Tracy McGrady Has His Alpha Dog Night

In the last three days, Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard and, uh, Antawn Jamison have been swept out of the playoffs, and Kobe Bryant, Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson don't seem too far behind. (And don't get us started on Dirk.) The superstars are off to slow playoff starts, so it's encouraging to see Tracy McGrady taking charge and finally stepping up as that next-level superstar we've been waiting for.

McGrady has famously never won a playoff series, but if the Rockets can outlast the Jazz — the win last night puts them up 3-2 in a series in which every game has been won by the home team — it will be entirely because of him. He scored 26 points and dished out 16 assists in the pivotal series game; his extra gear is the only thing that separates the two teams. It's kind of amazing to watch, though if the Rockets somehow blow this series, you'll never be able to peel McGrady off the ceiling. Time to finish it off.

Anyway, in the other games last night — it's all precursor for the Warriors-Mavs series anyway — the Cavaliers finally put the Wizards out of their misery and San Antonio made everyone forget their series with the Nuggets was ever tied. But the story from last night was McGrady, who might just finally get out of the first round, thanks entirely to himself.

Tracy McGrady Takes Responsibility [The Fanhouse]