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More "It’s not my fault" McGrady
Game two coming up tonight. I’ll have the preview up later on. Just wanted to get something up on this comment from McGrady,
I could be as aggressive as I want to be, but if they double-team me, get the ball out of my hands, and we’re not making shots, we’re in for a long night.”
But according to David Locke,
The only thing is, (from everyone I talked to i.e., analyst, coaches, players,) the Jazz weren’t double teaming McGrady.
It sure seems like McGrady is setting it up to put the blame on his teammates for a series loss.
Scrum, you have the game recorded. Do you want to check it out and see if he was double-teamed that much? Anyone else remember? I was listening to most of the game so I can’t comment much on this.
UPDATE: Thanks for the comments. Scrum just watched the game again and here’s his comment (in case you don’t click through to the comments),
“McGrady was absolutely NOT double teamed. Often the Jazz would send a guy over to threaten who wouldn’t even actually guard him, but would stand 3-5 feet away to cut off passing/driving lanes. It reminded me of the New Orleans game. ALSO, the 2 threes that KK hit, McGrady was totally lost on D which left Kyle open. There were also several possessions where McGrady didn’t even move from the three point line, one in particular when he had an iso on KK (the entire side of the floor was wide open) and he passed to Jackson who immediately missed a 3.”
RELATED POSTS:
Marvelous graphic of T-mac doing what he does best.
From what I remember, he was not double-teamed much, if at all. Brewer, AK, Korver, and Harpring for a bit all played him straight up. When he drove the ball into the lane, he got help defenders, but he was being played 1-on-1 when he caught the ball.
Ken got it right on. The Jazz helped over quickly when he drove so that he couldn’t get to hoop. Also, a few times when they gave it to him in the post and then the point guard rolled through, Deron stopped and doubled briefly before getting back to his guy. I actually went back and rewatched the 4th quarter wondering the same thing after I read his comment. McGrady just got content to shoot jumpers or go to the hoop and dish (to no one).
I’ll go over it tonight before the game
Cue the waterworks after tonights game.
One question, did the first round used to be best of 5??? For some reason I thought it was, maybe I am just imaging this! (Plus I was really young!)
It was best of 7, then best of 5, now best of 7 again. I think it was changed because players were losing out on money from not having those two (potential) games.
The players?
How did you not mention the owners (& the NBA) in there too?
Mcgrady wasn’t really doubled at all but the jazz had three or four players out there in the 2nd half who could guard him (korver, harpring, keirilinko, brewer), especially when boozer and millsap were in foul trouble, this allowed utah to switch on all the screens which was surprisingly very effective. Mcgrady was no more open than he was before the screen and the screener never even tried to seal or cut but just stood and hoped mcgrady would work his magic. So as long as the man screening isn’t scola or another big man the jazz will probobaly do this again tonight because it was quite effective.
McGrady was absolutely NOT double teamed. Often the Jazz would send a guy over to threaten who wouldn’t even actually guard him, but would stand 3-5 feet away to cut off passing/driving lanes. It reminded me of the New Orleans game. ALSO, the 2 threes that KK hit, McGrady was totally lost on D which left Kyle open. There were also several possessions where McGrady didn’t even move from the three point line, one in particular when he had an iso on KK (the entire side of the floor was wide open) and he passed to Jackson who immediately missed a 3.
This, added to his post-game comments, reminds me of that one guy on the church basketball team who played 1 year of high school ball and thinks he’s the best player on the floor and makes 2 or 3 great plays but doesn’t do much else other than point at everyone else and tell them what they’re doing wrong.
Nice. I’m going to put this on the front page.
I feel so honored!
Looks like TrueHoop picked up on this post. Thanks all.
I can’t believe TrueHoop picked up the comments by Scrum because half of them aren’t even true. T-Mac was not guarding Korver when he hit those two 3s in game 1. Novak was guarding him. T-Mac was assigned to Harpring during those two posessions.
Korver was trailing Williams on the second 3 pointer during a fastbreak. Novak and Jackson were guarding Williams and squared up to keep him from penetrating. Williams stopped just inside the perimeter and dished to the trailing Korver. All while setting a screen on Jackson and Novak couldn’t recover. Korver was wide open. Uhh, T-Mac had NOTHING to do with that play, genius.
You know crap about the game, Scrum
I just watched the threes (again) and McGrady was DEFINITELY guarding Korver, I can upload pictures and video if you want.
The 1st Three: Novak is on AK. Tracy POINTS TO KORVER AS IF TO SAY, I’M ON HIM. Then he watches Williams drive and kick it to Korver who shoots, and makes the three.
2nd three: Fast break, McGrady is out of position and let’s every Jazz player behind him except Korver (who is trailing) and Memo (doubt that was his assignment). Korver was not Novak’s assignment and was covering the baseline on a cutting Harpring all while McGrady was on the other side of the paint.
I understand you’re upset about the game (and the series), I would be too, but don’t assume that I don’t know anything about the game.
If there is a guy on the church basketball team that played high school ball, and you didn’t, he is probably better than you.
no argument there
Your comments on T-Mac being lost on the two open 3s Korver hit are blanket statements. They are ABSOLUTELY untrue. Steve Novak checked into the game just before Korver hit those two 3s and T-Mac was given assigment to Harpring. The second 3 pointer Korver in 3rd quarter of game 1 was wen he was trailing Derron Williams on a fastbreak. Bobby Jackson and Steve Novak were squaring up on Williams to keep him from penetrating, then Williams stopped and dished to Korver right behind him and Novak committed too much to stopping Williams and failed to get out on Korver on the 3. Williams sort of screened Jackson from getting out there which left Korver wide open for the second 3.
Scrum, some of your comments about T-Mac may be true, but don’t act like you really “broke down” the game and assume T-Mac was guarding Korver on those two plays.
That is what we need…bloggers giveing their “expert” analysis and its all just a bunch of lies.
I’ve watched it about 5 times now, you want pics and video?
I’ll host them if you want.
Okay, prove me wrong on the fastbreak play that I described when Korver hit the second 3 to stretch the lead to 8. I guarantee you T-mac was nowhere near that play. It was Jackson and Novak who was on Williams and Korver.
Click on the link and scroll down to game 1 highlights.
http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=hou
As you can see, T-Mac was on the other weak-side helping out with a possible swing play. Novak was Jackson’s help on the strong side. Prove me wrong.
McGrady was supposed to guard Korver and didn’t. Who was he trying to guard out there when it was a 1 on 4?
Dude, Novak was already positioned on the weakside. Harpring was slashing towards the hoop past Williams, but Chuck Hayes had already picked him up before he got into the paint. That means T-Mac had Okur who was trailing on the weakside which Means Krover was Novak’s assignment on that play. Novak should have been out there considering he had already taken reponsibility on that side of the basket. It was not on Tracy when Novak was already in position to help.
Correction. Novak was on the strongside.
I think you’re missing the bigger point here. We can sit and debate about who needed to help who and who was in a position to guard who, so if it will make you feel better, McGrady wasn’t totally at fault for the second three.
I’m not sure why you’re so bent out of shape. You seem to be either a big McGrady fan or a big Rockets fan (or both) and that’s cool, we like spirited debate. But don’t think you’re going to come to a Utah Jazz blog and not see criticism of the other team. You think I’m wrong? Fine, I don’t care. But making the “argument” that I, or this blog, is not credible because of one comment is ridiculous (mostly because I only comment here, I’m not a contributor).
I won’t go into the accusations you made because it’s a waste of time (except for this: you said, “I am not the one making the comparisons.” when you clearly compared McGrady and the Rockets to Kobe and the Lakers and Jordan and the Bulls, “Yeah, who did Kobe have two years ago? How did he fair? Oh, thats right. They didn’t even make the playoffs. Umm, who did Jordan have? This guy named Scotty Pippen.”) Just remember that opinions are like ass holes, everyone has one and they all stink. Come in here and tell us that you think the Rockets will win game 3 and why, but don’t insult our intelligence.
Bottom line is, it was a great play by Williams to feed Korver behind him and set a screen on Jackson. I don’t think anyone would have stopped it. My point being is that this site is plastered with comments about T-Mac that aren’t entirely true. I mean, you don’t see me coming on your turf and using the AK flop as an excuse the loss last night, do you?
That ain’t my style. I’m just saying IF there is any series where you can’t put it all on Tracy in the 7 attempts he’s had in the first round of the playoffs, this IS the series where he gets a pass.
The 1st and 3rd leading scorers wearing suits shoulda told you that.
Opinions can neither be true nor false. McGrady is the reason they lost. Opinion. He blew a defensive assignment on Korver’s first 3. Fact. McGrady isn’t much of a leader in tight games. Opinion. McGrady has scored exactly 1 point in 24 4th Q minutes. Fact. You want to debate opinions, fine. Facts are irrefutable.
If you want to give him a pass for a first round loss, that’s your business. I am going to continually harass him (via internet comments of course) until he gets the monkey off his back. If the roles were reversed and it was Deron or Booz that laid an egg in the 4th, I can GUARANTEE I’d be pissed about it.
Insult your intelligence? Look, I’m not here to be your confidant or best buddy. I’m here to set the record straight about T-mac and my beloved Rockets. TrueHoop picking up your comments is laughable becuase they aren’t true which gives quite a bit of irony to the name “True Hoop”.
I said before the series and I will say it again, the Rockets didn’t have a chance in hell to win this series without Alston. Yao was one thing to overcome, but Alston made it damn near impossible.
Now, I’m not saying this entire site needs to be sandblasted to bits of mortar. There is some insightful things, but what was pointed out to me on another site from this site was pretty much a load of crap.
Okay, I will retract some of what I said about you not knowing your thumb from your ass-hole. Hell, I bet you know quite a bit about basketball and all things Utah Jazz. You’re just lacking in the “in-game analysis” part of it. Its no big deal. I can help you with that if you want.
Its obvious you’re deflecting.
You still haven’t answered my question. Had Lebron James been missing Delonte West and Ilgauskus, would Cleveland win a series against the Jazz; much less a single game?
Please do, please explain why Tracy complained of double-teaming when there was none (which, believe it or not, was the whole point of this thread to begin with.) I’ve got the game footage if you’d like it.
Hope to see you here again after game 3.
there you go with your comparisons again…
and no they wouldn’t, just like the Rockets won’t against the Jazz.
There was some double teaming going on. Not a lot but more than in the first 3 quarters. Look at the other posessions he had the ball at the top of the 3 point line. Almost everytime he tried to create, Jazz defenders collapsed to the lane. Tracy had nowhere to go.
I will say this, he looked gassed. That is not an excuse. If you are a superstar, then you have to find the energy and he was lacking it in the 4th quarter.
Still, he had nowhere to go. He had to settle.
Just for good measure, I’d like to defend my original comment. You say that it is crap, lies, etc., but the only thing you have refuted (although only partly) is that he got lost on both threes when it was really only the first.
1. He wasn’t double-teamed (at all, in my opinion) but even if he was, it wasn’t enough to merit him complaining about it.
2. The Korver threes, which we went over
3. Staying around the three point line while the offense was run through someone else (no off the ball movement/screens). It might not mean anything, but that doesn’t make it false.
4. Passing up a sure layup/dunk/freethrows to pass to Jackson who immediately shot a contested 3 (don’t try to defend this one, it was in the 3rd Q and KK isn’t the strongest of defenders)
My response
1. Uhh, are you telling me that there was NO double teaming of T-Mac whatsoever? If that is the case, then I have wasted quite a bit of time with you. There were probably 4 or 5 occasions in the 4th quarter where his defender was getting help. I’m not sure how you define that up in SLC, but down here we call that double teaming.
2. Yes, we’ve exhausted the Korver 3s.
3. That may have not been his decision. In fact, Adelman’s offense doesn’t do a lot of running without the ball. I saw that with JVG some, but I didn’t see a whole lot of calls for T-Mac to run cuts off double screens on the baseline and pop out for a quick catch and shoot all season long. Again, thats not on him if the play isn’t called for. I think his increased minutes might have something to do with this not being in the playbook. A guy who does a lot of running a la Reggie Miller, won’t play 45 minutes a game because it takes a lot out of you. I’m speculating, but its not untrue that the Rockets didn’t run that type of offense all year long.
4. You’re probably right. I didn’t see it.
1 1/2 out of 4 ain’t bad, Scrum. Doesn’t merit a hit from True Hoop, but its gold for your standards.
Not sure how you got 1.5 out of that, but whatever. You’re a good Rockets fan/McGrady fan for defending them, but I’m sure you’ll agree that this “debate” has grown tiresome (especially since we’re talking about game 1.) I think I’m right, you think I’m wrong, so we can leave it at that. If you want to comment further, email me from my blog (yes, I see you visited.) We don’t need to take up any more space here.
PS I’m pretty sure that TrueHoop was pointing to the post as a whole, and not just my comments. This site has been linked to a couple times by Abbott (and others), Basketball John is no slouch.
Thanks Scrum. I’m as exhausted as McGrady was keeping up with you two.
I love how people come to a Jazz blog wanting to pick a fight. Good way to defend yourself Scrum. And apparently the proof is in the pudding.
[…] for the Jazz to do the same defensive scheme tonight. As Ken, Scrum, and FLA stated, they’re going to keep playing T-Mac straight up and send help. Someone else is going […]
locke just mentioned this post and how scrum (though not by name) went back and watched the game…
holy crap…glad I recorded it onto my comp!
Nice. Nice job Scrum. Did he mention the site name?
yes he did.
This is brutal, I’m listening to B 98.7 and waiting for the game audio to come on and if my roommate thinks I actually enjoy this music I am going to puke
Hot Rod just called it the Western Conference Finals…
If only it was…
we’d be going to the NBA Finals!
He’s just psychic.
If the Jazz win on Thur, they best all bring Brooms to the game on Sat! For ecological reasons of course!
Or is that physcological? Either way, it’s for cleaning up help. 
GREAT games, 1 & 2.
Tears may be shed by Sat morning, by someone.
But we still need to play at least two more games, even though at home, they need to be played out and won. Then we can focus on the next ones up. (GO Denver)!
Reffing; Finding competent reffs must sorta be like finding a qualified person to run for public office, especially POTUS, meaning real tough. One would think out of 300 million folks we could find a hundred or so that have some knowledge of the rules of the game. (Big Sigh).
If the idea of the league is to allow a bit more contact during playoffs, fine, but they still have the responsibility to call real calls. I swear these guys are either sleeping or daydreaming. Yes I know that I am a biased fan, but really, when someone seems to be defying all physics laws known to mankind, someone else probably had some input to contribute to such activities. Think about it.
I will mention how proud I am of the JazzMen for putting up with seemingly, so many bad calls, no calls, dreaming calls. The world of the NBA is better off that I do attend but one game a year, as I am not so sure that I could contain my own emotions as well.
BTW; song of the series, or longer, is linked to here. http://myutahjazz.blogspot.com/2008/04/utah-jazz-marketing-machine-at-work.html
Worth the listen!
CIAO
Is it only me or is McGrady a big loser.
We keep reading about Weber, Peja & Carter choking in the playoffs…..what about McGrady?
There is only so much that one can buy about how he has never had great teammates, at least of he was fighting & giving it hi s all & still falling short one could understand. But he seems to mail in the playoffs every year.
Never getting out of the 1st round is no coincidence.
If Kobe could win 3 games with Kwame Brown as his center & Smush Parker as his point guard against a Suns team, why cant McGrady at least get a couple of wins against a Jazz team with much superior talent.
Man, you Jazz fans are some lame-ass chumps. You’re all hyped about beating a Rockets team lacking Yao and Rafer? That’s kinda pathetic… I’m not even a Rockets fan, but I do like McGrady, and it just seems silly and petty to be ripping him when even the entire TNT crew agreed he was the best player on the floor last night. You may sweep the Rockets, but wait till you run into NO or Phoenix/SA.
Why would we NOT be excited about beating the Rockets!? They have had the best record of any team in the NBA since January 1 (ourselves having the second best) and it IS the playoffs. Are we supposed to feel bad about ourselves for beating a team that has injuries?
The national media has criticized us all season for being a “horrible road team” but we just went on the road and beat a very good Houston team TWICE. And it doesn’t matter if McGrady was the best player on the floor, it’s a team game. The better team won.
you’re right, we shouldn’t be excited about the playoffs, our bad. I guess if we’re eventually going to have to play another series we should just smile and move on after a win.
And if the TNT guys said he was good, then it must be gospel. T-Mac was the best player on the floor…for 3 quarters. He was PHENOMENAL…for 36 minutes. He disappeared in the 4th and when you’re in a close game (playoff game nonetheless) your stars need to step up (see: Williams, D.)
Yeah, its so easy for T-Mac to step up his game in the 4th quarter when he IS being forced to kick it to another teammate. Uhh, in case you didn’t notice, there are these two guys who need lots of attention when on the court with Williams. Mayabe you’ve head of them…their names are Boozer and Okur.
Uhh, yeah, those two all-star players might give Williams enough room to make plays down the stretch because of the attention they draw away from the ball.
Who did T-Mac have to take that kind of attention away from him? Scola? No. Battier? No. Jackson? No.
Yeah, who did Kobe have two years ago? How did he fair? Oh, thats right. They didn’t even make the playoffs. Umm, who did Jordan have? This guy named Scotty Pippen.
Give T-Mac one sure fire scoring threat by his side and the outcome of games one and two would have been different.
nonsequitter,
I find it hard to believe that you don’t blame McGrady for the loss, especially when your own fans are turning on him. I’m not sure how he was “forced to kick it to another teammate,” I thought he was the type of player who can create his own shot. Regardless, winners find a way to win, and he hasn’t.
You want to compare him to Kobe and Jordan? That’s a bit of a stretch, especially since Kobe got to the semi-finals with Smush Parker and Kwame Brown.
He didn’t seem to have a problem with it in the first three quarters. And I believe Battier has shot the ball very well. He’s throwing everyone and their dog under the bus. He even had no problem bringing up Adelman’s name. He wants the glory but doesn’t have the guts.
Scrum,
Check your facts, dude. I believe Kobe and the Lakers were blown out in game 7 of the first round against Phoenix back in ‘06, so NO, Kobe did not take Smush Parker and Kwame Brown to the conference semis. Try again.
Btw, I am not the one making the comparisons. YOU are. I was simply using examples to the idea that T-Mac should be able to do it all on his own when other superstars had not. Lebron for instance, can you honestly sit here and tell me that Lebron minus a Delonte West and Ilgauskus could beat the Jazz? No freaking way.
I’m just saying this entire site has pointed out that T-Mac is using his teammates as scapegoats. Yet last year, he said it was “on him” and he was criticized for it. Lets face it, in the tough West one superstar player can’t do it all on his own and Lebron against San Antonio in the finals last year is a great example of that.
Your delusions of grandeur have me questioning any validity to this site. Your Kyle Korver 3 pointer comments should have told me enough.
I misspoke, the Suns/Lakers series was first round, but Lakers were up 3-1 at one point
Basketball John,
That is not my point. You honestly think a superstar won’t get off during any point in a game? T-Mac did. Its not like he choked in the first 3 quarters and its also evident that the Jazz made adjustments at halftime as T-mac scored 16 of his 23 in the first half. That means he only scored 6 points in the 3rd quarter and I believe those 6 points came within the first 3:30 minutes of the 2nd half. From what I saw, T-Mac did get double teamed alot more in the second half than he did in the first. Even if the Jazz didn’t double team and he tried to make a move, I saw a lot of guys collapsing to the lane to divert his angle elsewhere.
Also, T-Mac had 2 or 3 passes down low where teammates had point blank layups that were blown. A superstar also tried to get the other 4 guys involved if he can’t take over.
This is not on T-Mac.
[…] I’ll echo the sentiment by RRR. The refs are plain awful. I really can’t remember a year when the they’ve […]
If you want me to host the caps, just email them to me and I’ll get them up.
[…] by UtesFan89 on April 24, 2008 As seen here, McGrady has taken the “blame others” approach this year. But instead of stopping after […]