{{B}}McGrady's Spectacular Art{{/B}} 1. When Tracy McGrady is healthy, his play can be so beautiful that even his own teammates on the court cannot help but admire it in the middle of a game. 2. "It's hard for me, because I'm a fan of basketball," Houston point guard (负责组织进攻的后卫) Rarer Alston told The Houston Chronicle (记事) newspaper after McGrady's 44-point performance against Utah on January 5. "When he's shooting the ball like that, a lot of times I'm standing there watching and, all of a sudden, the other team's getting the ball and going on a fast break (快攻) ,and I'm getting yelled at by the coach." Indeed, McGrady's body control, his energy, his shooting—watching these is like watching an artist at work, blending colors, constructing sentences, or playing music. 3. Unfortunately, McGrady, 27, hasn't always been on the job. Already this season, he's missed 7 games with back spasms (痉挛). After Yao Ming was injured on Dec. 23,it appeared Houston would be without both of its stars. McGrady, however, returned 3 days later and has been playing well ever since, scoring more than 30 points in each of the last 6 games, as of Tuesday. Houston can't seem to get on without him When McGrady was injured, the Rockets won two and lost five. 4. "Listen, there are only four or five people on the entire planet that can do the things he can do with the basketball," forward Shane Battler said of McGrady. "From a fan's perspective—and we're fans even though we're players—it's really fun to watch him do that. From a player's perspective, his game (风格) can affect the entire team. No question. We see him, and we get excited, and that pumps us up. He keeps making shots, and suddenly it seems to become easier for everybody." 5. But it won't, really. Houston has just begun a tough time. Four of the next 7 games will be played away from Houston. 6 of the games will be against teams with winning records. Opponents will doubleteam (双人看守) McGrady in an attempt to dull the impact of his art. Instead of watching, McGrady's teammates will need to create a little art of their own.

E. Players Houston Can't Do Without F. Yao Ming's Performance