McGrady ready to play, but Rockets tell him to wait

[GamerGuy]

Tracy McGrady is eager to play. The Houston Rockets say he'll have to wait.

 

The seven-time All-Star had microfracture surgery on his left knee in February, but insisted that he's fully recovered before Friday night's game against the streaking Atlanta Hawks.

 

"Right now, I could play," he said.

 

Not so fast. The Rockets believe McGrady needs more time and would risk hurting his knee again if he comes back too soon. The next step is an MRI on Monday.

 

"We have a difference of opinion," coach Rick Adelman said. "He wants to play. He's not ready to play. It's as simple as that."

 

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/11/20/rockets.mcgrady.ap/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt2

 

Could the return of McGrady ruin the Rockets chemistry, or is Adelman just being paranoid?

[Poe]

I'll take Rick Adelman's word over McGrady's. Rick has coached a team full of role players to a winning record to start the season. I think he knows what's best.

 

If they were losing, then I would say that they should go ahead and play T-Mac. As long as they are staying successful, I think McGrady needs to be patient and produce for his team when called upon. Bringing him back too quickly and forcing him into the offense will disrupt the chemistry as his teammates will try to adjust to his presence on the floor. His effort on defense won't exactly be a huge plus, either.

 

He needs to understand that what he thinks is best for himself isn't always what's best for the team. Instead of whining and begging for attention, he should prove he's worthy of playing time through his actions. Work hard and show the coach how playing you will be beneficial to the team. Clearly winning isn't of the utmost importance to him.

[Real Deal]

Doesn't really matter, because McGrady won't be in Houston much longer. Many are after that expiring contract, I'm sure, and Houston has many reasons to get rid of it for a lot of talent. I wouldn't be surprised if he's gone by February.

[Dash]

Adelman is being paranoid. Houston overachieving should no nothing new, we can barely keep up with other teams when they turn it into a half-court game. For the past 11 games, Houston has won and then lost the very next game. This team obviously needs a star out there on the court but Adelman seems to have fallen in love with the pace of the game.

 

Doesn't really matter, because McGrady won't be in Houston much longer. Many are after that expiring contract, I'm sure, and Houston has many reasons to get rid of it for a lot of talent. I wouldn't be surprised if he's gone by February.

 

Matching $23 million in contract and proposing a decent deal isn't exactly easy. Chances are slim that we even do trade him imo.

[kingfish]

Doesn't really matter, because McGrady won't be in Houston much longer. Many are after that expiring contract, I'm sure, and Houston has many reasons to get rid of it for a lot of talent. I wouldn't be surprised if he's gone by February.

Well that is true I mean the Grizzlies gave us Pau for Kwames huge expiring contract, but we actually gave them good talent and picks too. I think the Rockets are better off keeping TMac and hoping for the best then use the cash next summer. The Rockets are a pretty attractive franchise, they could have someone playing alongside Yao, plus they have a very good young nucleus of Brooks, Trevor, Scola, and have a good leader in Battier. Think the Rockets can land a pretty good free agent if they spend the cash on him.

[Warren2ThaG]

McGrady goes through full practice with Rockets

"To Tracy McGrady, the day was just another practice, more evidence that he is, in his opinion, ready to play.

 

To the Rockets, from the coach who ran the long-awaited workout to the teammates that played with and against him, Monday's practice offered evidence that McGrady's return from microfracture knee surgery "is still a process."

 

"He went through the workout today, started and he finished," said Rockets assistant coach Elston Turner, who ran practice with Rick Adelman off Monday to attend to a personal matter. "But it is still a process. We have to bring him back slowly."

 

McGrady, however, said that while there is work to do on his game to make up for the time off the court, he is ready to play whenever the team allows. He said he does expect to make his season-debut "soon," either this week or on the four-game road trip Nov. 29 through Dec. 5.

 

Rockets orthopedist Dr. Walter Lowe said the MRI showed no change since September and that McGrady will be monitored "over the coming weeks," indicating his return is not imminent.

 

"I feel I can play, but the coach and the GM obviously feel different," McGrady said. "They run this team and until they feel I'm ready to play, then I guess I'll be watching."

 

McGrady did not protest the difference of opinion he has with general manager Daryl Morey and Adelman as much as he did the backlash that has followed his declaring a Nov. 18 "target date" that differed greatly from the team's and his decision to don a uniform last week in Minnesota.

 

"When did wanting to play basketball become a problem, a bad thing," McGrady said. "I'm ready to play basketball. Everybody is making a big deal because I say I'm ready. The GM and the coach say I'm not ready. Until they feel I'm ready, I won't play."

 

Turner said McGrady played well at times and struggled on other occasions, describing the practice as the start of McGrady's training camp.

 

"He looked good. He looked better than what he did earlier in training camp. He's shooting the ball well. He's going to the basket. It's a little different (than going against McGrady in the past.) Once he gets a couple games under his belt, in game situations, he'll be good. He'll be back to what he used to be."

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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/6735829.html