Tracy McGrady entered the legend on December 9, 2004 with 13 points in 35 seconds
First, let’s go back to the context of this meeting. during the summer, Tracy McGrady, the league’s two-time leading scorer, left Orlando for Houston in exchange for Steve Francis.
Goal: train with Yao Ming the most powerful duo in the league, and the succeeding tandem Shaq-Kobe destroyed in the same summer with the departure of Shaquille O’Neal. But Tim Duncan and the Spurs are also aiming for the title.
Unsuccessful start to the season
This context fuels the rivalry between the two Texas cities. However, the Rockets’ start to the season has been slow, such as a loss to Dallas despite a big matchup from T-Mac with 48 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists.
As of December 9, the Rockets have a record of 8 wins and 11 losses, but they are on a two-game winning streak. In contrast, Spurs are full of confidence with an excellent record of 16 wins from 19 matches. And the match will confirm the tendencies of the two teams very quickly. Despite the very good start of the match from Houston, San Antonio is led by the great Tim Duncan (26 points, 18 rebounds and 7 blocks) and makes the difference in the third quarter, in a very defensive match.
Houston trailed by 10 points with 55 seconds left
San Antonio still leads by 10 with 55 seconds left (74-64). Spectators and Rockets fans begin to leave the room. The gap was cut to -6 after a dunk by Yao Ming and then Scott Padgett. On the bench, Gregg Popovich blows Manu Ginobili.
After Devin Brown’s free throws, the Rockets are still down -8 with just 35 seconds left. Then T-Mac arrives and does the impossible. He made three 3-pointers, including one on a Tim Duncan foul. During this deluge, the Spurs couldn’t react defensively even though they had the best outside defender in the league in Bruce Bowen.
Tracy McGrady’s career highlight?
There are 11 seconds left and the Spurs are ahead 80-78. On the sideline, the ball goes to Devin Brown, he drives but falls. T-Mac gets his skin back, moves up and hits threes against two Spurs! The basket goes in and Tracy McGrady is jubilant. Tony Parker has a chance to answer him, but his desperation shot goes wide.
The Rockets won 81-80 after trailing by 10 points with 50 seconds left. Tracy McGrady accomplished an almost unique feat in history with 13 points in 35 seconds. The American media continues to compare this performance to Reggie Miller’s 1995 performance against the New York Knicks 8 points in 9 seconds.
The performance remains the greatest comeback in Rockets history and the highlight of Tracy McGrady’s career.
https://vvv.youtube.com/vatch?v=FIKG_uLInaK
| Tracy McGrady | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saison | The team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | That | Pd | Ft | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 1997-98 | TOR | 64 | 18 | 45.0 | 34.1 | 71.2 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 4.2 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 7.1 |
| 1998-99 | TOR | 49 | 23 | 43.6 | 22.9 | 72.6 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 5.7 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 9.4 |
| 1999-00 | TOR | 79 | 31 | 45.1 | 27.7 | 70.7 | 2.4 | 4.0 | 6.3 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 15.4 |
| 2000-01 | ORL | 77 | 40 | 45.7 | 35.5 | 73.3 | 2.5 | 5.0 | 7.5 | 4.6 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 26.8 |
| 2001-02 | ORL | 76 | 38 | 45.1 | 36.4 | 74.8 | 2.0 | 5.9 | 7.9 | 5.3 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 25.6 |
| 2002-03 | ORL | 75 | 39 | 45.7 | 38.6 | 79.3 | 1.6 | 4.9 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 2.1 | 1.7 | 2.6 | 0.8 | 32.1 |
| 2003-04 | ORL | 67 | 40 | 41.7 | 33.9 | 79.6 | 1.4 | 4.6 | 6.0 | 5.5 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 2.7 | 0.6 | 28.0 |
| 2004-05 | NEW | 78 | 41 | 43.1 | 32.6 | 77.4 | 0.9 | 5.3 | 6.2 | 5.7 | 2.1 | 1.7 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 25.7 |
| 2005-06 | NEW | 47 | 37 | 40.6 | 31.2 | 74.7 | 1.0 | 5.6 | 6.5 | 4.8 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 24.4 |
| 2006-07 | NEW | 71 | 36 | 43.1 | 33.1 | 70.7 | 0.8 | 4.5 | 5.3 | 6.5 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 24.6 |
| 2007-08 | NEW | 66 | 37 | 41.9 | 29.2 | 68.4 | 0.6 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 5.9 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 21.6 |
| 2008-09 | NEW | 35 | 34 | 38.8 | 37.6 | 80.1 | 0.6 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 15.6 |
| 2009-10 * | All teams | 30 | 22 | 38.7 | 25.0 | 74.6 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 8.2 |
| 2009-10 * | NOW | 24 | 26 | 38.9 | 24.2 | 75.4 | 0.9 | 2.8 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 9.4 |
| 2009-10 * | NEW | 6 | 8 | 36.8 | 50.0 | 66.7 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 3.2 |
| 2010-11 | THE | 72 | 23 | 44.2 | 34.1 | 69.8 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 8.0 |
| 2011-12 | ATL | 52 | 16 | 43.7 | 45.5 | 67.5 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 5.3 |
| In total | 938 | 33 | 43.5 | 33.8 | 74.6 | 1.4 | 4.2 | 5.6 | 4.4 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 19.6 | |
How to read statistics? MJ = matches played; Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / 3 points in an attempt; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive jump; Tot = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; Points = Points.
This article was originally published on December 9, 2017
2025-12-09 11:28:00
