Tristan Thompson

[STAT]

No one is getting fooled by a stat-line. He was the primary defender on Dirk and did a fine job of it. He also took the game over with offensive rebounding alone. We watch the game too.

Yeah, the defense on Dirk and the stretch of dominance on the offensive glass were both undeniably praiseworthy.

Tristan did a fairly admirable job of at least getting a hand in Dirk's face on some of those uniquely Dirk off-of-one-foot mid-range shots. Overall, holding him to 8-20 (40%) is a nice result.

And those offensive rebounds were extremely valuable: 5 in the fourth quarter and 8 overall.

 

[Rich]

He's not a 6'8" center though.

And as luck would have it, neither is Tristan Thompson!

 

[Spencer Hawes]

And as luck would have it, neither is Tristan Thompson!

My bad, he's 6'-7.5" without shoes. Excellent size for a center. :chuckles:

 

[Fuggles]

He's not a 6'8" center though.

6'7.5''

damn too slow

 

[Rich]

My bad, he's 6'-7.5" without shoes. Excellent size for a center. :chuckles:

I love how we're told you're defined by the position you defend by those that hate Thompson. Does Thompson defend PFs or Centers? End of debate.

And he's not 6'8.

Wrong on all accounts. Keep on keeping on!

EDIT: What's funny is rchfld is the guy who says that you are defined by what position you can defend, but he persists in the Thompson is a center thing. And then you persist in echoing it.

 

[Spencer Hawes]

I love how we're told you're defined by the position you defend by those that hate Thompson. Does Thompson defend PFs or Centers? End of debate.

And he's not 6'8.

Wrong on all accounts. Keep on keeping on!

Actually, you have no idea what you're talking about if you believe what you just wrote. Typical NBA starting PF's have a perimeter game for a team to be successful. Take for example last year in the conference semi's. Miami, Chicago, Indiana, New York, Oklahoma, Memphis, San Antonio and Golden State. All those teams have starting PF's who have proven, they can consistently hit an open jumper or a face up post game that will command a double team.

Miami (Bosh or Lebron), Chicago (Boozer), Indiana (David West), New York (Melo), Oklahoma (Ibaka), Memphis (ZBo), San Antonio (Duncan). We have none of that in TT. And what's worse, we're counting on Andy to spread the fucking floor. Typically in the NBA, if you're a big and have a face up game, you get moved to the PF position or is considered a PF....otherwise, you play center and bang with the big boys.

And you're definitely wrong on TT's height. He was measured at 6'7.5" without shoes. So saying he's 6'8" is generous and if you say he's taller than that, then you have no clue what you're talking about.

 

[Fuggles]

And you're definitely wrong on TT's height. He was measured at 6'7.5" without shoes. So saying he's 6'8" is generous and if you say he's taller than that, then you have no clue what you're talking about.

Player heights in the NBA are given in shoes *and then rounded up*. This is not an opinion.

 

[Rich]

Actually, you have no idea what you're talking about if you believe what you just wrote. Typical NBA starting PF's have a perimeter game for a team to be successful. Take for example last year in the conference semi's. Miami, Chicago, Indiana, New York, Oklahoma, Memphis, San Antonio and Golden State. All those teams have starting PF's who have proven, they can consistently hit an open jumper or a face up post game that will command a double team.

Miami (Bosh or Lebron), Chicago (Boozer), Indiana (David West), New York (Melo), Oklahoma (Ibaka), Memphis (ZBo), San Antonio (Duncan). We have none of that in TT. And what's worse, we're counting on Andy to spread the fucking floor. Typically in the NBA, if you're a big and have a face up game, you get moved to the PF position or is considered a PF....otherwise, you play center and bang with the big boys.

So that's what makes a power forward and that's it? If you can hit a spot-up jump-shot. I love how fucking narrowly defined that one specific position is now. Meanwhile, your SF can be a defensive stopper, like Tony Allen, or an all-world player like LeBron, your PG can be a pass only, never look to shoot guy like Rondo or a balls to the wall scoring machine like Kyrie, your center can apparently, just be anybody. From Splitter and Perkins, to Chris Bosh playing out of position, to Marc Gasol doing it all.

But the power forward position, that one, lone position has to be manned by guys with a singular specific skill.

Who the fuck comes up with this stuff?

 

[Rich]

Actually, you have no idea what you're talking about if you believe what you just wrote. Typical NBA starting PF's have a perimeter game for a team to be successful. Take for example last year in the conference semi's. Miami, Chicago, Indiana, New York, Oklahoma, Memphis, San Antonio and Golden State. All those teams have starting PF's who have proven, they can consistently hit an open jumper or a face up post game that will command a double team.

Miami (Bosh or Lebron), Chicago (Boozer), Indiana (David West), New York (Melo), Oklahoma (Ibaka), Memphis (ZBo), San Antonio (Duncan). We have none of that in TT. And what's worse, we're counting on Andy to spread the fucking floor. Typically in the NBA, if you're a big and have a face up game, you get moved to the PF position or is considered a PF....otherwise, you play center and bang with the big boys.

And you're definitely wrong on TT's height. He was measured at 6'7.5" without shoes. So saying he's 6'8" is generous and if you say he's taller than that, then you have no clue what you're talking about.

What fuggles said. YOu're being obtuse now. Player heights listed are ALWAYS in shoes. When you see the names scroll across the screen for intros, that's in shoes. No one fucking cares what you measure out of shoes. In shoes he measures at 6 8'8.75". So you'd be the person who is wrong here. He's basically average height for a PF.

 

[RchfldCavRaised]

As his body continues to mature, he is becoming more and more bigger down low. He already has a bigger base than guys like Tyrone Hill and Dale Davis. He's in the Michael Cage/Georgetown Mike Sweetney category now.

Watching him run up the court today, I know a center when I see one. Just sucks that he is not bigger. He would be a top center prospect already if he had the size. If you put his heart and will in these guys that are 7'0 stiffs with no desire, you'd have one of the better centers in the league.

The crux to Tristan is, that he is NOT a game changing center at his size, just a scrappy undersized guy who will battle centers who are not engaged. He doesnt have the length needed to really be a good positional defender at the rim. Omer Asik can play defense the way Tristan does and he can truly impact a game with his size/length. Tristan cant play like that and be the same type of impact player. Some guys can be very good defenders or offensive players even though they are undersized for the center spot. Chuck Wagon always jumps out to me for his years in Houston where Adelman used him like Nick Collison as the first big off the bench. Nick Collison is another guy. Played that position in Kansas and developed as a center and then just never got tall enough to be that, though he has trimmed down and really perfected being a positional defender of back to the basket 4's as a pro. Kris Humphries wrecked havoc in his year up at Minnesota playing center at 6'9. As a PF in this league, he simply doesnt have the game to be a real impact player but if you get him minutes and just let him produce on the boards and next to a cupcake like Brook used to be, you can see Humphries put up numbers like Tristan can provide for you. Its all about being given the opportunity to play big minutes.

That is why I said dont get caught up on his stat line. Reggie Evans, Kris Humphries, Nick Collison, Danny Fortson, Chuck Hayes... you give these guys minutes as they entered their prime as undersized centers and put softer bigs who space the floor next to them, and they all could/did produced like Tristan can/has. Reggie Evans was one of the best offensive rebounders I ever saw play in college, at 6'8... but a large part of that was him playing center with a non traditional big man next to him spacing the floor. Same for Kurt Thomas at TCU. Didnt he lead the country in rebounding a few times? His body developed JUST like Tristan's body is, and his base widened the longer he was in the league. He had some "near" all star years up in New York where the ball just gravitated to his hands. Probably the exact same size as Tristan in his prime.

In my quest to make this team more Mike Brown proof, the next area to be concentrated on, is going to be improving the power forward spot. Though Im not sure we can truly Mike Brown proof a roster, as I am really having a hard time watching Brown try to play Luol like he is LeBron on high pick and rolls with the ball in his hands and force Dion Waiters into the same role he played starting next to Kyrie. Totally negating the purpose for having Dion off the floor with the starters in the first place. If he is going to have Dion off the ball to Jack, then you might as well start him just the same. (God this coach is bad)

But back to Tristan... he's a center. And as he matures on the court and with his body, that will continue to be evident. Antonio Davis matured into a pretty good 6'9 center as his body developed. But that was a different NBA.

As the first big off the bench, I think Tristan could be one of the most valuable reserve bigs in the league. Capable of facing up and going around slower centers adn capable of holding ground and not being moved by about 75% of bigs, save the true centers and guys who are so long they can just shot over the top of him.

 

[Spencer Hawes]

So that's what makes a power forward and that's it? If you can hit a spot-up jump-shot. I love how fucking narrowly defined that one specific position is now. Meanwhile, your SF can be a defensive stopper, like Tony Allen, or an all-world player like LeBron, your PG can be a pass only, never look to shoot guy like Rondo or a balls to the wall scoring machine like Kyrie, your center can apparently, just be anybody. From Splitter and Perkins, to Chris Bosh playing out of position, to Marc Gasol doing it all.

But the power forward position, that one, lone position has to be manned by guys with a singular specific skill.

Who the fuck comes up with this stuff?

Again, you have no idea what you're talking about go and re-read my post. I said "typically" they have a face up game. But there are exceptions if they're a defensive stopper. That was what TT was brought in to be. A defensive presence. A shut down PF. A rim-protector. He's anything but that at this time and it doesn't seem like he's going to improve in that area to where he's even going to sniff any all-defensive teams. The eight teams that I listed were in the conference semi's last year with PF who had a post game and can consistently hit perimeter jumpers.

You can start someone like TT all you want, but did we make the playoffs last year? Are we gonna try to go against the grain with TT? If so, prove me wrong. Let us build around TT and pin our hopes on his post/perimeter game to compete for championships.

 

[Fuggles]

I too am angry that Grant has not traded TT and some 2nd rounders for Kevin Love.

 

[JFT]

Actually, you have no idea what you're talking about if you believe what you just wrote. Typical NBA starting PF's have a perimeter game for a team to be successful. Take for example last year in the conference semi's. Miami, Chicago, Indiana, New York, Oklahoma, Memphis, San Antonio and Golden State. All those teams have starting PF's who have proven, they can consistently hit an open jumper or a face up post game that will command a double team.

Miami (Bosh or Lebron), Chicago (Boozer), Indiana (David West), New York (Melo), Oklahoma (Ibaka), Memphis (ZBo), San Antonio (Duncan). We have none of that in TT. And what's worse, we're counting on Andy to spread the fucking floor. Typically in the NBA, if you're a big and have a face up game, you get moved to the PF position or is considered a PF....otherwise, you play center and bang with the big boys.

And you're definitely wrong on TT's height. He was measured at 6'7.5" without shoes. So saying he's 6'8" is generous and if you say he's taller than that, then you have no clue what you're talking about.

It doesn't matter how tall he is. He's a double-double and can play both positions depending on who the opponent is. Unlike before, we now have Kyrie, Deng, Waiters to spread the floor. And Av does that also and TT is just now at the 2.5 year mark. TT's a damn good player. Get over it--DOUBLE-DOUBLE.

 

[RchfldCavRaised]

EDIT: What's funny is rchfld is the guy who says that you are defined by what position you can defend, but he persists in the Thompson is a center thing. And then you persist in echoing it.

He can defend "some" centers. Probably about 50-60% of the centers in this league. Not too many traditional back to the basket guys anymore, though we are watching a flux of them coming on strong now.

The desire to play him at center is because as a power forward, he is a burden to the team and the offense. The reason he was available for those great offensive rebounds is because he wasnt being guarded. As it is most nights with him. His natural tendency is to play as a traditional center and he gravitates to the paint and throws his weight around like a true throwback undersized center.

I can go through the league and point out centers who I think Tristan can hold his own against. Same for power forwards. Its pretty easy to identify the guys who are so talented or so massive that they can have their way with an undersized positional defender who does not defend above the rim or is not a dynamic shot blocker/quick jumper.

You said earlier that you "watch" the games, but yet you are denying that Tristan is playing center for us pretty much every time on offense?

 

[Spencer Hawes]

What fuggles said. YOu're being obtuse now. Player heights listed are ALWAYS in shoes. When you see the names scroll across the screen for intros, that's in shoes. No one fucking cares what you measure out of shoes. In shoes he measures at 6 8'8.75". So you'd be the person who is wrong here. He's basically average height for a PF.

Wtf are you talking about? Average height? He's ALWAYS been considered under-sized. Have you even watch games? He looks under-sized on TV lol. So what then, you want me to call him a 6'9" center? I guess that's better than being call a 6'8" center.