If McGrady was not injured, how far could the Yao-McG combination go in the NBA?

The Yao and Mai team is the youth of the vast majority of Chinese fans. Thinking back to the days when Yao Ming and McGrady just joined hands, the fans were really excited, but the evil devil of injury shattered the story that might have been extremely glorious. If McGrady was not injured, what kind of world could the Yao-McG combination make in the NBA?

In 2004, McGrady joined the Rockets and formed the "Yao-Mai combination" with Yao Ming, who is in the rising period. The scene is exciting to think about. One is McGrady, a super scorer who can be inside and outside and has a variety of offensive methods. He has won the scoring champion for two consecutive years. His jump shot is so cool that he has charmed many fans; the other is Yao Ming, the inside giant, who has been in the NBA's interior. With his outstanding height and solid skills, he has gained a foothold in the league center position. The two of them joined forces, and from paper, they were definitely the king combination, and they were one of the most dominant internal and external combinations in the league at that time.

But reality is very cruel. During the years they worked together, injuries were like nightmares that could not be removed. McGrady suffered from back and knee injuries and had a herniated disc at the age of 21. During the entire Orlando period, she could not finish a season without epidural anesthesia. After coming to the Rockets, the situation did not improve. In the 2007-2008 season, before the sixth game of the playoffs, he drew fluid from his knee and scored 40 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists, but he was still unable to make up for the situation. The team was eliminated. Since then, McGrady has fallen into a state. Yao Ming is not worried about his ankle and knee injuries, which seriously affects his athletic ability and state stability.

The entire season they played together was only 2004-2005 seasons. In the first round of the playoffs, McGrady's performance was affected by a back injury, and the Rockets were in a big lead and were finally turned around. If McGrady was healthy, with his condition and ability at that time, it would be possible that he would lead the team to break through the first round and even go further.

2007-2008 season, the Rockets played a highlight of 22 consecutive victories, but McGrady fell due to a knee injury. The team lost its backbone in the playoffs and was eliminated early. If McGrady can stay healthy, the Rockets' combat effectiveness in the playoffs will be improved by several levels, entering the Western Conference Finals, or even reaching the championship. After all, the Rockets' lineup was good that year, including Artest, Scola, Brooks and others. If Yao and McGrady were healthy, then their strength would definitely be the top team in the West.

2008 - 2009 season, McGrady only played 35 games and was reimbursed. Yao Ming led the team alone, crossed the team all the way and broke through the first round. However, against the Lakers in the semi-finals, Kobe injured Yao Ming's knee, and the Rockets finally lost 7 games in the battle. If McGrady was not injured and together with the healthy Yao Ming, the Lakers would have to work hard to win the series. The Lakers' inside players Gasol and Bynum are not at the edge of Yao Ming. McGrady's outside firepower is turned on again, and the Rockets are really likely to eliminate the Lakers and advance to the finals. You should know that the Rockets faced the Nuggets 3 wins and 1 loss in the regular season, and 2 wins and 0 losses in the Magic. If they made it all the way to the finals and faced the Magic, Yao Ming had a clear advantage over Howard, and the probability of winning the championship was quite high.

From the data point of view, in the first year of their cooperation, Yao Ming averaged 18.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, McGrady averaged 25.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game. The two teamed up to lead the team to win 51 wins and 31 losses in the regular season. Later, Yao Ming's data increased to 25 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, while McGrady averaged 24.6 points and 6.5 assists per game, but injuries still caused them to suffer repeated setbacks in the playoffs. If all are healthy, the data must not be more terrifying, and the team's record will definitely be higher.

If McGrady was not injured, together with Yao Ming, the Rockets would most likely have reached the Western Conference Finals at least twice, and they would even have a great chance to win the championship in 2009. McGrady's honor book will be thicker. Not to mention anything else, she can at least 3 more All-Star trips. The best team times may catch up with Kobe, and she can compete for the regular season MVP. In terms of historical status, McGrady will not be as controversial as she is now, and she has firmly entered the "top ten shooting guards in history". Unfortunately, basketball has no if. Those injuries torn the brilliant dreams of the Yao-Mao combination to pieces, leaving only endless regrets and reverie for fans. However, it is precisely because of this regret that the Yao and Mai combination is even more unforgettable in our hearts.