Remember when Tracy McGrady obliterated the Wizards with 62 points?
Fourteen years ago, Tracy McGrady buried the Wizard with a 62-point avalanche, destroying yet another team on his way to a second scoring title.
By entering the Basketball Hall of Fame last summer, Tracy McGrady finally got his due as an all-time, generational basketball talent. We sometimes forget just how awesome McGrady was at the peak of his powers. After numerous disappointing playoff exits and a deluge of untimely injuries during his tenure in Houston, the NBA moved on from T-Mac in a flash.
During his last two seasons in Orlando, McGrady reached a level that few NBA players have approached. In an epic 2003 campaign he averaged 32/6/6, posting one of the most efficient scoring seasons ever and finishing fourth in MVP voting. He also led a blah Magic team to a 3-1 lead against the top seeded Pistons in the playoffs. Orlando lost that series, but McGrady still unstoppable against a stifling Detroit defense.
T-Mac followed up that performance with another scorching 2004 campaign, comfortably locking up a second consecutive scoring title. He routinely eviscerated opponents in his age 24 season and surpassed the 50 point threshold twice that year.
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On March 10, 2004 the Washington Wizards became the victims of an all-time T-Mac heat check game. McGrady erupted for a career high 62 points, and completely overshadowed a vintage 40 point performance from Gilbert Arenas. T-Mac hit 20-of-37 shots from the field, including an insane 11-of-16 mid-range shots, making his stellar performance even more ridiculous. What’s even scarier is that McGrady, who shot 79 percent from the free throw line that season, uncharacteristically missed nine free throws. T-Mac went 17-of-26 from the stripe. He could’ve come damn close to 70!
There are few guys in the history of the league that have made scoring look so damn easy. Now sit back, relax and enjoy a maestro light the world on fire.