It wasn't that McGrady didn't want to score inside, but rather that he truly couldn't score there any longer.
This season, McGrady's mid-range shooting percentage was 43%, his long two-point shooting percentage was 42.9%, and his three-point shooting percentage was 38.6%—almost all career highs. However, his 54% shooting percentage inside and 36.4% close-range shooting percentage were both career lows.
As is well known, the closer to the basket, the easier it is to score. McGrady's low proportion and shooting percentage for close-range attempts explain why his efficiency sank to his lowest since the 00-01 season when he became a starter.
Shifting focus away from McGrady, Zhang Yang looked at the Rockets' roster... It seemed they were only willing to spend money after Yao Ming left.
Originally, in 2010, after Yao Ming's retirement, the Rockets' payroll for the 10-11 season hit a new franchise high.
