Le Basketbawl

Houston Rockets All-Star guard Tracy McGrady will not be back on the floor making his season debut on November 18, as he had inferred would be the case earlier this week. New York Vinnie knew that the story did not sound correct as we reported last month that T-Mac would be first getting an MRI on November 23. There was no way in the world that the veteran was going to see any action without having that test performed not having undergone micro-fracture surgery of his left knee.

The “Houston Chronicle” has reported that Rockets coach Rick Adelman told reporters that the veteran was not at this point in any shape to play in the NBA. The Houston coach told reporters “There is no timetable. Though it looks like there’s been a lot of timetables out there the last day or so, there hasn’t been for me. He still has a long ways to go as far as running the court, moving, defensively, those types of things. The biggest thing in his mind is last year he had a definite limp. He does not have that. Coming off that surgery, you’re not going to have that explosiveness. You’re not going to have the quickness.”

McGrady on Tuesday told members of the media that November 18, was just a “target date” for his return. The veteran told reporters “It’s a target date. I didn’t say I was coming back; I said it was a target date, just like we have a date to have the MRI on the 23rd. Everybody is blowing it out of proportion like I’m guaranteed to come back. I want to play, so that’s what we’re targeting.”

T-Mac can call it what ever he Frickin wants to call it;  bottom line is Tracy McGrady will not be playing on November 18 of 2009. New York Vinnie realizes he is anxious to get back out and join his teammates however this is not going to be a situation that McGrady will make the decision on his own. He is going to need medical clearance and and the blessing of his coach before he gets back to playing. That is not going to happen by November 18.