Houston Rockets forward Tracy McGrady was staring into space at the Pepsi Center two days before Christmas as the Nuggets were hammering his injury-decimated team. As he sat on the bench shaking his head, the frustration was evident in the two-time all-NBA first-teamer’s frozen eyes.
Many insiders had predicted the Rockets would be one of the top four teams in the Western Conference, and possibly the second-best to NBA champion San Antonio. But entering Saturday’s game against Golden State, McGrady and the Rockets had a 10-17 record and were the NBA’s most underachieving team.
“Top four in the West, that was my vision,” said McGrady, whose Rockets host the Nuggets a week from today. “I felt we were good enough. We are taking an unbelievable hit right now. It’s almost not fair … but what can you do? No one is going to have any sympathy for us. We have to go out there and compete.”
If you thought the Nuggets were battered by injuries, check out the Rockets.
Houston was 0-8 in games McGrady missed in November with a back injury. Three-time all-star Yao Ming, who leads NBA centers in scoring, hasn’t played since Dec. 17 and is expected to be out possibly through the all-star break with a big toe injury. Guard Bob Sura hasn’t played this season and may never play again because of right knee and back injuries. Starting point guard Rafer Alston hasn’t played since Nov. 17 because of a hairline fracture in his right tibia. Starting shooting guard Derek Anderson hasn’t played since Dec. 14 because of a calf strain. Guard Jon Barry hasn’t played since Dec. 6 because of a calf strain. And center Dikembe Mutombo recently missed two games with a laceration and dislocation of the right middle finger.
“As days and weeks went by, we were dropping like flies,” McGrady said. “Not the 12th man. We’re talking about key guys in our rotation.”
The Rockets suited up just eight players in a recent 108-86 loss at Denver. Houston’s sad state slightly reminds McGrady of his last season with Orlando, when the Magic went 21-61 during 2003-04.
“It’s back to them old days when I was wearing that other uniform,” he said. “This is different. This is different because of injuries. Down there we were just young and inexperienced.”
Instead of Yao, Alston and Anderson, McGrady is fighting for wins with the likes of journeyman Lonnie Baxter, undrafted rookie Stephen Graham and hustling ex-Nugget Ryan Bowen. When asked if he can win with this roster, McGrady just smiled, pondered the question and tactfully said: “This is who we have to go out and compete with. This is the team. This is it. Until those other guys come back healthy, this is it. I don’t know what management is thinking. I don’t know. This is us.”
McGrady is one of the NBA’s top scorers, averaging 23.9 points entering Saturday. But the nine-year veteran’s scoring average is also on pace for his lowest average since his third year in the league (15.4). He is on pace for a career-low field-goal percentage (40.8). With Yao out and little help offensively, McGrady is receiving smothering double- and triple-teams. He joked after the Nuggets game that he can’t remember the last time he wasn’t double-teamed.
“I’m human. I’d be lying to you if I said, ‘It’s not tough. I don’t think about it,”‘ he said. “This (is) with me every day. Every day I think about it. How are we going to play tonight? Who is going to step up for us? How are they going to defend me tonight? I’m praying that one of those teams don’t watch film and they don’t double-team me.”
McGrady is 26 years old. He has been to the playoffs five times but has never reached the second round. And considering the numerous injuries (most notably to his back) he has endured and how that can eventually take a toll on his Superman-like athleticism, McGrady believes his window of opportunity for greatness could be closing in a couple of years.
“You know what I really think about?” he said. “I’m on my ninth year. and I probably only have two or three more years to play at the level that I’m playing now due to the way my body feels. It’s time. It’s time for me to take that next step.”
A step the battered Rockets are a longshot to take this season.
Footnotes
If the Nuggets don’t land Artest, don’t expect them to be involved in the possible multiteam deal to obtain another player. … And in case he does end up in Denver, Indiana Pacers forward Ron Artest has asked that Nuggets fans check out his website: www.ronartest.com. … Philadelphia 76ers forward Chris Webber has hired famed black artist Ernie Barnes to paint a portrait of himself, his father, Mayce, and his three brothers. Barnes’ paintings have been seen on the old television show “Good Times,” and he was the official artist of the XXIII Olympiad at Los Angeles in 1984. “It’s going to take about a year, so hopefully I’ll get it in about eight more months,” Webber said. … Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki was named the 2005 Eurobasket.com All-Europeans player of the year, beating out 61 other players who played in Europe or abroad and received votes. … Fox Sports Español named San Antonio Spurs swingman Manu Ginobili “Best Basketball Player in Latin America” for the third straight year. Nuggets forward Eduardo Najera was also a candidate. Fox Sports Español also named Ginobili the Latin America athlete of the year.
Marc J. Spears can be reached at 303-820-5449 or mspears@denverpost.com. You can hear Spears on ESPN 560 AM on Thursday mornings on “The Press Box” and at 4 p.m. with John Fricke.
