Notes: McGrady returns after 'freaky' incident

Damien Pierce
Rockets.com Staff Writer

HOUSTON -- Tracy McGrady admitted Monday being a little freaked out when he learned that he had blacked out from a minor concussion suffered during Saturday's win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The good news is that the freaky incident appears to be behind him.

McGrady returned to practice Monday without a lingering headache and said that he expects to play in Tuesday's game against Golden State.

The Rockets swingman said he didn't remember collapsing on the bench during a timeout and that he didn't even really recall the collision with Dikembe Mutombo's elbow in the first half.

"I blacked out," McGrady said. "I don't remember anything. The guys were telling me about the stuff going on on the bench and I just asked, 'Was I really doing that?' They told me I was laying down (on the bench) and that I took five to six chairs. I don't remember that and, for me to not remember, that is freaky."

The Rockets' six-time All-Star suffered the minor concussion in the first quarter after being inadvertently elbowed in the forehead by Mutombo.

Nearly 20 minutes after the incident, McGrady tried to stand up in front of the team's bench and sunk back down. He was eventually taken to the locker room, where he spent the remainder of the game. McGrady said he started feeling better in the locker room and was basically himself when he left the arena.

The Rockets star said that he didn't leave the house Sunday.

"I had a major headache on Sunday," McGrady said. "I pretty much stayed in bed all day."

McGrady said it was the second concussion that he has suffered in his career. During a game with the Toronto Raptors in Jan. 2000, McGrady was knocked out by Kevin Willis while retrieving his own offensive rebound. He was hospitalized after the hit and needed several stitches.

"Hopefully, I don't get another concussion," McGrady said. "I don't want to turn into Steve Young."

After seeing his star player go down, Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said he might re-evaluate whether Mutombo needs to start wearing elbow pads during games.

"Deke is like a tornado," Van Gundy said. "He cuts a destructive path and sometimes it hurts those that you love the most. We make him practice with elbow pads to keep him from hurting our guys. You would think in games that he wouldn't be hurting our guys when he doesn't wear elbow pads. We might have to rethink that."

Early meeting: When Dikembe Mutombo showed up for work Monday morning, he had a note waiting for him in his locker. He was being summoned to the office of Jeff Van Gundy.

"It's never a good thing when you get that note," Mutombo said.

The Rockets reserve center said he spent what seemed like an hour inside Van Gundy's office reviewing the play that led up to McGrady's mild concussion.

Van Gundy wasn't upset with the center for the accidental elbow, but instead wanted the center to see that the injury occurred because Mutombo didn't block out on the possession, allowing Cleveland to pick up two offensive rebounds. The center collided with McGrady after a scramble for the second offensive rebound.

Van Gundy said that he hopes Mutombo got the message.

"He's a great guy and he does a lot of great things in this world, but he's got to be more ready to play," Van Gundy said.

Not returning yet: Bob Sura has suffered a setback in his comeback.

Sura, who was eyeing a return to the practice court this month, has been sidetracked by a back injury, according to Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy.

"That's why you haven't seen him yet," Van Gundy said.

Sura, who began his comeback attempt this summer, hasn't played in an NBA game in over 19 months since undergoing a successful arthroscopic procedure to remove loose particles in his right knee. He also underwent surgery to repair a ruptured disc in his back on Nov. 22, 2005.

Van Gundy also said there was no update on Bonzi Wells' status, except that Wells has been recently slowed down with a hamstring problem.