One of the most sought after and intriguing players, Onyx T-Mac lives up to his hype and high price on the auction house. He is the center of many debates - some about how good he is, others about what his true position should be. For this review, I will assume that he is being used at the PG / SG position, and will focus on his performance post-patch. Pre-patch T-Mac was a fun player to use, but post-patch T-Mac is much improved, with the ability to capitalize on his 84/86 standing/moving 3-pt shot, as well as his 6'8" frame that improves shot contest capabilities.
Pros:
Dribbling Animations: T-Mac has a unique set of dribble moves that enable him to take advantage of his 96/96 speed/quickness to get seperation from the defender and momentum toward the hoop. Another bonus is that these dribble moves typically draw defenders off of perimeter teammates, allowing a driving T-Mac to take advantage of his low 80's passing attributes to dish it to an outside player for an open jumper.
High-flying Dunks: T-Mac's dunks are some of the most exciting in the game. His elevation is unsurpassed, and compares well with Clyde, Kobe, and Vince Carter. If he is your primary ball-handler, his ability to drive and kick or dunk draws enough attention from your opponent to pass it off for an easy assist.
Three Point Shooting: Excellent, with a Limitless Range, Deadeye, Microwave, and Shot Creator all standard, and the slot to add a Corner Specalist, T-Mac's 84 standing 3 and easy release make it hard to pass up open 3's. Additionally, his 3pt hot zone is opposite LeBron's 3-pt hot zone, so as long as he occupies the appropriate real estate, he can influence teammates to go to the right part of the court to get better shots off.
Positional Flexibility: Can play anything from 1-3, with power at both the offensive and defensive ends. He won't lead in any single category for offensive or defensive skill, but all-around, he is an excellent player both ways.
Height and Defensive Athleticism: When guarding 3-pt chuckers, T-Mac has a much better time shutting down a single player with his height and 94 lateral quickness. He also has some incredible defensive animations that are unique to him that get him in the lane to cut off and intercept passes or oop lobs better than anyone else in the game.
Cons:
Post Fade Shot: An 84 post fade shot looks appealing, but it does not compare well to other post players who have similarly high ratings. His height, quickness, and separation all make the shot a tempting and easy one to get off, but it has less success than other popular post up guards: Gary Payton, Michael Jordan, and Oscar Robinson.
Cold Spot at the top of the Key: Tracy McGrady's slipperiness gets him open mid-range shots frequently, and they commonly occur at the top of the key, where he has a cold spot. The cold spot does not destroy his shot, but it takes away confidence from an otherwise superior mid-range shooting game. It's hard to pass up wide open shots from this portion of the court, so expect to hit with a lower rate of success.
Lack of Intangible Badges: No Closer, Prime Time, Hardened, ect. All other players of his quality have multiple badges in this category that help them standout, but T-Mac doesn't.
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MTDojo.com