Tracy McGrady is sobering up to the realization there may be no fairy tales for him in New York this season.
After an intoxicating Saturday night debut in which McGrady racked up 26 points in 32 minutes before an adoring Garden crowd, reality has struck the past two games. McGrady is dealing with a bruised left knee — the same knee that underwent microfracture surgery a year ago yesterday.
T-Mac, so brassy in Friday’s introductory press conference, lowered his own expectations following his tentative six-point, eight-shot outing in Boston Tuesday, reshifting his goals to staying healthy rather than being the Knicks’ leading man. The Knicks are 0-3 with McGrady in the lineup.
“This is just all about trying to get myself back, getting up and down the court, being able to finish this year out,” said McGrady, who is averaging 15.7 points in three games. “It’s really not about my results. This is about physically and mentally getting through this season.”
Perhaps the Knicks (19-37, eight losses in a row) will see a refreshed McGrady tomorrow in Washington after two days’ rest. McGrady, who will participate in his first Knicks practice today, played three games in four nights, averaging 29.7 minutes, after being exiled since Dec. 23.
McGrady nearly has doubled the total of 46 minutes he played in six games with the Rockets, but has complained of having “no legs” and knee soreness after halftime.
On Monday night, McGrady limped off the court with a bruised knee in the final minutes, and he seemed impaired in Tuesday’s game. T-Mac said he took on the role of distributor in Boston because of his condition. He notched eight assists, working well with David Lee on the pick-and-roll. But it was less than Mike D’Antoni’s vision of McGrady as “our best player.”
“These guys are full fledged in shape,” McGrady said. “They have almost a full season on me. They got the rhythm. I’m trying to get that on the fly.”
McGrady said it won’t be till next season when he’s “100 percent,” and that he feels he is two weeks away from being in game shape.
T-Mac has said he would love to stay a Knick next season as a complementary player if they bring in two marquee free agents. And he sounds as if he hopes they re-sign Lee.
“I love playing with him,” McGrady said. “He’s a very smart basketball player. He sets good screens, knows when to, and has great hands for a big guy.”