McGrady Proves His Worth
Tracy McGrady has lost the superstar tag but he's established two things this season -- he's not just a scorer and he can still handle the rigors of an NBA season.
McGrady signed a one-year contract for the veteran's minimum last summer with the Pistons, mainly because no contender would take a chance on him. Not only did he spend the past two seasons recovering from micro-fracture knee surgery but McGrady still believed he could be the focal point of someone's offense.
By displaying a combination of maturity and humbleness, McGrady has changed how others perceive him. No one would have predicted that McGrady would wind up as the Pistons' starting point guard. But he's the most natural playmaker on the roster, though his presence at the spot demands a lot of defensive switching to keep him away from quicker floor leaders.
McGrady has also shown durability, though he has struggled at times in back-to-backs. He has missed just two games because of injury or illness. Head coach John Kuester gave him the night off Friday to rest his legs. He's questionable to play in Boston Sunday.
"He's played in 68 games and done a heck of a job," Kuester said. "He's worked hard in practice when we put an emphasis on that. I'm very impressed with him."
Statistically, McGrady has not come close to his career numbers. He's averaging 8.2 points, 3.6 assists and 3.6 rebounds. What he's done is proven he can still contribute as a role player.
"He's resurrected his career," Kuester said. "No question in my mind. There's a place where Tracy McGrady can help and he's done that."
The next question is which team McGrady will be helping next season, since he will enter the market again as an unrestricted free agent. The Pistons are overloaded at the perimeter spots and may opt to pursue or draft a pure point guard. McGrady's stint with the Pistons could very well be one-and-done but he shouldn't have to go begging for work again.
BULLS 101, PISTONS 96: The Pistons were officially eliminated from the postseason while losing to the Bulls for the 11th straight time Friday night. Chicago guard Derrick Rose continued his Most Valuable Player push with 27 points, seven assists and four steals. Detroit committed a season-high 20 turnovers, leading to 27 Bulls points.
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