ESPN scouting report: Kobe vs. T-Mac
Superstar5
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Mirror, mirror on the wall . . .
Oct. 29, opening night for the NBA, Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant tallied 27 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, four steals and two blocks.
On that same night, Orlando Magic swingman Tracy McGrady tallied 31 points, four rebounds, five assists and four blocks.
Welcome to the 2002-03 season or, as we like to call it, the Kobe and Tracy Show.
Or is it Tracy and Kobe?
We went to a few NBA scouts around the league and asked them to play GM. If they had one player not named Shaquille O'Neal to build a team with no promise of any type of supporting cast, who would they choose. Those were the rules but they could create their own criteria, choose from any team, any position, and back it up with whatever rationale they wanted. You knew you couldn't win a championship with only one player, but which one would give you the best shot at winning a game on any given night with no one but himself to get it done?
On Nov. 1, Bryant scored 33 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and handed out 12 assists.
The next night, McGrady scored 47 points, grabbed six boards and handed out seven assists.
Names like Tim Duncan came up, Kevin Garnett even Gary Payton. Jason Kidd, they said, couldn't finish. Dirk Nowitzki couldn't start. Paul Pierce wasn't in the same league. You'd need someone who could score an enormous amount of points tonight, tomorrow and twice as much on Sunday. They'd have to be able to stop the other guy's shot, create their own shot and, most important, make the shot was the consensus.
On Nov. 3, Bryant scored 33 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and handed out 12 assists for his second triple-double in as many games.
Two days later, McGrady scored 41 points, grabbed eight rebounds and handed out seven assists.
"Tracy McGrady is playing on an unbelievable level," said one scout. "He's put that team on his back and it's simply amazing how good he is. I'll be the first to admit, I thought the whole thing was going to blow up in Orlando's face when the signed him to that much money. I mean, did you see the way he shot the ball in Toronto? It came right off his nose, real goofy. But credit his coaches, he is now the complete package, an NBA creation. There was no way to anticipate that he would be this good."
On Nov. 7, Bryant tallied 41 points, nine boards, four assists and four steals.
On Nov. 12, Tracy McGrady answered with 38 points, five boards and eight assists.
"Kobe has been the most skilled player in the league for years now," said another scout. "Right now, he is doing everything within an offense predicated on passing, distribution and a big-time center who is not there. Run isolations for that kid for 48 minutes like some other players and he'd score 45 a game. But he's shown that he can be so much more effective also doing other things. Besides, he's already proven that he can hit the big shot time and time again."
On Nov. 15, Bryant scored a then season-high of 45 points to go along with four boards, four assists, three steals and a block.
Two days later, on Nov. 17, McGrady put together 36 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists.
"Tracy seems to have developed a sense of team responsibility," said a scout. "It wasn't always like that. He was definitely a 'me' guy who always wanted the ball. He still wants the ball, but for the good of the team."
Later that night, Bryant scored a new season-high of 46 points while adding on six rebounds and four assists.
On Nov. 19, McGrady tallied his third 40-point game and 10th 30-plus game in 13 played when he scores 41.
"Not very many people understand Kobe," said a scout. "He can be very distant at times, stubborn and aloof. But he's also the guy practicing more and harder than anyone in the league and his teammates have got to respect that. Besides, he backs up everything he says."
Almost a month into the season, Bryant stands at 29.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game. No Pippen, Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy or even a limber Robert Horry. It's Kobe, the whole Kobe and nothing but Kobe.
"I feel like a monster," he said.
McGrady holds steady at a league-leading 33.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. Grant Hill has missed games to avoid future injury. Mike Miller has missed games from past injury. It's been T-Mac, T-Mac and more T-Mac.
"I don't even think about my stats," he said. "I know they must be good because I'm feeling good when I'm on the court."
But we've got to break this tie.
"I'd have to go with Shaq," said the last scout, knowing dang well what I'm looking for and dang well what he thinks I should be looking for.
No, no, no. You've got to choose a player not named Shaq.
"Now, more than ever, I'd have to go with Shaq," he continued. "Get him the ball and it's Katie by the door, good bye, nurse!"
Not named Shaq.
"Look, he's more serious now than he ever has been," the scout said. "He probably shouldn't be playing until after New Year but you'll most likely see him Friday night. He's putting up a front now just to piss people off and vent. But he's no longer the guy busy making stupid ass movies and rap songs. He means business."
OK, I give up. Name your second choice, which I'll simply use as his first for this story.
"Well, either Kobe Bryant or Tracy McGrady."
Which one.
"Shaq," he laughs.
And Shaq it is.
Oct. 29, opening night for the NBA, Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant tallied 27 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, four steals and two blocks.
On that same night, Orlando Magic swingman Tracy McGrady tallied 31 points, four rebounds, five assists and four blocks.
Welcome to the 2002-03 season or, as we like to call it, the Kobe and Tracy Show.
Or is it Tracy and Kobe?
We went to a few NBA scouts around the league and asked them to play GM. If they had one player not named Shaquille O'Neal to build a team with no promise of any type of supporting cast, who would they choose. Those were the rules but they could create their own criteria, choose from any team, any position, and back it up with whatever rationale they wanted. You knew you couldn't win a championship with only one player, but which one would give you the best shot at winning a game on any given night with no one but himself to get it done?
On Nov. 1, Bryant scored 33 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and handed out 12 assists.
The next night, McGrady scored 47 points, grabbed six boards and handed out seven assists.
Names like Tim Duncan came up, Kevin Garnett even Gary Payton. Jason Kidd, they said, couldn't finish. Dirk Nowitzki couldn't start. Paul Pierce wasn't in the same league. You'd need someone who could score an enormous amount of points tonight, tomorrow and twice as much on Sunday. They'd have to be able to stop the other guy's shot, create their own shot and, most important, make the shot was the consensus.
On Nov. 3, Bryant scored 33 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and handed out 12 assists for his second triple-double in as many games.
Two days later, McGrady scored 41 points, grabbed eight rebounds and handed out seven assists.
"Tracy McGrady is playing on an unbelievable level," said one scout. "He's put that team on his back and it's simply amazing how good he is. I'll be the first to admit, I thought the whole thing was going to blow up in Orlando's face when the signed him to that much money. I mean, did you see the way he shot the ball in Toronto? It came right off his nose, real goofy. But credit his coaches, he is now the complete package, an NBA creation. There was no way to anticipate that he would be this good."
On Nov. 7, Bryant tallied 41 points, nine boards, four assists and four steals.
On Nov. 12, Tracy McGrady answered with 38 points, five boards and eight assists.
"Kobe has been the most skilled player in the league for years now," said another scout. "Right now, he is doing everything within an offense predicated on passing, distribution and a big-time center who is not there. Run isolations for that kid for 48 minutes like some other players and he'd score 45 a game. But he's shown that he can be so much more effective also doing other things. Besides, he's already proven that he can hit the big shot time and time again."
On Nov. 15, Bryant scored a then season-high of 45 points to go along with four boards, four assists, three steals and a block.
Two days later, on Nov. 17, McGrady put together 36 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists.
"Tracy seems to have developed a sense of team responsibility," said a scout. "It wasn't always like that. He was definitely a 'me' guy who always wanted the ball. He still wants the ball, but for the good of the team."
Later that night, Bryant scored a new season-high of 46 points while adding on six rebounds and four assists.
On Nov. 19, McGrady tallied his third 40-point game and 10th 30-plus game in 13 played when he scores 41.
"Not very many people understand Kobe," said a scout. "He can be very distant at times, stubborn and aloof. But he's also the guy practicing more and harder than anyone in the league and his teammates have got to respect that. Besides, he backs up everything he says."
Almost a month into the season, Bryant stands at 29.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game. No Pippen, Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy or even a limber Robert Horry. It's Kobe, the whole Kobe and nothing but Kobe.
"I feel like a monster," he said.
McGrady holds steady at a league-leading 33.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. Grant Hill has missed games to avoid future injury. Mike Miller has missed games from past injury. It's been T-Mac, T-Mac and more T-Mac.
"I don't even think about my stats," he said. "I know they must be good because I'm feeling good when I'm on the court."
But we've got to break this tie.
"I'd have to go with Shaq," said the last scout, knowing dang well what I'm looking for and dang well what he thinks I should be looking for.
No, no, no. You've got to choose a player not named Shaq.
"Now, more than ever, I'd have to go with Shaq," he continued. "Get him the ball and it's Katie by the door, good bye, nurse!"
Not named Shaq.
"Look, he's more serious now than he ever has been," the scout said. "He probably shouldn't be playing until after New Year but you'll most likely see him Friday night. He's putting up a front now just to piss people off and vent. But he's no longer the guy busy making stupid ass movies and rap songs. He means business."
OK, I give up. Name your second choice, which I'll simply use as his first for this story.
"Well, either Kobe Bryant or Tracy McGrady."
Which one.
"Shaq," he laughs.
And Shaq it is.
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