http://www.pistonpowered.com/2011/08/looking-back-at-tracy-mcgradys-amazing-2002-03-season/ Your Go-To Source For Pistons Coverage Sun, 19 May 2013 23:33:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 http://www.pistonpowered.com/2011/08/looking-back-at-tracy-mcgradys-amazing-2002-03-season/comment-page-1/#comment-34950 tarsier Tue, 23 Aug 2011 02:32:11 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=7344#comment-34950 Come on? TMac wasn't a great defensive player. But it's not like he didn't try on that end. He didn't give it maximum effort when playing long minutes because that would fatigue him more and cause slippage on the offensive end--where he was really valuable. And that quote really has hurt his reputation because it is so memorable and mockable. And what else can explain his reputation for not showing up when it matters most? Sure he's never gotten past the first round. But his playoff stats are incredible. He has not only shown up. but dominated in the playoffs. His team has just never matched him in that regard. Come on? TMac wasn’t a great defensive player. But it’s not like he didn’t try on that end. He didn’t give it maximum effort when playing long minutes because that would fatigue him more and cause slippage on the offensive end–where he was really valuable.
And that quote really has hurt his reputation because it is so memorable and mockable. And what else can explain his reputation for not showing up when it matters most? Sure he’s never gotten past the first round. But his playoff stats are incredible. He has not only shown up. but dominated in the playoffs. His team has just never matched him in that regard.

]]> http://www.pistonpowered.com/2011/08/looking-back-at-tracy-mcgradys-amazing-2002-03-season/comment-page-1/#comment-34861 RyanK Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:34:55 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=7344#comment-34861 It was an incredible performance.  I didn't know how good TMac was until that series.  Over the regular season when Prince did get on the floor, I saw him lockdown the likes of Kobe, Tmac, and others for short periods of time.  They didn't know how to handle his length until Richard Jefferson showed them you attack him like a shot blocker instead of trying to go over him.   People forget the Rick Carlisle had Michael Curry guarding TMac when he was going off for nearly 50 per game while Prince sat and watched.  I've heard the talk about what a great coach Carlisle is and how the Pistons screwed up firing him.  Well, Carlisle has become a better coach over time, but this is just one example of poor coaching.  Rick got it right eventually, but shouldn't it have been obvious after one 50 point game that Curry couldn't even challenge TMac?   Tmac's comments haven't followed him...his half effort defensively and his lack of leadership qualities have dogged him throughout his career.  If he set the tone on the defensive end for the rest of his team, he would prove to be a leader and would have advanced in the playoffs multiple times.   It was an incredible performance.  I didn’t know how good TMac was until that series.  Over the regular season when Prince did get on the floor, I saw him lockdown the likes of Kobe, Tmac, and others for short periods of time.  They didn’t know how to handle his length until Richard Jefferson showed them you attack him like a shot blocker instead of trying to go over him.
 
People forget the Rick Carlisle had Michael Curry guarding TMac when he was going off for nearly 50 per game while Prince sat and watched.  I’ve heard the talk about what a great coach Carlisle is and how the Pistons screwed up firing him.  Well, Carlisle has become a better coach over time, but this is just one example of poor coaching.  Rick got it right eventually, but shouldn’t it have been obvious after one 50 point game that Curry couldn’t even challenge TMac?
 
Tmac’s comments haven’t followed him…his half effort defensively and his lack of leadership qualities have dogged him throughout his career.  If he set the tone on the defensive end for the rest of his team, he would prove to be a leader and would have advanced in the playoffs multiple times.
 

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