What Could Have Been: Tracy McGrady

If not for injuries, T-Mac would’ve been one of the best players of his generation

My formal introduction to Tracy McGrady took place on April 23, 2003. Ten years-old at the time, I was attending my first NBA Playoff Game: Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round, my Detroit Pistons versus T-Mac’s Orlando Magic.

That season, the Pistons — fresh off of the Grant Hill era, which peaked with four First Round losses over a five-year period (1996–00) — had turned into an overnight contender, earning the №1 seed in the East with a rag-tag group of certified role-players leading the way. Entering the Postseason, the Pistons were considered one of the weakest №1 seeds in NBA history; meanwhile, the eight-seeded Magic, led by NBA scoring champion Tracy McGrady, were a lot better than their 42–40 record suggested. ESPN predicted an upset, with the Magic becoming the second №8 seed to win a playoff series, the first to do so in the expanded best-of-seven format.

My innocence, combined with the fanbase’ overwhelming excitement in the Pistons contending for the first time since the Bad Boys era, prevented me from seeing the writing on the wall. Even after the Magic stole Game 1, with T-Mac exploding for 43 points on 53 percent shooting, I settled into my seat for Game 2, utterly…