McGrady s personal strength is unquestionable, but she can t even break through in the first round of the playoffs.

On May 9, Tracy McGrady, referred to as McGrady, is one of the most talented scorers in NBA history. He won the NBA scoring champion for two consecutive times in the 2002-03 season and 2003-04 season, with averaging 32.1 points and 28.0 points respectively, showing unparalleled personal abilities. However, despite McGrady's personal strength, he has never been able to break through the first round of the playoffs in his career, a phenomenon known as the "first round curse" by fans and the media. McGrady's career is full of interweaving glory and regret, and his story has also become one of the most regrettable chapters in NBA history.

McDy's basketball talent was revealed as early as high school. In 1997, he entered the NBA directly as a high school student and was selected by the Toronto Raptors. Although his performance was not outstanding in the early stages of the Raptors, McGrady quickly showed his potential. In the 1999-00 season, McGrady averaged 15.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, becoming one of the most promising young players in the league. However, the Raptors did not build a team around McGrady, but focused on his cousin Vince Carter. In the summer of 2000, McGrady chose to leave the Raptors and join the Orlando Magic, a decision that became a turning point in his career.

With the Magic, McGrady quickly grew into a top star in the league. In the 2000-01 season, he averaged 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, and was selected for the All-Star lineup for the first time. In the next two seasons, McGrady was even more unstoppable, winning the scoring champion for two consecutive years and averaging 32.1 points in the 2002-03 season, becoming the first player to average more than 32 points per game after Michael Jordan. McGrady's scoring ability is amazing, and his pull-out jump shots, breakthrough layups and scoring ability at critical moments are all top-notch. However, despite such a good personal performance, the Magic never made a breakthrough in the playoffs.

2001-02 season, the Magic entered the playoffs as fourth in the Eastern Conference and faced the Charlotte Hornets in the first round. McGrady averaged 30.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists in the series, but the Magic eventually lost to the Hornets 1-3 and was eliminated. In the 2002-03 season, the Magic once again entered the playoffs as eighth in the East, facing the Detroit Pistons, the No. 1 in the East. Although McGrady averaged 34.3 points in the first four games of the series, helping the Magic to take a 3-1 lead, the Pistons then scored three consecutive games to complete the reversal. McGrady scored 37 points in the tiebreak, but still couldn't stop the team from being eliminated. These two playoff defeats have led to widespread discussion on McGrady's "first round curse". In the summer of 2004, McGrady was traded to the Houston Rockets and formed a "MM combination" with Yao Ming. This combination is highly expected and fans look forward to them leading the Rockets back to the championship. In the 2004-05 season, McGrady averaged 25.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game. The Rockets entered the playoffs as fifth in the Western Conference and played against the Dallas Mavericks in the first round. McGrady scored 36 points in the second game of the series and completed a shocking buckle Bradley at the last moment, helping the Rockets take a 2-0 lead. However, the Mavericks then won three consecutive games, dragging the series into tiebreak. Although McGrady scored 27 points in the tiebreak battle, the Rockets finally lost 76-116 and stopped in the first round again.

2006-07 season, the Rockets entered the playoffs again, facing the Utah Jazz in the first round. McGrady averaged 25.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 7.3 assists in the series, but the Rockets lost again in the tiebreak and lost 99-103. This game became a microcosm of McGrady's career—personal performance was impeccable, but the team could never go further. In the 2007-08 season, McGrady missed some games due to injury. The Rockets encountered the Jazz again in the first round of the playoffs and were eliminated 2-4. So far, McGrady's "first round curse" has been continued seven times, becoming a shadow that he cannot escape in his career.

McDy's playoff dilemma is not entirely attributed to him personally. In fact, his teammate configuration and the overall strength of the team have always been important factors that restrict his breakthrough. During the Magic, except for McGrady, the team lacked a stable second scoring point, and Grant Hill's frequent injuries made McGrady unable to survive. In the Rockets, although Yao Ming is an excellent center, his injury problems also affect the team's stability. In addition, the Rockets never found a suitable role player during McGrady's time, and the team's lineup was insufficient, which made it difficult to compete with strong teams in the playoffs.

In addition to the problems of teammates and team configuration, McGrady's own injury is also an important reason why he cannot break through the first round. In the 2005-06 season, McGrady missed most of the games due to a back injury, and the Rockets failed to enter the playoffs. In the 2007-08 season, McGrady's knee and shoulder injuries seriously affected his form, and his performance in the playoffs was greatly reduced. In the 2008-09 season, McGrady was reimbursed due to injury, but the Rockets broke through the first round under the leadership of Yao Ming, which is undoubtedly the biggest irony of McGrady's career.

McDy's "first round curse" is not only a personal regret, but also a major unsolved mystery in NBA history. His career is full of "if" - if Hill wasn't injured, if the Rockets' roster is stronger, if McGrady can stay healthy... maybe his career will be completely different. However, there is no reality if, McGrady's playoff tragedy has become a foregone conclusion. Despite this, McGrady's basketball talent and his performance on the court have won the respect and love of countless fans.

In 2013, McGrady officially announced his retirement, ending his 16-year NBA career. Despite not winning the championship, McGrady's career remains brilliant. He was selected as the All-Star 7 times, won the scoring champion 2 times, was selected as the first team of the best team, and was selected as the second team of the best team of the best team of the second team of the best team. In 2017, McGrady was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, the highest recognition of his career.