7, 2009 4:06 PM CST up reply actions

okay

I despise the Cowboys (even though I like TO and MBIII)
I tolerate the Rangers (they aren’t very hateable)
I moderately hate the Mavericks.
— but Mark Cuban is a badass who I could only one day wish would own a pro team I like.

by grungedave on Jan 7, 2009 4:11 PM CST up reply actions

meh

I’d want to be like Les. I’d show up at halftime in sweatpants, look like I was a little drunk, and use the team as a microphone for my political beliefs.

by Only_A_Lad on Jan 7, 2009 4:22 PM CST up reply actions

Worse Move for Cuban

Devin Harris trade…

The Benefactor! Worst reality show ever!

by Tom Martin on Jan 7, 2009 5:12 PM CST up reply actions

The Harris trade was awful

But Mark Cuban is the best owner in the history of sports. The guy is what all of us would be if we owned a team. A true fan. It’s sad that other owners aren’t like him.

by UofTOrange on Jan 7, 2009 9:08 PM CST up reply actions

so bcz. u post this

scola has 0 points

by EveryHoustonTeamRox! on Jan 7, 2009 9:18 PM CST reply actions

I get the whole

premise of this Houston and houstonians must by shear geographics not like Dallas, but come on! Name one time a Dallas team has stopped a houston team from getting where they wanted to go. Houston had 2-0 lead in that playoff series and due to partially the refs and partially their own failures lost them the series. Dallas is not Utah! and besides that Dalas has never won a championship! I am a Dallas fan but I also like the Houston teams. Yes the Kidd trade was stupid but every franchise has and will make a stupid trade at some point. You all should be happy we made that trade!

bags030404
www.acowboynation.com

by Phillip Baggett on Jan 8, 2009 8:48 AM CST reply actions