Why T-Mac loves the game

Houston Rockets star Tracy McGrady said the other day the reason why he has such a passion for basketball is because it’s an unpredictable, if not weird, game.

On his second visit to Manila in six years, McGrady cited as an example the last National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game where he was headed for MVP honors until the East came back from 21 points down to shock the West, 122-120.

"Man, that was a weird game," recounted McGrady in an exclusive one-on-one interview. "The MVP trophy was taken away from me. It was really funny. Our team (West) was in control much of the game then in the fourth period, we couldn’t do anything right. We turned the ball over, we didn’t make our shots and the East started to get going. But that’s basketball. You’ll never know what can happen on the court. That’s what makes it so exciting."

McGrady finished the All-Star Game with 36 points but the MVP award went to the East’s LeBron James.

But McGrady wouldn’t be denied a win after he scored 13 points in the last 35 seconds to lift the Rockets to an 81-80 decision over the San Antonio Spurs in a regular season game in 2004.

Houston trailed by 10 with just a little over a minute left but McGrady refused to surrender even if most of the 16,170 fans at the Toyota Center had given up hope. McGrady knocked down four difficult threes, including the marginal basket with 1.7 ticks to go. He wound up with 33 points, eight rebounds and five steals to outshine the Spurs’ Tim Duncan who scored 26 points and grabbed 18 boards.

Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said, "Sometimes when you work, you get miracles."

McGrady said the experience was the closest in his mind to relating to adidas’ tagline "impossible is nothing."

It’s a dictum that McGrady has adopted in foreseeing a bright future for the Rockets.

"We’re in a tough division with teams like San Antonio and Dallas," said McGrady. "We need a lot of depth to win against those teams consistently. But you’ll never know how things go. With Yao (Ming) and me healthy, who knows how far we’ll go? If we can get a lift from our bench and we do what we’re supposed to do, we might just surprise people."

McGrady said the offseason acquisition of Shane Battier for Stromile Swift and the rights to draft pick Rudy Gay is a big boost for the Rockets. He pointed to Battier’s ability to play hard-nosed defense as a major asset.

"Shane will help us a lot on the defensive end," said McGrady. "Plus, if Yao or I get doubled or tripled, he gives us an option to kick out for the three."

And with Battier in the mix, McGrady said he’ll probably slide back to shooting guard.

"When we’re in there together, Shane will play three and I’ll play two which I love," said McGrady. "I started out in the NBA as a shooting guard then I moved to small forward. But I would love playing two again with Shane in there with me."

A passion for the game is what drives McGrady to excellence. And it’s the same passion that Filipinos have for basketball, he said. McGrady saw the passion in the Holy Child of Davao high school team at the adidas Asian Streetball Finals in Guangzhou last Sunday and when the shortest squad in the tournament was robbed of the championship in the title game, his heart went out to the kids. McGrady consoled the Filipino kids by promising to fly them to Houston this coming season at his expense to watch a Rockets game and dine at Yao’s restaurant.

McGrady said in his first visit to Manila in 2000, he had such an enjoyable trip that he looked forward to coming back.

While in town, McGrady launched the limited edition of his adidas signature shoe T-Mac 1. He said the shoe is special because it was the first of the T-Mac series, now in its fifth run, and only 1,650 pairs were made. In the Philippines, only 150 were sold.

McGrady said patience is a virtue he has learned to embrace since turning pro because it comes with the territory. Discipline and hard work, too.

"When I decided to make basketball my career, I knew what lay ahead of me," said McGrady. "I’ve had to work harder in the gym now than ever before because it’s tougher staying on top, keeping in shape and playing your best. Then, doing tours and meeting the press, you get asked the same questions over and over again but I really don’t mind. I’ve learned to accept what comes with the life of an NBA player."

McGrady said in his NBA career, he has matured a lot because of Van Gundy. "He’s demanding on defense and he’s a great motivator," said T-Mac. "He knows his Xs and Os for sure but he also knows how to handle his players. As for my previous NBA coaches like Butch Carter, Doc Rivers and Johnny Davis, they were first-timers so we were more like learning from each other."

Regarding Asian fans, McGrady said he can’t thank them enough. "Comparing the reception I’ve gotten in Asia to what I get in the US, it’s like night and day," he continued. "Asian fans are a lot warmer."

McGrady said playing for the US team in the 2003 Tournament of the Americas was a memorable experience but at the moment, his priorities are to stay healthy and put the Rockets on the winning track. Playing for the US team in the Olympics or the World Championship is not an immediate goal.

On the influx of international players in the NBA, McGrady said it’s a welcome development. "I think it’s great that more and more foreigners are playing in the NBA and proving they belong in the league," said McGrady. "I welcome them. There’s a lot of talent out there and in the Olympics, teams aren’t threatened by the US anymore."

McGrady hesitated for a few minutes before answering what facet of his game he’d like to improve on.

"That’s a tough question," he said. "I guess if there’s one thing I’d like to work on for next season, it’s my free throw shooting which I’ll try to bring up to 80 percent." Last season, T-Mac shot .747 from the line.