T-Mac comes up big in first game off injured list — breaks 3-game losing streak in N.J.
Saturday, November 12th, 2005
by John
Yao shows his speed in trying to defend New Jersey’s Richard Jefferson on Saturday night in New Jersey. Although Yao scored 18 points on 5-of-7 shooting, T-Mac was the star of the game, miraculously scoring 35 points, grabbing 10 boards, dishing 4 assists, and blocking 3 shots in his first game off the injured list. For more photos from the game, click here.
by John
SATURDAY, 11/12/05 – Tonight’s game between Houston and New Jersey had to be one of the greatest games of a player coming off the injured list seen in recent NBA history.
We were all pleased to see Tracy McGrady get back into the starting lineup tonight, about two weeks ahead of schedule. No one could fault him for shooting 1-for-9 in the first half and scoring only 5 points. As of Thursday, the dude wasn’t even expected to play for a couple more weeks. He was going to be rusty. He’s human. At least in the first half he was contributing with 6 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal, and a block.
But in the third quarter he showed he is more than human by warming up and hitting 5-of-8 for 10 points.
Then when the Rockets needed him in the fourth quarter, T-Mac stepped up and scored 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting and 4-of-4 from three-point territory! Result? The Rockets broke their three-game losing streak and won on the road in New Jersey, 99-91.
I typically would claim a performance like T-Mac’s on Saturday night had to be one of the most amazing second halves played by a Rocket player in years. But when you’re talking about T-Mac, it really isn’t. On March 28th of this year, T-Mac scored 22 points in the fourth quarter to pull out a win in Utah.
Yao shows his speed in trying to defend New Jersey’s Richard Jefferson on Saturday night in New Jersey. Although Yao scored 18 points on 5-of-7 shooting, T-Mac was the star of the game, miraculously scoring 35 points, grabbing 10 boards, dishing 4 assists, and blocking 3 shots in his first game off the injured list. For more photos from the game, click here.by John
SATURDAY, 11/12/05 – Tonight’s game between Houston and New Jersey had to be one of the greatest games of a player coming off the injured list seen in recent NBA history.
We were all pleased to see Tracy McGrady get back into the starting lineup tonight, about two weeks ahead of schedule. No one could fault him for shooting 1-for-9 in the first half and scoring only 5 points. As of Thursday, the dude wasn’t even expected to play for a couple more weeks. He was going to be rusty. He’s human. At least in the first half he was contributing with 6 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal, and a block.
But in the third quarter he showed he is more than human by warming up and hitting 5-of-8 for 10 points.
Then when the Rockets needed him in the fourth quarter, T-Mac stepped up and scored 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting and 4-of-4 from three-point territory! Result? The Rockets broke their three-game losing streak and won on the road in New Jersey, 99-91.
I typically would claim a performance like T-Mac’s on Saturday night had to be one of the most amazing second halves played by a Rocket player in years. But when you’re talking about T-Mac, it really isn’t. On March 28th of this year, T-Mac scored 22 points in the fourth quarter to pull out a win in Utah.