It’s a shaky start for Tracy McGrady: An awkward miss from just inside the key, a layup that doesn’t fall, followed by a turnover. But then . . . the old – or, better, young – T-Mac suddenly reveals himself.
He nails his third shot from deep in the left corner and follows with a reverse dunk on a two-on-one feed from Rafer Alston after a steal.
Physically, he looks OK and he’s trying to force the action, as shown by a nervy, athletic layup that gives the Rockets a 10-9 lead.
Another T-Mac jumper from the key makes it 12-9. But he’s still feeling his way around out there. The mental healing – believing he’s OK – is at least as important as the physical.