Well, guys...nothing against McGrady, but I believe that Francis and Mobley (put together) are better than McGrady...but as far as playing alongside Yao, I don't know.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting realdealbneal:</div><div class="quote_post">Well, guys...nothing against McGrady, but I believe that Francis and Mobley (put together) are better than McGrady...but as far as playing alongside Yao, I don't know.</div> I like the team more this year than last year, but its not a significant upgrade in personnel. The Rockets excelling this year and getting deep into the playoffs will depend more on Yao's improvement than the McGrady aquisition, in my opinion.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trip:</div><div class="quote_post">McGrady is not one to quarrell with a teammate too, so both of them will probably keep a good relationship. </div> Eh, theres been several issues involving him and teammates. As for their team chemistry, we really won't know how they're going to play together until we see it for ourselves. If McGrady fully adjusts to the fact that he's NOT going to be the number one option, then there shouldn't be any problems. He's stated that he just wants to win and help carry the team into the playoffs - However I doubt the fact that he's going to be #2 has completely sunk in. Lets face it, he has a huge ego and sets high goals for himself. Now this is no knock on McGrady, but we'll have to see for ourselves on how he's going to react upon being #2. Because so far IMO, his motto is his jersey number - #1. (That goes both ways - Personal goals and team goals. Lets just hope the team goals will out weight the personal). As for drama like Kobe/Shaq -Theres no way these two guys will end up like them. Yao is too easy going and McGrady isn't nearly the same as Kobe. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Well, guys...nothing against McGrady, but I believe that Francis and Mobley (put together) are better than McGrady...but as far as playing alongside Yao, I don't know.</div> We just don't know yet.. The trio of Francis/Mobley & Yao was only getting better as the games went on. But again, we just don't know yet - McGrady might surprise us all.
Yeah...but don't forget the bajillion turnovers that cost us games. Courtesy of Francis and Mobley. Is McGrady a turnover machine? Iuno I don't watch Magic games.
The biggest problem for the rockets last year were the turnovers. Francis and Mobley made the most careless and silly turnovers, often times without even going for a play. They would turnover just on a simple pass. Mcgrady averages almost 6 assists, and 28 points a game with well under 3 turnovers! For a guy that has the ball in his hands TAHT much, his turnovers are very impressive.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting l2emix:</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah...but don't forget the bajillion turnovers that cost us games. Courtesy of Francis and Mobley. Is McGrady a turnover machine? Iuno I don't watch Magic games.</div> <u>McGrady</u> (295 games with the Magic) 28.1 ppg 5.1 apg 2.6 tpg <u>Francis</u> (374 games with the Rockets) 19.3 ppg 6.4 apg 3.7 tpg <u>Mobley</u> (436 games with the Rockets) 17.1 ppg 4.0 apg 2.2 tpg McGrady had a higher assist to turnover ratio than either of them, while also scoring much more. I don't think turnovers will be as much of an issue with him.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Ice:</div><div class="quote_post">Eh, theres been several issues involving him and teammates. </div>Well, even if there has been a few grudges here and there, at least it wasn't elevated to the level of the Kobe/Shaq drama. What that concludes to is that T-Mac is one who knows his limits or the Magic did a good job of covering the issues up. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Well, guys...nothing against McGrady, but I believe that Francis and Mobley (put together) are better than McGrady...but as far as playing alongside Yao, I don't know.</div>The trade wasn't just for McGrady. Many are forgetting that we are also getting Juwan Howard who brings career averages of 18/7. That is a huge upgrade over Kelvin Cato who started last year on the offensive end, and Howard's defense won't make him as vulnerable as Mo Taylor, to say the least. McGrady for Franchise/Cat isn't worth it IMO, but Howard/T-Mac for Franchise/Cat is.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting durvasa:</div><div class="quote_post"><u>McGrady</u> (295 games with the Magic) 28.1 ppg 5.1 apg 2.6 tpg <u>Francis</u> (374 games with the Rockets) 19.3 ppg 6.4 apg 3.7 tpg <u>Mobley</u> (436 games with the Rockets) 17.1 ppg 4.0 apg 2.2 tpg McGrady had a higher assist to turnover ratio than either of them, while also scoring much more. I don't think turnovers will be as much of an issue with him.</div> I'm sure whoever starts at PG this year (Ward or Lue) won't average close to 3 turnovers a game. This means if TMac gets around 2.6 and lets say the new guy gets around 2-2.5, the Rockets already save themselves at least a turnover a game. That adds up in an 82 game season...
Ward is a steady ballhandler and has never averaged more than 2.7 turnovers per game, so we'll probably see about 5 less turnovers from last year. Cato also had hands of steel that resulted in a few turnovers each game too.
Francis was a great player, but: Francis is not a superstar like Tmac..He's not as much of a scoring threat as tmac is. Teams didn't double francis, but this time with tmac and yao together, nobody can stop them. Ward and JJ and Motay will have a bunch of open shots that they will drain. Even Howard's weird aim will still get us 2 points because he usually drains them when he gets open shots. If Nachbar improves his shot, he too will benefit. We're gna start averaging 90-100 points per game even with JVG as our head coach..with t-mac the sky's the limit
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting drm2dnk:</div><div class="quote_post">Francis was a great player, but: Francis is not a superstar like Tmac..He's not as much of a scoring threat as tmac is. Teams didn't double francis, but this time with tmac and yao together, nobody can stop them. Ward and JJ and Motay will have a bunch of open shots that they will drain. Even Howard's weird aim will still get us 2 points because he usually drains them when he gets open shots. If Nachbar improves his shot, he too will benefit. We're gna start averaging 90-100 points per game even with JVG as our head coach..with t-mac the sky's the limit</div> I must say that I agree with what drm2dnk said here (albeit his previous childish posts). However, the issue now I think is Tmac must realize that he is like a "supplement" to Yao in this team. To me this is how I look at it on the offensive end: The offense will run to Yao, he gets double teamed, and all Yao have to do is dump it out to a slashing Tmac, and it's pretty much all over. Tmac will either score on the other team or dump it out to his teammate for an open shot. I can envision a 2nd coming of a Lakers team in the making. A big man that the opposing team HAVE to double team, a scoring machine a la Kobe in Tmac, and all we need is the other role players to knock down their shots. It's all so easy theoretically. The only real issue now is whether Tmac will want to share the ball. That's it. Simple as that. I hope Tmac is intelligent enough to realize that he has to and hopefully his ego won't get in the way. Cause Yao's won't for sure.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting SupraJames:</div><div class="quote_post">I must say that I agree with what drm2dnk said here (albeit his previous childish posts). However, the issue now I think is Tmac must realize that he is like a "supplement" to Yao in this team. To me this is how I look at it on the offensive end: The offense will run to Yao, he gets double teamed, and all Yao have to do is dump it out to a slashing Tmac, and it's pretty much all over. Tmac will either score on the other team or dump it out to his teammate for an open shot. I can envision a 2nd coming of a Lakers team in the making. A big man that the opposing team HAVE to double team, a scoring machine a la Kobe in Tmac, and all we need is the other role players to knock down their shots. It's all so easy theoretically. The only real issue now is whether Tmac will want to share the ball. That's it. Simple as that. I hope Tmac is intelligent enough to realize that he has to and hopefully his ego won't get in the way. Cause Yao's won't for sure.</div> I predict McGrady will lead the team in scoring (24 or 25 points a game) and shot attempts, but I think he'll do it in the flow of the team's offense. He'll create when he needs to, and otherwise let the offense run through Yao or Juwon/Mo. But we didn't trade for a role player, we traded for a star and those are the expectations. Whether it's "Yao's team" or "T-Mac's team" isn't really important. The offense will center around Yao, but McGrady will probably do the bulk of the scoring which is fine. And I don't expect any ego problems from either of them. Van Gundy knows how to get his players to respect him. Francis struggled mightily in his system last year, and although every once and a while he's express some frustration, by and large he was accepted Van Gundy's philosophy on the offensive end and went with it. That's to his credit. I expect McGrady to do the same thing, but I hope he's more successful than Francis.
I think a big difference is that Francis/Mobley preferred the fast paced style of play. However, that style wastes the talent of yao Ming. Mcgrady, however, prefers the half-court game to begin with. Mcgrady's acquisition is important because it brings in a superstar, and it gets ride of the Mobley Francis tandem that just made so many horrific plays. I think that Sura/Mcgrady is better than Francis/Mobley in almost every category.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting ZhuangCorp:</div><div class="quote_post">I think a big difference is that Francis/Mobley preferred the fast paced style of play. However, that style wastes the talent of yao Ming.</div> I think that is so true. Francis/Mobley are a very good duo but you cant put them together with a 7'6" center who plays the half court set. So I think they'll fit alot better with the young athletic DHoward. As for Yao and T-Mac. This duo is a perfect fit. Because defenses will have to play everyone man-to-man, double team t-mac, or double team yao. And no matter what they do there will always be a threat on offense. BUT, OMG, I WONNA STOP TALKING ABOUT IT AND FREAKIN SEE IT!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting realdealbneal:</div><div class="quote_post">Well, guys...nothing against McGrady, but I believe that Francis and Mobley (put together) are better than McGrady...but as far as playing alongside Yao, I don't know.</div> Yea you could combine two players and say they're better than tmac. I'll disagree with that..tmac won't turnover the ball and miss layups like francis does. Well Shaq and Kobe combined are better than Mcgrady...but who now is gonna cover kobe when Yao and Tmac come to town?..medvedinko? lol just playin
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting drm2dnk:</div><div class="quote_post">Yea you could combine two players and say they're better than tmac. I'll disagree with that..tmac won't turnover the ball and miss layups like francis does. Well Shaq and Kobe combined are better than Mcgrady...but who now is gonna cover kobe when Yao and Tmac come to town?..medvedinko? lol just playin</div> Well I do know it will be a tough game, but for both teams. I don't see Vlade or Mihm doing anything offensively on Yao...but one test for him will be to play smart ball in the paint against Divac, because the slightest charge, and Vlade will flop (I know this...I hated the Kings mainly for this reason). Also, McGrady/Kobe will be interesting, but I doubt either will be double-teamed because of the matchup itself. Kobe's defense is one of the best in the league (All-Defensive First Team a few times), but McGrady will be toughest to guard on his jumpers. McGrady could always put a hand in Kobe's face to alter the shot, but a problem he will have is Kobe driving to the hoop. Both players will face problems against each other...and both may be a little carried away in keeping the ball (hopefully not). That leaves Lamar Odom/Caron Butler and Juwan Howard/Jim Jackson...and this is where team chemistry comes to play. Kobe and Divac will need to know where Odom/Buter are at all times, so when they plays off the ball and lose Howard/Jackson, they can throw a dish to them for the bucket...same with the Rockets. Howard/Jackson can pull away from the hoop and lose Odom/Butler, then take a jumper if Yao and T-Mac are aware of them at the time. Team chemistry. With all of that said...maybe it'll depend on the point guards. Have mercy on their souls...because it's not like they will own this game.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting realdealbneal:</div><div class="quote_post">McGrady could always put a hand in Kobe's face to alter the shot, but a problem he will have is Kobe driving to the hoop.</div> As far as driving goes, Yao is more likely to block Kobe than Vlade is to block Tmac. And before you say it, Tmac is smart enough to go around Vlade .
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting JuLiO-R-:</div><div class="quote_post">BUT, OMG, I WONNA STOP TALKING ABOUT IT AND FREAKIN SEE IT!</div>
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting drm2dnk:</div><div class="quote_post">which leaves 2-3 open players dropping easy shots. Do I have to back this up?? Unless you're a noob, we all know that tmac and yao get doubled each game..this time they're gonna be unstoppable!</div> Sorry, buddy but that's the problem here. The only proven players on the team are Yao and T-Mac eith not one other person to average double figures in pts. A team with Tyronne Lue running the point will be lucky to make it in the playoffs. Oh, and good job here. Someone actually backed up one of their comments. You should also do a lil research before you questioning yourself about whether someone is a noob or not, lol.
It's not going to be a problem for Tyronne Lue to run the point. Van Gundy wants point guards like him and Charlie Ward. Their stable, no nonsense point guards who play defense(well Ward is). Just the kind of point guard Van Gundy likes. Which is why Steve Francis was shown the door. Tyronne Lue and Ward running the point isnt going to be a problem since their both capable of knocking down threes(again Ward is I dont know about Lue).
