"I'm gonna be a force; It's gonna be an interesting season, brotha."

Have the back injuries then truly gone? Or will they remain to be a ghost that will continue to haunt him. Can we expect a good post-season run? Could we expect a post-season? He practically missed half of the season last year due to back spasms, playing just 47 games. He has had most of the regular season, off-sesaon and pre-season to put all the injuries and all the miseries of a season which could have been, behind him. It is finally time for him to redeem himself among the game's elite players.

It is no point in reminiscing on the glory days of T-Mac. The charisma and power he once controlled the court with when he was wearing a star-studded jersey has now gone. Do not expect to see him on SportsCenter as often for his amazing plays and thunderous dunks. Get used to seeing a T-Mac who is more comfortable and more than happy to take that long and smooth jumper. I for one really don't ming his new style of play. It opens up his whole game for him. He's very efficent with his jump-shot. He knows, they know, we all know that if he want to drive past his defender in search of the next Shawn Bradley he can do it. But can his back handle it?

"Man the back was what, March?" asked McGrady. "I am done with the back problems, officially over. I am healthy. I am proud to say that because it was a rough season last year, but yeah I'm healthy and ready to go. Thank God for another year."

So he says. He smiles as fans hold boxes of the new EA Sports title, NBA Live 07 of which he graces the cover. The game according to many has been a huge failure as compared to the previous years of immense success. Will this be the story with T-Mac as well? So many questions, I'm still searching for the answers.

Eventhough, McGrady promises that the trauma of last year will never return, the Rockets do not want to take a chance, and I dont blame them. Ask Grant Hill for one about injuries. Once they hit you, they never leave you. The Rockets have made some key acquisitons this summer just incase McGrady's back decides to quit again. They added Bonzi Wells who is capable of droppig 25 to 30 on any given night. They have also added veteran Shane Battier who is known mainly for his defense but also posses a fairly good jmper. We are all hopeful that they don't play major minutes(nothing against them). Is the 13 in 33 seconds T-Mac back?

"I'm getting back to the old T-Mac. All of last year I was playing hurt. The year before that, everyone was praising me. Everything was good when we took Dallas to seven games (in the '05 playoffs). I had a great year, I had a great playoff, and I was one of the "Best in the Game,"" Tracy says. "But then I get hurt and everybody wants to write me off. So..."

True. They say that you are only as good as your last game. Let's all hope that T-Mac has many more "good" games ahead of him. Yao Ming made huge strides during the end of the season last year and has considerably improved. The Rockets are much better than last year. The Rockets really have solidified their roster. They have a very good starting lineup and a comparitively deep bench. It looks like this is finally the season that the Rockets will make some noise in the Western Conference.

Back to T-Mac. He is still a top 3 player in the league right now. He can still smell fear in his opponenets. He still has the ability to change the outcome of a game in 33 seconds. But can he make it thorugh the season. Everytime I see him elevate I pray that he lands properly. For some reason I feel optimistic towards what T-Mac will do this year.

"It's all about how you bounce back," McGrady says. "I've been in the gym every day working to get back on the court. I feel good, my body feels good, my energy is good."

Like T-Mac I feel good and I am ready to finally see him recking havoc on teams, draining shot after shot after shot, just like he practised it. The time has finally come for the T-Mac to comeback. With Yao, the time has finally come for "The Dynasty" to be complete.

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