Insider Special:Drik vs. TMac II

[Weez]

Best defenses against T-Mac and The Diggler

By Brian James

ESPN Insider

On Dec. 2 in Dallas, the Mavs' Dirk Nowitzki and the Rockets' Tracy McGrady had an old-fashioned Texas shootout. Nowitzki scored 53 points and McGrady, the two-time defending NBA scoring champion with the Magic, finished with 48. The Mavs won in overtime 113-106, with Nowitzki scoring the extra period's first 10 points.

Saturday in Houston, the superstars are paired again. Since their first matchup, Nowitzki has averaged 29.5 points in four games. McGrady has averaged 22.7 ppg in three outings, but he demonstrated how fast he can ignite Thursday against the Spurs.

McGrady scored on a running 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds left, capping a one-man rally in the final minute to lift the Rockets to an improbable 81-80 victory. McGrady scored 13 points in the final 35 seconds, including four difficult 3s, to finish with 33 points, eight rebounds and five steals.

In this Mavs-Rockets' rematch, many fans will want to see the scoring fireworks again. Chances are the coaches will not.

What game plan will the respective coaches implement to slow down the opposing star?

Guarding McGrady

The teams that have had the most success against T-Mac have picked him up way above the 3-point line, so McGrady cannot walk into his 3-point attempts. On most screen-roll situations when McGrady is the dribbler, many teams lately will switch the screen if positions 1-4 are setting the screen.

After the switch, the new defender has to do a good job of keeping McGrady in front of him, but yet not give him too much room or risk conceding his deadly jump shot. If T-Mac is isolated on top, the two closest off-the-ball defenders should come as close to McGrady's elbow area as possible to help stop the penetration – if possible. On 1-5 screen rolls, trap to get the ball out of his hands without fouling him.

Tracy McGrady

Guard

Houston Rockets

Profile

2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

17 21.5 5.5 5.6 .411 .728

On wing isolations, McGrady doesn't like to look at one player at the elbow and a big man waiting for him on the block zoning up the strong side of the floor beside his man on the ball.

On McGrady's post-ups, have the quick double teams come to get the ball out of his hands. Many teams lately have doubled off the point guard, but they must come get McGrady aggressively with their hands up in the air. Usually teams lack size in the double-teaming of the 6-8 McGrady.

He's playing with more authority in the last week, and stopping him will not be an easy chore. Coach Jeff Van Gundy probably will play McGrady more than 40 minutes, and chances are McGrady will look to get going early.

Guarding Nowitzki

The Mavericks' 7-foot, 245-pound forward poses different challenges. Nowitzki is a tough cover at any of the frontcourt positions. He keeps the ball up high in his shooting stance, so it's almost impossible to affect him with smaller players. He just shoots over the top of them.

The "pinch-post elbow" area is where Mavs' Coach Don Nelson likes to get him the ball. That's perfectly suited for Nowitzki. He has improved in putting the ball of the floor and getting to the basket if you go for his shot fake.

Dirk Nowitzki

Forward

Dallas Mavericks

Profile

2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

19 27.7 10.8 2.6 .459 .868

Nowitzki can step back and shoot over the top of his defender. He has increased his shooting range. Just as when you're defending McGrady, you must stay close to Nowitzki to chase him off the 3-point line.

Some teams have success against the Mavs in screen-roll plays by staying attached to Nowitzki with an arm on him and showing out slightly to alter the dribbler's path with the other arm. This way, when Nowitzki screens on the ball and fades or pops out to shoot his jumper, the defender is still right with him.

Keep Nowitzki off the free-throw line, because it is like conceding two points. Doubling him in the post with the closest man or nearest non-scorer is a must.

Stopping McGrady and Nowitzki is not an easy task. But the team that does the better defensive job on the opponent's "go-to guy" will probably win this game.

Brian James, a former assistant coach with the Pistons, Raptors and Wizards, is a regular contributor to Insider.