The Series That Broke My Heart
Imagine, walking through a junior high school hallway applauding Tracy McGrady’s effects after the first four games of the 02 — 03 eastern conference playoffs. I was in 8th grade joggling between watching the rock lay the smackdown and McGrady averaging 32.1 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.5 APG with percentages of 46 — 39 — 79% that season. Statistically considered one of the greatest seasons ever by a guard by the way, rivaled only by Jordan’s best season which was 32.5 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 8.0 APG with percentages of 54 — 28 — 85% during the 1988 — 1989 season.
McGrady began laying bricks for his legacy by becoming the NBA scoring champion, voted into the all-star game, and earning a position on the second team All NBA. He led the magic to a 42 — 40 record, which didn’t reflect how good the actual team was due to injuries to Grant Hill and Horace Grant. Which resulted in Orlando securing the 8th seed.
Prior to the start of the 2002 — 2003 season, Pistons GM Joe Dumars pulled off a 6 player trade which included star player Jerry Stackhouse in exchange for Wizards guard Richard Hamilton. Dumars also signed Chauncey Billups and drafted Tayshaun Prince with the 23rd pick in the draft. These players created a foundation for back to back finals appearances which including a winning a championship in 2004. The Pistons were a pleasant surprise throughout the regular season finishing 50–32 and attaining the first seed in the east.
In hindsight Detroit ended up sleep walking through the first four games of the playoffs. It looked as if the magic were going to advance until T-mac uttered these words after game four’s postgame “it feels good to get into the Second Round.” As a fan hearing my favorite player of all time say these words with a 3–1 lead, I couldn’t have been more excited and then the world was introduced to Tayshaun Prince.
From that moment on the emergence of Prince and his defense crushed not only my dreams of seeing Tracy McGrady succeed, but him getting out of the first round period in his career. For the first three games of the series, T-mac averaged 39.9 PPG, 6.3 REB, 3.0 AST with percentages of 55–47–78%. After Tayshaun Prince guarded him his averages went down to 25.7 PPG, 8.0 REB, 5.0 AST with percentages of 36–23–84%. Those stats seem decent if he had a supporting cast, which he didn’t.
What followed was none other than Orlando dropping three games straight. The pistons advanced only to be swept by the nets in the eastern conference finals. McGrady is considered one of the greatest SG’s ever, at least top 15 all time but, went 0–8 in the playoffs. Unfortunately during his playoff run with the spurs, he wasn’t as effective, so sue me for not factoring this into his record. As soon as the series ended, the jokes started. Thankfully my peers/classmates at the time eased up on the once the kings vs lakers series began.
Depending on the age, people may only remember T-mac as the guy who scored 13 points in 30 seconds. I see him as a player who had a short lived, but entertaining battle with Kobe Bryant at one point for the top dog position in the league. This series broke my heart because McGrady was phased out. The elite scorer was stopped in his tracks, then he was traded to Houston after the following season. What seemed like a good idea at the time, pairing of him and Yao never worked due to spacing, followed by back injuries and him becoming a journeyman. I think if him and Vince would’ve stayed together in Toronto, they could have been one of the best combos in the NBA.
A moment of celebrating something positive was him making the Hall of fame. I know for a fact T-Mac would have killed in today’s game, I’m not the biggest fan of James Harden but, I think he’s the biggest comp to McGrady.
SB: Rip Hamilton is my second favorite player of all time, I lived through him also and Kawhi currently!
