Tristan Thompson

[Derek]

He is also averaging 14.4/13.6 on 50% shooting over his last 5 games. I agree that Tristan is a work in progress, but I would put an emphasis on progress.

I'm fully aware that he's played well in recent games. The next step is doing it consistently. I just think it's ridiculous when I see people acting like the next step is 18-10 and All-Star and saying we should be running more plays for him.

His next step is putting up his 13-10 with efficiency, and doing it consistently. That should be his season average, not just a 5 game hot stretch.

 

[catfish]

So I called up the new NBA radio this morning telling those idiots that I am a basketball junkie telling them I am listening to them rather than down the dial because I want to hear more informed and in depth basketball discussion and this guy Mitchell showed why he cant keep a head coaching job by totally making fun of basketball analytics and saying that his eyes can tell him as much as some advanced stats. The other idiot Isola kept talking about St. Patrick Ewing. They are not aware that there are other teams beside the Knicks and the Nets.

 

[Kizzle]

If he were doing this on the Heat he'd get all star votes. Lol

That's the sad thing. He's been killing tho, Tristian I think is a career 15 10 guy once he figures it out. That's very solid from pick 4 of a weak draft where the only other guy really killing shit out that draft is on his team

 

[Biw]

If he were doing this on the Heat he'd get all star votes. Lol

That's the sad thing. He's been killing tho, Tristian I think is a career 15 10 guy once he figures it out. That's very solid from pick 4 of a weak draft where the only other guy really killing shit out that draft is on his team

Klay Thompson says hi.

 

[Damien O'Connel]

So I called up the new NBA radio this morning telling those idiots that I am a basketball junkie telling them I am listening to them rather than down the dial because I want to hear more informed and in depth basketball discussion and this guy Mitchell showed why he cant keep a head coaching job by totally making fun of basketball analytics and saying that his eyes can tell him as much as some advanced stats. The other idiot Isola kept talking about St. Patrick Ewing. They are not aware that there are other teams beside the Knicks and the Nets.

Most confusing post I've ever seen.

And I have no idea why you put it in the thread titled "Tristan Thompson"

 

[Wine and Gold]

I am a big TT fan, and really wish that he could get the rock every once-in-a-while outside of offensive rebounding. He rarely if ever gets a play called for him in the post, and hardly ever gets the ball on the Roll of a P&R (yeah our guards are complete ball hogs on the P&R. Is this a function of Mike Brown's "offense"? Does it have to be that our PF are simply garbage players and can never get plays called for them because our guards need to shoot 20 foot covered jumpshots? Just getting the ball on offense, even if you don't end up taking a shot, gets you more in rhythm, and usually makes bigs more active on the glass and on defense.

It's like we do absolutely nothing to get any of our players in a rhythm. We don't get fast break points to get some easy baskets, we don't do any back door cutting, we don't feed the post, we don't pass the ball around allowing everyone to touch it once on a possession. Basketball is so much about feel and flow, as evidenced by teams we play against who, after getting 20 fast break points and layups from missed assignments, end up making shots they usually miss because we have let them get settled.

We really need to do some things early in the game to get our guys in rhythm, and I think that applies equally if not more so to TT than anyone else.

Of late, most of the scoring ops and play we have been running in the post have been specific to Andrew Bynum. It appears we are basically fast tracking our development and facilitation of our low post offense - through Bynum. So that, in my opinion, is why Tristan's opportunities within the offense have been altered, of late, from where they were at the earliest junctures of this season. It's not a poor decision, because Bynum is the guy that will draw the doubles, and he has a decent and proven ability to pass effectively out of those doubles. That's still a work in progress, because like last night, we see Bynum rushing too much and exhibiting impatience by forcing up his shots early to beat the double coming at him. But, our offense is going to be implemented piece meal, as the season progresses. We didn't have anything but basic sets worked on as we left training camp, and had no Bynum at all to work with. So, it's obvious that once the decision was made to put Bynum into the starting rotation, that they immediately began the process of fast tracking his development into our low post offensive play calling, and the facilitation of it through him. Once we have that aspect locked in, and Bynum's timing is down, consistent, showing patience in letting the game come to him, not forcing his shot opportunities, and effectively passing out of the doubles better...then we will move forward in implementing more options within our offense. We're still very basic, obviously. By game 60 I would expect us to be showing more options and looks..and having more success. At this point in our team's offensive development.. most any high level defense in this league could really shut us down and make us look very disjointed. We simply haven't devoted enough time into developing and getting our players synchronized so as to maximize all their strenghs and potential within our offense.

Defense took up so much of our early coaching emphasis, that our offense is simply forced into being developed and implemented in stages throughout course of this regular season.

 

[metalman213]

I don't think you, or a lot of others, realize how far away Tristan is from actually being a good offensive player. He's put in a ton of work, and made a lot of improvements just to get where he is now, but he still has a ways to go to be a good offensive player.

He's averaging 11.5 points with a sub-50 TS%, that's putrid for a big man. I'd much rather see him increase his efficiency to a respectable level while scoring about the same that he is now.

I think you are somewhat off base. Yes his FG % is bad, but the main reason why is not because he is a bad scoring option, its just that so many of his shots are on offensive rebounds which are typically low % shots. He is shooting 32% on offensive rebounds (and his PPP is .68 which is 47th in the NBA which isnt bad) and that constitutes 17% of his shots. Granted that he is not very good at isolation either, he is efficient at posting up (17th in the league in PPP, 45.5%), p&r roll (22nd in the league in PPP, 58.3%), and good at cuts ( 64th in PPP, 51.2%). He is not a bad offensive player if he is utilized correctly. I've been saying it for a long time now: let him post up more, get him more involved in the offense. The offense right now is either entirely wing based or bynum post up and thus Tristan is only left to try to pick up the scraps, bringing down his FG%. His usage % is the lowest its been in his entire career, hes not a bad option, he's just not given a chance to shine.

 

[catfish]

---

Most confusing post I've ever seen.

And I have no idea why you put it in the thread titled "Tristan Thompson"

What was confusing about post? Put it in the TT folder because we are talking about the various metrics for his proficiency here.

 

[Derek]

I think you are somewhat off base. Yes his FG % is bad, but the main reason why is not because he is a bad scoring option, its just that so many of his shots are on offensive rebounds which are typically low % shots. He is shooting 32% on offensive rebounds (and his PPP is .68 which is 47th in the NBA which isnt bad) and that constitutes 17% of his shots. Granted that he is not very good at isolation either, he is efficient at posting up (17th in the league in PPP, 45.5%), p&r roll (22nd in the league in PPP, 58.3%), and good at cuts ( 64th in PPP, 51.2%). He is not a bad offensive player if he is utilized correctly. I've been saying it for a long time now: let him post up more, get him more involved in the offense. The offense right now is either entirely wing based or bynum post up and thus Tristan is only left to try to pick up the scraps, bringing down his FG%. His usage % is the lowest its been in his entire career, hes not a bad option, he's just not given a chance to shine.

Sounds like he's being used quite well, judging by his efficiency in other areas, but he needs to learn what to do with the ball after he gets offensive rebounds.

 

[AuxiliaryPie]

That can't be accurate.

looked it up, he has 5 this season.. i was hoping it was true though

 

[Derek]

looked it up, he has 5 this season.. i was hoping it was true though

It was a joke. Even Muggsy Bogues never went that long without a block.

 

[metalman213]

Sounds like he's being used quite well, judging by his efficiency in other areas, but he needs to learn what to do with the ball after he gets offensive rebounds.

Well I think there is a pretty big distinction between not being a good offensive player and needing to learn what to do after offensive rebounds considering offensive rebounds and tips can be inefficient shots by nature and occur after the primary offensive play. My point was he is good in things like post ups and cuts but he's not getting the ball enough in those scenarios.

 

[Derek]

Well I think there is a pretty big distinction between not being a good offensive player and needing to learn what to do after offensive rebounds considering offensive rebounds and tips can be inefficient shots by nature and occur after the primary offensive play. My point was he is good in things like post ups and cuts but he's not getting the ball enough in those scenarios.

I just disagree. I still don't think he's a good offensive player, and I think he gets the ball plenty.

 

[Rich]

I just disagree. I still don't think he's a good offensive player, and I think he gets the ball plenty.

I mean the usage rates tell me he doesn't get the ball hardly at all.

He needs to be better at passing the ball out off of offensive rebounds.

 

[shoes22]

I think playing with Bynum and Varejao is the best thing that could happen for Tristan's growth and development as a player.
If you think about it, TT's playing style is a perfect hybrid of both Bynum and Varejao's games.
TT's post moves around the basket are remarkably similar to Bynum's. They move the same way with the ball in their hands.
Tristan has also adopted Andy's high-energy style and penchant for wrestling for every rebound.
If TT refines his jumper to the level Varejao currently has, he will be a dangerous player. Those first couple games of the season his newly minted righty-jumper was money. So I know he has it in him.

I'd argue that excluding Kyrie, out of everyone on the team this year Tristan has shown the most future All-Star potential. Even more than Dion.
Very excited for what his future holds.