CHARLOTTE -- At the Orlando Magic's shootaround on Monday afternoon, Tracy McGrady lofted 15-foot jumpers while the rest of his team ran sprints. A few jumpshots were all Magic coach Doc Rivers would allow.

Rivers was afraid McGrady's sore back might act up. The Magic superstar didn't feel pain in his back, but he knows he's far from feeling healthy.

	Tracy McGrady Guard-Forward Orlando Magic Profile
	2001-2002 SEASON STATISTICS GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT% 76 25.6 7.8 5.3 .451 .748

"It's really tight right now," McGrady said. "I'm just trying to keep it loose without hurting it again before Game 2. There's no point in me practicing."

McGrady was far from being himself in Saturday's 80-79 Game 1 loss to the Hornets. Despite scoring 20 points and handing out six assists, McGrady was limited to a stationary jump shooter due to his ailing back.

He injured the back early in the third quarter after landing awkwardly after a shot. As he ran down the court T-Mac's screams of pain could be heard above the 9,000 Hornet fans applauding P.J. Brown for pulling in the defensive board. From that point on he couldn't jump, make quick moves or drive to the hoop. And the Hornets were quick to notice.

"Every time he tried to jump you could see he was in pain," Hornets forward George Lynch said. "He could barely run back on defense at times."

Rivers didn't appear to be worried about T-Mac's back after practice. "He'll play Tuesday night for sure," Rivers said. "I know Tracy and he'll compete for us."

This season, McGrady has turned himself into a legitimate MVP candidate with swooping dunks, an automatic turnaround J and a catalog of moves around the rim. For the rest of the Magic's potentially short season, McGrady will be limited to his fadeaway jumper. Regardless of his balky back, he can still shoot over anyone the Hornets can throw at him.

The highly anticipated matchup between McGrady and Baron Davis is over before it started. How bad is the back? A rare concession by McGrady tells all.

	“	My back is killing me. But so what? This is the playoffs. ”
		— Tracy McGrady

"Baron is too quick for me right now," McGrady admitted reluctantly.

What bothers him more than not being able to score is not being able to defend. He can't stay in front of Davis or David Wesley. He can't grind with Lynch or Jamal Mashburn, who'll play in Game 2 after a bout with the flu kept him out of the final three quarters of Game 1.

In the interest of McGrady's back, Rivers gave the team Sunday off. The Magic watched film and had a team barbecue.

"The guys were more interested in the barbecue than film," Rivers said. "But they were all thinking about T-Mac's back."

So, apparently, are a ton of other people. The Magic offices have been deluged with hundreds of letters and e-mails offering quick fixes for McGrady's aching back. One fan recommends Tracy sit in a tub with the water as hot as he can stand it for 15 minutes -- no more, no less -- and pour in three cups of Epsom salt. A doctor from California offered to fly to Charlotte with a laser he invented to work on McGrady's back.

McGrady says he'll pass on all offers. After Game 1, McGrady could barely get out of a chair.

"My back is killing me," he said with a grimace. "But so what? This is the playoffs."

Chris Palmer is a staff writer for ESPN the Magazine.