Tracy McGrady News: Pro Sports Daily

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November 2

Salt Lake Tribune

"After playing the Houston Rockets 24 times the last three seasons -- 11 regular-season games as well as first-round playoff series in 2007 and 2008 -- the Jazz might be in for a case of mistaken identity tonight. The Rockets will be back at EnergySolutions Arena, but without Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady . Their remaining cast is led by Trevor Ariza , last seen helping the L.A. Lakers to last season's championship before signing with Houston as a free agent. Yao is likely out for the season after undergoing surgery -- once feared career-threatening -- that included a bone graft and realignment of his left foot. McGrady, meanwhile, underwent microfracture surgery on his left knee in February ..."

McGrady lends a hand

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October 24

Houston Chronicle

"Tracy McGrady has not returned full-time to Rockets practices, but he did go overtime this week. McGrady stayed after Thursday's practice to work with center Joey Dorsey on post moves. "This is the first day we started working out," Dorsey said Thursday. "Me and Mac talked (Wednesday) night. He was like, 'Stop throwing the ball out of the post every time you get it. Look to score sometimes. You're the biggest one on the court.' So we came in and started working out. "I talked to him because Mac, he's still favoring his injury, but on the court, he's looking really good. He's playing well. I've seen how he posts up and he makes moves so easy and gets to the basket. Who else to learn from ..."

Scola's ankle keeps him day-to-day

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October 19

Houston Chronicle

"After coming back Friday from last week's sprained ankle, forward Luis Scola did not practice Sunday and will be held out of tonight's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Toyota Center. "He's just day-to-day," athletic trainer Keith Jones said. "It's a very mild high ankle sprain, not bad at all. We said he'd rest a couple days and see how he felt in the middle of the week. After the half (on Friday), he was a little stiff. We took him out because he was limping. We said, 'These games don't count.' We'll let it settle down and see how it feels." Tracy McGrady on Sunday continued to substitute in during portions of practice. McGrady is not playing longer stretches of the scrimmage ..."

T-Mac feeling good at practice

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October 5

Houston Chronicle

"The court was dropped down in the middle of the McAllen Convention Center, a makeshift training camp venue far removed in so many ways from the arenas and tests of the NBA to come. But it was a start. Perhaps the setting was fitting, a reminder of how far Tracy McGrady must go. But for the first time since microfracture surgery last spring, McGrady, 30, practiced with the Rockets on Sunday. He went through a few stints of the scrimmage, moving well and without pain in a small, but significant step in his comeback. His first participation in training camp did not alter his schedule. General manager Daryl Morey said it was "part of the process." The Rockets expect McGrady to be out at least ..."

McGrady not cleared for start of Rockets training camp

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September 28

Houston Chronicle

"Rockets guard Tracy McGrady will not be cleared to practice with the team Tuesday when training camp begins, officials said Monday. McGrady will continue his rehabilitation from microfracture surgery through Nov. 23 when he will undergo an additional MRI examination to determine whether he can begin practicing. McGrady played 35 games for the Rockets last season, averaging 15.6 points, 4.4. rebounds and five assists during that stretch."

Rockets guard McGrady changing uniform number

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July 13

Houston Chronicle

"Rockets guard Tracy McGrady will change his uniform number to No. 3 to promote his "3 points Darfur" initiative, with an announcement expected this week. McGrady put in the paperwork for the uniform change midway through last season and had received league approval. He was making the switch to his high school number to bring attention to his Darfur Dream Team campaign and 3 Points documentary, Newly acquired Trevor Ariza will wear No. 1 but could not show the uniform at the news conference last week while details of McGrady's uniform change were completed."

Dynamic duo becomes thing of past

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July 9

Houston Chronicle

"Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. The unstoppable big man and the immensely talented wing man. The combination was supposed to deliver a championship to Houston. It hasn't. It won't. The Rockets asked for and received a disabled player exception — the NBA's version of short-term disability from the salary cap — allowing the team to sign Trevor Ariza, which it did on Wednesday, because Yao is not expected to be able to play next season due to a broken bone in his left foot. McGrady, recovering from microfracture surgery on his left knee, has one year left on his contract. The Rockets are listening to trade offers and quite likely will move McGrady by next season's trade deadline, which is ..."

Rockets pass on Dalembert

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July 7

Philadelphia Inquirer

"With center Yao Ming out for the coming season, the Houston Rockets are desperate for a big-man replacement - but not desperate enough to want 76ers big man Samuel Dalembert.After all, Dalembert comes with a price tag of $23.6 million over two years, a $3.8 million trade kicker, and a knack for picking up two early fouls. According to an NBA source, Sixers general manager Ed Stefanski contacted the Rockets to see if they had any interest in acquiring Dalembert. The Rockets did not. Despite rumors circulating that this deal would have involved Houston's injured forward, Tracy McGrady, who has one year and $23.2 million left on his contract, the same source said Stefanski did not inquire ..."

Utah Jazz talked Kirilenko for McGrady trade

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July 4

The Deseret News

"The Jazz, it's been learned and confirmed, engaged in recent trade talk with the Houston Rockets about a possible deal that would have brought seven-time NBA All-Star swingman Tracy McGrady to Utah for small forward Andrei Kirilenko. The Jazz, however, have no current desire to make the trade — for reasons including, but not necessarily limited to, McGrady's health situation and contract status. McGrady, 30, underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in May of 2008 and microfracture surgery on the same problematic knee late last February. He also has a history of back problems, played just 35 games last season, may or may not be able to play more than that next season and is the ..."

Rockets draw overtures about trade for T-Mac

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June 25

Houston Chronicle

"While the Rockets spent the days leading up to tonight's NBA draft trying to acquire the selection they lack, other teams have been interested in something the Rockets already have. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey described other teams' pursuit of Tracy McGrady and the final season of his contract as "very aggressive." Morey seemed more interested in finding a way into the draft. But unlike last year, when he considered McGrady untouchable and even had him in Rockets owner Leslie Alexander's office on draft night, Morey said he would consider offers. "We're getting a lot of interest on Tracy, and I do have to listen," Morey said. "It's my job to make this team as ready to win the title ..."

Best course: Keep Big 3 together

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May 19

Houston Chronicle

columnist Jerome Solomon

"This was not a great Rockets season. That needs to be said. Any hesitation to be the one to rain on the parade is obliterated by this question: Who the heck says a team deserves a parade for simply getting out of the first round of the NBA playoffs? Be proud of your Rockets for making a bit of a playoff run. Revel in the memories of a limping Yao Ming giving his all for the team, a bleeding Shane Battier taking no quarter, and a knocked-down-but-not-out Luis Scola getting up off the ground after a dirty blow. Remember the times Aaron Brooks made the Lakers look slow, Carl Landry made them look weak, and Ron Artest made them look scared. Close your eyes and envision Chuck Hayes being in the ..."

Rockets have much to consider

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May 19

Houston Chronicle

"There is an easy way to proceed should the Rockets choose it. Still feeling the rush of getting within one game of the Western Conference finals and the dissatisfaction of failing to make their run last beyond the first minutes of Sunday's Game 7, the Rockets could understandably consider the roster decisions to come with an urge to stand pat. They could base their plans around the hope they will get and stay healthy and that their young talent, so vital to this year's postseason run, will continue to blossom. They won't. The Rockets feel better about the nucleus of their team than they would have if the season ended with another first-round flameout. But after the Lakers sent them to the ..."

Rockets' glee is McGrady's misfortune

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May 2

Houston Chronicle

columnist Jerome Solomon

"Poor Tracy McGrady. The guy can't win for winning. Or is it supposed to be he can't win for losing? Either way (and that's sort of the point), McGrady seems to always get the worst end of it. Year after year, season after season, we get to May, when the weather and NBA playoffs heat up, and McGrady is somewhere cooling down. The Rockets exorcised a first-round playoff demon by beating Portland on Thursday night, putting an end to a 12-year stretch in which they had not advanced to the second round. McGrady's head is out-spinning Linda Blair's, and I dare you to feed him pea soup. The Rockets ended a streak. Yao Ming ended a streak. But for McGrady? … The streak goes on. This was definitely ..."

McGrady attends shootaround

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March 29

Houston Chronicle

"Rockets guard Tracy McGrady attended Saturday's shootaround, the first time he has been around the team since his Feb. 24 microfracture surgery. McGrady, who has been living in Chicago during the initial phase of his rehabilitation, is off the crutches but will wear a restrictive knee brace for at least two more weeks. "He looks great," Rockets athletic trainer Keith Garnett said. "He can do his upper body work and he's been working... He's doing well, but he knows there is a long way to go." Spanglish 101 The Rockets celebrated "Latin Night" by wearing uniforms that identified them as "Los Rockets," a mix of languages that turned heads of those who speak both. "I said when I heard, 'Why ..."

McGrady has microfracture surgery

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February 25

Houston Chronicle

"The microfracture surgery performed on Tracy McGrady’s left knee Tuesday was called a success, with the arthroscope confirming the diagnosis that the ligaments and other cartilage were in good shape. Speaking of McGrady’s apology to him for the way he handled his announcement about surgery, Rockets coach Rick Adelman said it was “a misunderstanding.” “He was probably caught up in getting evaluations and deciding on surgery,” Adelman said. “It built up during the week that I was blasting him. I don’t remember doing that. I just said there should have been a better way to do that. I think he probably realized that after the fact.”"

McGrady to undergo surgery today

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February 24

Houston Chronicle

"Taking the most aggressive but uncertain approach to his left knee problems, Tracy McGrady will undergo season-ending microfracture surgery this morning. The procedure will keep him out for six to 12 months and comes with a risk, though slight, that he might not be able to return at all. “In the worst-case scenario, we’re recommending a procedure that is going to end his career,” said Rockets team physician Dr. Tom Clanton, who will observe the surgery performed by Dr. Brian Cole today in Chicago. “It is always troubling to make that kind of recommendation with any athlete. We also know if they reach the point they say, ‘I can’t keep doing it like this,’ you’ve got to do something to try ..."

McGrady scheduled for season-ending surgery

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February 23

Houston Chronicle

"Rockets guard Tracy McGrady will have season-ending microfracture surgery on Tuesday, the team announced Monday. McGrady met with the Dr. Brian Cole, who will perform the surgery, in Chicago on Monday. Cole is considered an expert in alternative procedures, but the recommendation that he have the microfracture procedure remained unchanged. In a microfracture procedure, a surgeon creates small fractures in underlying bone to form replacement cartilage known as a “super clot.” Rehabilitation can take from six months to a year, depending on how much cartilage must be replaced. Players who undergo microfracture surgery have had widely varying degrees of success coming back. McGrady’s procedure ..."

Rockets notes: McGrady to visit doctor today

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February 23

Houston Chronicle

"Tracy McGrady’s doctors appointment was moved back a day. He will meet with another specialist today in Chicago to consider options to address the soreness in his left knee. Nearly a Cat For a day, forward Carl Landry thought he would be playing Sunday for the Charlotte Bobcats. In the months since, he assumed he would be playing for the Rockets. It turned out that a sprained right ankle kept him from playing for either. But when the Bobcats and Rockets met Sunday for the first time this season, he did have a chance to consider how close he came to being with the Bobcats after signing an offer sheet with Charlotte on Sept. 28. The Rockets matched the offer, worth $9 million over three ..."

T-Mac shuts it down for season

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February 21

Toronto Sun

"Houston Rockets star Tracy McGrady will have surgery on his left knee and miss the rest of the season. The star forward said on his website yesterday that the pain has been persistent and he will have microfracture surgery. He's confident he'll return next season. McGrady is Houston's third-leading scorer. He had arthroscopic surgery in May and has missed 18 games this season because of his sore knee. He also missed one game with a sprained ankle. He said before the all-star break he wanted to consult with doctors before deciding on the best course of treatment on his knee. Rockets spokesman Nelson Luis said McGrady met with a doctor in New York on Tuesday and had another out-of-state ..."

T-Mac on to Chicago for more tests

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February 20

Houston Chronicle

"Tracy McGrady’s next round of medical examinations on his sore left knee are scheduled for Sunday in Chicago. “He’s meeting with a doctor in Chicago who at this point will likely perform whatever procedure he ends up choosing,” Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said. “I think obviously one of the doctors has recommended the microfracture surgery. Until Tracy hears all the options and we hear all the options, we can sit down together and decide what’s the next step.” Morey said because of the trade deadline Thursday, he has not spoken to McGrady. Artest’s new campaign Rockets forward Ron Artest, who has been involved with PETA since he had a pet Great Dane confiscated because of a lack of ..."

Rockets see silver lining in T-Mac announcement

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February 19

Houston Chronicle

"No one saw the announcement coming, yet there was no surprise, no need to regroup to continue on. Rockets guard Tracy McGrady did not tell his team or teammates he would need microfracture surgery and that his season would be over. But the news could not begin to inspire the sort of shock that came last season when Yao Ming told them a stress fracture found in his left foot would end his season. “When Yao went down, that was devastating,” forward Shane Battier said. “Obviously, Tracy is a great player. He’s a big part of what we did. Yao at the time was our foundation. This, we knew Mac wasn’t right from the beginning. “The thing about microfracture if he goes through with it — that’s a ..."

What hurts most is T-Mac’s lack of professionalism

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February 19

Houston Chronicle

columnist Jerome Solomon

"Tracy McGrady is out for the year, thanks to microfracture surgery on his ailing left knee. We think. At least that’s what he told ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith on Tuesday, and what he told the world on his Web site Wednesday morning. Problem is, that is not a decision that he, the Rockets, and the team’s doctors came to after a discussion of his situation. The extent of it, according to what Chronicle Rockets beat writer Jonathan Feigen found out, is that McGrady let the team know he was “leaning” toward having the procedure done. And we thought this was just an average soap opera. If Luke and Laura had shown up at the Rockets’ Tux & Tennies Gala on Wednesday night, this would be better than ..."

McGrady says he's done, Rockets say not so fast

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February 19

Houston Chronicle

"Tracy McGrady left little doubt. The Rockets, however, aren’t sure. Forced to hear of McGrady’s decision to have season-ending and career-threatening surgery on ESPN and then to read about it on his Web site, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey emphasized that no decision has been made regarding an operation to repair McGrady’s troublesome left knee, either by the Rockets or McGrady. Additionally, coach Rick Adelman strenuously decried having to learn about his struggling starting shooting guard’s status via the media rather than from McGrady. “We’re still waiting on second opinions, and then we’re going to decide which direction we’re going to go,” Morey said at Wednesday night’s Tux & ..."

McGrady says his season is over

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February 18

Houston Chronicle

"Rockets guard Tracy McGrady said he will miss the remainder of the season to undergo microfracture surgery on his left knee, ESPN reported late Tuesday. Rockets spokesman Nelson Luis said the team would not comment on the report. McGrady could not be immediately reached. According to the report, McGrady told ESPN that he would need the surgery because of the on-going troubles with his knee. Last week he said he was not even considering surgery and would play after the All-Star break. McGrady was examined Tuesday in New York and has another examination scheduled for Wednesday. Rockets owner Leslie Alexander said there would be news about McGrady’s condition sometime this week. "I always ..."

McGrady eyes more opinions on knee

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February 17

Houston Chronicle

"Tracy McGrady will spend some of this week visiting out-of-town doctors to get more opinions on his left knee. He did not practice with the team on Monday evening, will not play tonight against New Jersey and is listed by the Rockets as day-to-day. “I didn’t expect to see him,” said head coach Rick Adelman. “He’s gonna get second opinions, and we just have to deal with who we have right now and get ready for this game (tonight).” McGrady, who has played in 35 of the Rockets’ 53 games this season, has not been on the court since he shot 1-for-9 and hit the underside of the rim while attempting a dunk at Milwaukee on Feb. 8."

As a duo, Rockets’ big two have been far from dynamic

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February 17

Houston Chronicle

columnist Jerome Solomon

"The Rockets won’t admit it, but surely by now they have figured out that this will not work. This Yao Ming-Tracy McGrady thing, that is. The talented big man. The talented wing man. Batman and Robin. Their Batman isn’t dominant enough; their Robin, while at times seemingly part of a circus, is no longer a Flying Grayson. (And let’s not even get into their friends’ not being quite super enough to carry the oft-injured stars.) The Rockets’ Dynamic Duo has been the diagnosis-needed duo. This is Year 5 of Yao-McGrady, and the only parade they have been involved in is the endless one to Memorial Hermann to have injuries checked out. This is likely to be the fourth straight season that one or ..."

What’s the deal?

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February 17

Houston Chronicle

"Four days removed from the merry-go-round, the Rockets returned to face the stretch run with the calliope music still playing in the background. If life isn’t entirely a carnival, it does often resemble the view through funhouse mirrors, where nothing is ever quite as it seems. The Rockets are, after all, a team that has posted sterling road wins at highly regarded Boston and Orlando while also dropping home games to the dregs of Washington and Indiana. “We all know what happened before the All-Star break,” said Yao Ming. “We are really up-and-down. I think after this break, we really don’t have much time left.” It is a strange tick-tick-ticking in the ears of a team that has the NBA’s ..."

No end in sight for McGrady soap opera

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February 12

Houston Chronicle

columnist Jerome Solomon

"On Wednesday’s episode of General Hospital, Tracy McGrady underwent an MRI. Another one. According to the Rockets’ hobbling star, the news on his surgically repaired left knee was not good. “My leg hasn’t gotten better since I had the surgery,” McGrady said at halftime of the Rockets’ 94-82 win over the woeful Sacramento Kings. A little earlier at Toyota Center, the Rockets issued a news release that said the MRI revealed no change in McGrady’s left knee. Basically, they repeated their stance that he’s not injured. After all, the previous diagnoses, to which their latest release referred, indicated as much. Meanwhile, outside the locker room about an hour before the game, coach Rick ..."

MRI reveals T-Mac’s knee the same

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February 12

Houston Chronicle

"An MRI performed on Tracy McGrady’s troublesome left knee revealed no new injury or changes since previous tests and diagnoses, the Rockets said Wednesday. McGrady was held out of Wednesday’s game against Sacramento in what the Rockets described as a “precautionary” measure. McGrady said he will seek additional medical opinions but is not considering more surgery and expects to come back after the All-Star break. “This is just a bad time in my career to be going through this. For everybody that thought I was just playing with some (imaginary) knee injury, my (injury) is real. It’s big. It’s not just some pain. I have a real significant problem with my knee. So everybody that is questioning ..."

McGrady ruled out of tonight's Rockets game

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January 31

Houston Chronicle

"Rockets guard Tracy McGrady, after briefly testing his sprained left ankle at Saturday’s shootaround, was ruled out of tonight’s game against the Golden State Warriors. He is considered ‘day-to-day’ with the Rockets’ next game Tuesday against the Chicago Bulls. McGrady was hurt late in Friday’s practice when Yao Ming stepped on his ankle after getting a rebound. "I saw he was on the ground," Yao said. "I knew I stepped on him, but I didn’t know it was that hard. "We are getting a little bit used to it. We’ve had almost 20 games with no me or no Ron (Artest) or no Tracy. We have to look at the positive." Artest, McGrady and Yao have played in 23 games together. The Rockets have played just ..."

T-Mac adds to injury list

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January 31

Houston Chronicle

"The Rockets’ run of relatively good health could be over after one game. Tracy McGrady left Friday’s practice with a sprained left ankle. The injury is not considered serious, with McGrady listed as “a game-time decision” tonight against the Golden State Warriors. Wednesday’s game was just the third this season with the Rockets’ planned rotation available and was the first time McGrady, Yao Ming, Ron Artest and Shane Battier played in the same game this month. “Oh man, if it ain’t one thing it’s another,” McGrady said. “Right now, it’s hard to tell with these things. High ankle sprain. We’ll see how I feel in the morning. What can you do? I think this isn’t something that’s going to keep ..."

T-Mac’s back, just as we remembered him

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January 29

Houston Chronicle

columnist Jerome Solomon

"TRACY McGrady touched elongated index fingers with Dikembe Mutombo, bumped fists with the staff at the scorer’s table and announced, “I’m back.” Well, that’s nice. Welcome to the Rockets’ 2008-09 season … again. Let’s see if he can stick around awhile this time. Finally, the Rockets’ lineup looked like the one they expected to employ this season, as for just the third time no key parts were missing. Having a full-strength squad and a solid-playing McGrady won’t erase the sting of Wednesday’s 95-93 loss to Philadelphia, however — these Rockets are not supposed to lose to the 76ers at home. “It was a bad loss,” said McGrady, who scored 24 points to lead the Rockets. McGrady, who has missed ..."

Rockets notes: McGrady glad to be back

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January 26

Houston Chronicle

"With Tracy McGrady and Ron Artest returning to the lineup in Sunday’s win, McGrady said there probably should not have been a surprise that Yao Ming (knee) was a late scratch. “It’s a traditional thing,” McGrady said. “It happens every time. Somebody goes out when guys are coming back. It’s crazy.” McGrady said he was “very excited” about coming back. He had not played since Jan. 9 to give him two weeks to work on his conditioning. “The body feels good. Mentally, physically, I just feel a lot better than I did out there playing,” McGrady said. “It feels good to be out there with my guys. I thought I was going to have a full roster tonight, but that is not the case because the big fella is ..."

Upon return, T-Mac not the only one smiling

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January 26

Houston Chronicle

columnist Richard Justice

"Tracy McGrady walked off the court at the end of the first quarter Sunday night and did something we haven’t seen in seemingly forever. Here’s to happiness for a thousand, Alex. McGrady flashed a huge smile. Not a forced smile or a fake smile, either. At least it didn’t seem that way. Maybe he was smiling for joy. Maybe he was smiling for relief. With McGrady, it’s impossible to know. His teammates and coaches don’t seem to know him, so the rest of us have no chance. Some like him. Some are ambivalent about him. None really feel close to him. That’s not important. What’s important is that if McGrady is happy and healthy, we still might all go home happy. Wouldn’t it be something if, after ..."

Artest, McGrady return to help Rockets beat Pistons

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January 26

Houston Chronicle

"For a few stunning minutes, the Rockets’ offense rolled as never before this season. Yao Ming was out, but Tracy McGrady and Ron Artest were back, and the Rockets tore through the Pistons for a quarter with stunning ease. They had broken out their 15th lineup of the season Sunday and a new, all pick-and-roll offense built around Luis Scola and Rafer Alston. But the Rockets did not change that much, after all in a 108-105 victory. Instead, the offense bogged down late, until with a McGrady drive and a few Artest free throws, the Rockets did just enough to escape with a win over the Pistons, coaxing a pair of air-balled 3s to end their seven-game losing streak at the Palace. “It’s a big win ..."

Rockets’ ‘Big Three’ could be whole tonight

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January 25

Houston Chronicle

"A game after the Rockets lost with Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and Ron Artest out, they could face the Detroit Pistons with all three back. Not one is certain to play, but each was determined to be well enough for decisions to be made today. Yao did not practice Saturday after he bruised his right knee in a collision in the first minute of Friday’s game. X-rays were negative and the swelling subsided enough for Yao to be considered a game-time decision. McGrady, who has been out since Jan. 9 to work on his conditioning, practiced and added extra running as Rockets coach Rick Adelman made plans for McGrady to return to the starting lineup. Artest, out since Jan. 7 with a bruised right ankle, is ..."

Artest, McGrady get back on court

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January 23

Houston Chronicle

"Ron Artest sat on a folding chair, sweating from a vigorous workout and surrounded by more than a dozen minicams and digital voice recorders noting his every huff and puff. “All this attention for one practice?” he asked. It has come to this in the season of the revolving trainer’s room door for the Rockets. Advancements in getting everyone healthy have turned into progress measured in baby steps. Artest and Tracy McGrady both returned to the practice floor Thursday for a hard, 12-minute scrimmage that revealed nothing definitive beyond they’re trying. Neither McGrady nor Artest will play tonight against the Pacers in Indiana. “They practiced,” Adelman said. “Today they looked good. We’ll ..."

The truth about T-Mac: one man's view

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January 20

San Antonio Express-News

"I was in Houston the day Tracy McGrady decided to shut things down for a while so he could get back in shape. I sat in the front row at an impromptu news conference where the Rockets' scoring star took umbrage at suggestions he was either "washed up" or not giving an honest effort. He promised to work hard to restore his conditioning and get back to being an All-NBA player. Then David Aldridge, as plugged-in as any NBA reporter I've ever known, penned a column on NBA.com that asserted that McGrady and Yao Ming no longer speak, and that Yao wants McGrady to be traded. Yao's response to the "they don't speak" claim was to tell the Houston Chronicle: "This (news) is fake." He did not exactly ..."

Yao denies report of rift with T-Mac

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January 16

Houston Chronicle

"Yao Ming, the center and centerpiece of the Rockets, did not claim these are grand times for the Rockets. Their three-game win streak last week was not equated to the 22-game run last season. Their strong showing in Tuesday’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers was not confused for actually winning. Yao said, however, that a report of locker-room discord to the point that he and Tracy McGrady do not speak and that he wants McGrady off the team are not true. Yao spoke Thursday of everything from getting McGrady and Ron Artest back on the court to the sanctity of the locker room. Responding to an NBA.com story that he and McGrady are not on speaking terms and that he wants McGrady out, Yao said ..."

Rockets really need McGrady, but they need him healthy

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January 14

Houston Chronicle

columnist Jerome Solomon

"IS it physical? Is it mental? It really doesn’t matter. One word tells you all you need to know about Tracy McGrady’s state of mind during the first half of this season. Petrified. “I was actually petrified at times to go to the basket or to have a fast break and to jump off my leg. I was,” McGrady said with emphasis as if he needed to convince anyone. It has long been time for McGrady to shut it down and stop trying to play on one leg. He’s not anywhere near that good. Finally, he and the Rockets came to their senses, and McGrady will take a couple of weeks to get his knee (and his mind) ready to play basketball. The Rockets could have used McGrady down the stretch Tuesday night when they ..."

Club sends message to McGrady

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January 13

Houston Chronicle

columnist Richard Justice

"If you read between all the nice words, the Rockets sent a tough message to Tracy McGrady on Monday. To summarize: 1. Get in better shape. 2. Learn to deal with the pain in your left knee. 3. Don’t come back until you do. There were all sorts of things left unsaid as the Rockets delicately attempted to do the right thing for the team while not mentally losing their $21-million star. Conditioning? That’s a tough word to use halfway through an NBA season. Is McGrady’s conditioning an issue because he hasn’t been working hard, or because his surgically repaired left knee won’t allow him to work hard? Pain? Another tough one. The Rockets and their medical staff believe McGrady’s knee is sound ..."

Rockets to sit McGrady for two more weeks

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January 13

Houston Chronicle

"The uncertainty is over. The season, the Rockets said, is not, and it’s time to get on with it. With Tracy McGrady on Monday going out for at least two weeks and Ron Artest out for at least tonight’s game against the Lakers, the Rockets were ready to trade star power for continuity. Weeks of guesswork about who would play each night will be ended, as McGrady sits out to go through the off-season conditioning routine he could not after his May 6 surgery, while Artest seeks a second opinion on “a stress reaction” in his right ankle. “We know exactly who we’ll have play, I hope, the next few weeks, and as we move forward,” Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. “The whole point is to get people ..."

T-Mac’s status becomes touchy topic

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January 4

Houston Chronicle

columnist Richard Justice

"Tracy McGrady is holding the Rockets hostage. Is that simple enough? There’s no easy answer to this problem. You may think there is, but there’s not. The Rockets already have suggested he take another chunk of time off. He declined, saying he wants to play through the pain in his left knee this time and will take off selected games. So he’s terrible in a loss at Toronto on Friday and didn’t play Saturday night in Atlanta. Sometimes in, sometimes out. Tricky problem for club It’s one thing to be limited by pain. It’s another thing to sulk on the floor. There’s no excuse for McGrady’s behavior Friday. There’s a delicate balance in dealing with a superstar. I can only imagine what coach Rick ..."

Rockets Notes: T-Mac's back-to-back plan could change

Comment

January 3

Houston Chronicle

"Plan could change In the first back-to-back of his plan to play one game when the Rockets play two in as many nights, Tracy McGrady played against the Raptors on Friday and said, “Tonight’s the night.” He, coach Rick Adelman and trainer Keith Jones did, however, seem to leave open the possibility McGrady would play against the Hawks tonight, likely depending on how he reacts to playing and to the flight. “With Shane (Battier) out, it’s kind of difficult for Coach to really have me sit out, not knowing how Ron (Artest’s) ankle is going to respond, cold weather, and then traveling tonight,” McGrady said. McGrady said the decision to play in Toronto had nothing to do with beginning his career ..."

McGrady's playing status up in air

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January 2

Houston Chronicle

"What to do? Rockets forward Tracy McGrady traveled with the team to Toronto on Thursday, but no decision will be made until today about whether he will play tonight against the Raptors or Saturday in Atlanta. With the Rockets playing three sets of two games in as many nights in the next nine days, McGrady will play in one game in each back-to-back. “That’s the plan and that’s what we have to go with,” McGrady said. “Whatever game I play in, I’m going to go out there and try to do what I can do.” The facilitator Tracy McGrady is averaging 15.5 points, his fewest since he left the Raptors after the 1999-2000 season. This, he said, is partly by design to distribute the ball. “I changed my ..."

McGrady to sit out games

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December 30

Houston Chronicle

"Rockets guard Tracy McGrady returned to the court Monday after missing Saturday’s game, but said he and the team have agreed he will not play both games when the Rockets play two games in as many nights. After struggling in New Orleans on Friday, McGrady sat out Saturday’s game against the Utah Jazz. “Me and coach talked about it, and I think when we do have back-to-backs, we’ll really have communication to decide which game I should play and which game I should sit out. Rockets coach Rick Adelman said there is no set plan about which game he would skip, but that the decision might be based on the schedule. He said he has never dealt with that sort of situation, but that it would allow ..."

It’s better T-Mac sit now rather than later

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December 4

Houston Chronicle

columnist Richard Justice

"TRACY McGrady can take the rest of the week off or the rest of the month or whatever he needs. No big deal. That guy wearing his uniform hasn’t looked like the real McGrady anyway, and he wasn’t doing anyone any good by continuing to play. McGrady doesn’t have to prove he’s a tough guy. He is. Anyone who thinks otherwise is clueless. Nor does he have to prove anything about how much he cares. He does care. Forget that three-week timetable for allowing his injured left knee to heal. He’ll be back when he’s back. If it’s 10 days, fine. If it’s six weeks, that’s fine, too. The Rockets are good enough to get to the playoffs without him. But they can’t win in the playoffs without him. “We’re ..."

Make that three weeks, says McGrady

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December 3

Houston Chronicle

"At least the uncertainty concerning Tracy McGrady’s injury is over. Maybe. McGrady said he will be out of the Rockets’ lineup for another three weeks as he works on rehabilitating his sore left knee, which underwent arthroscopic surgery on May 6 and has been a problem all season. “Probably about three weeks,” McGrady said following Tuesday’s workout on the Toyota Center practice court. “Obviously, I came back a little bit too early. My knee is still healing, and it’s not ready.” McGrady’s pronouncement that he would be on the shelf for most of December was a mild surprise to Rockets coaches and officials. After the 6-8 guard was evaluated by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., on ..."

Tracy McGrady to miss another week

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December 2

Houston Chronicle

"With the Rockets forced to go with small and smaller backcourts — a condition that could continue with Tracy McGrady to miss another week — Rockets coach Rick Adelman went with a zone defense in the second half on Sunday. Adelman doesn’t like zones very much, and the Rockets have not spent a great deal of time working on them, but his team had changed, almost overnight, and he had to change his defense with it. This is the way the Rockets’ season has gone, to the point that determining how much more time McGrady will miss after Monday’s meeting with Dr. James Andrews could be considered relatively definitive news, even though Andrews concurred with Rockets doctors that McGrady will have to ..."

Sore knee sidelines McGrady

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November 30

Houston Chronicle

"With guard Tracy McGrady limping his way through the season, he and the Rockets decided to find a second opinion McGrady, 29, missed Saturday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs and will be out tonight at Denver before flying to Birmingham, Ala., to meet with Dr. James Andrews on Monday. “I think it’s a smart decision,” McGrady said. “I’m just not ready to play. With the limping and everything, I’m not healthy enough to play anymore. It’s good that I’m going to see the doctor on Monday and get a second opinion, and then we’ll make a decision on the future.” Rockets doctors have said the 6-8 McGrady can best get back to full strength by playing. McGrady had surgery May 6 to remove loose ..."