Tristan Thompson

[kidduck]

I am a big TT fan, but it sure was frustrating watching him yesterday holding the ball on the foul line extended and not taking the shot as he was defended by Calderon.

He has improved so much in other areas of his game, I'd hold him through the first half of next season. Let's see what his game looks like with another off season of work. A small improvement in his shot and he is an AS caliber player.

 

[Spencer Hawes]

Todays episode of Mythbusters

Per Game	Total FGA	Total fg%	In the Paint (non RA) Attempts	In The Paint (Non RA) fg%	Mid Range Attempts	Mid Range FG%
Boozer	13.5	46.5%	2.4	28.9	6.0	42.3%
David West	10	47.5%	2.7	37.4%	5.1	44.5%
Ibaka	11.8	52.8%	1.5	39.3%	5.1	46.1%
Zbo	15.0	44.5%	4.2	41.3%	4.9	39.5%
Thompson	10	46.9	3.6	46.9%	2.2	40.7%
Duncan	12.3	47.0%	2.6	45.4%	5.2	33.3%
Blake Griffin	15.9	52.3%	2.5	41.3%	5.4	37.9%
T jones	9.3	51.5%	2.0	38.2%	.8	26.9%
David Lee	14.7	52.4%	4.0	46.2%	2.7	38.1%

<tbody>
</tbody>

Melo and lebron are small forwards playing the 4 but theres plenty of top flight teams we can compare power forwards with.

Ibaka is looking pretty good. He didnt have much of a range game at all in his third season.

Thompson mid range game has taken a slight dip but he is still trending upward and is 22. These guys arent exactly blowing Thompsons doors in from range.

Great job again at using stats to distort things. Apparently, you have no common sense whatsoever. Do those FG percentages take into account if a player is being defended or given the open jumper like TT? Norris Cole is shooting 40.4% from 3 point line. Steph Curry is shooting 38.3%. Norris Cole must be the better 3 point shooter right? Good job at making yourself look foolish again.

 

[jmill]

I think the post adds to the debate in a constructive manner rather than the extreme partisan manner of some. Attack the post as you have and leave it at that you only lose credibility by getting personal. Your point that TT is not being defended on mid range shots is valid. But does it make a difference if he is hitting 40% and not being defended. If they choose to defend that shot it opens up the lane. If he shoots 25% with someone in his face he is doing what you want drawing the PF out to defend that shot.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

No one knows what Tristan could be because his motor drives him to improve, but we also don't feel he has much of a shooting touch past 5-7 feet. Realistically, he hits about 42% of the mid-range because he barely takes any to bring out the defenders. He posts up about 4 times a game (NBA.com close up touches for reference). And then he rebounds the hell out of the ball despite Andy being on the court with him to rebound too.

I'm not going to debate either or, but I always remember to give the guy a chance to see what he looks like at 25. No one realistically knows.

The other thing is that TT's path is unique with the change in shooting hands, which obviously means he's starting from a lower place than the other guys, but also can be expected to develop more. He's raised his FT% over 20pts. since college, which is really unusual also. As you say, it's pretty unpredictable, because I don't think any of us can project accurately what that jumper will look like in 2 more years.

 

[CosmoKramer]

Great job again at using stats to distort things. Apparently, you have no common sense whatsoever. Do those FG percentages take into account if a player is being defended or given the open jumper like TT? Norris Cole is shooting 40.4% from 3 point line. Steph Curry is shooting 38.3%. Norris Cole must be the better 3 point shooter right? Good job at making yourself look foolish again.

Someone with common sense can see TT has improved his jumper tremendously in the time he's been here. He still doesn't have confidence in it, which is why his attempts are so low. No one is saying he's a better shooter than anyone on that list, just that he's not as far from them as you believe.

And even 10-year-olds understand Steph Curry sees a lot more defensive attention as the Warriors #1 option than Cole does on the Heat.

 

[mcfly]

As for Thompson's progression:

2011-12 28.3 eFG% (39% of 7.4 FGA per game)
2012-13 36.9 eFG% (46% of 9.7 FGA per game)
2013-14 43.3 eFG% (54% of 10.1 FGA per game)

He is taking more, he is making more, and if that trend continues, I see no reason to believe that Thompson cannot develop a consistent jumper that will keep defenses honest.

*edit*
added FGA per game for each season

 

[Scholar]

The other thing is that TT's path is unique with the change in shooting hands, which obviously means he's starting from a lower place than the other guys, but also can be expected to develop more. He's raised his FT% over 20pts. since college, which is really unusual also. As you say, it's pretty unpredictable, because I don't think any of us can project accurately what that jumper will look like in 2 more years.

The thing about him not having really developed his right hand previously is that he won't have to "unlearn" bad habits in how he shoots with it. He has basically reset his shooting with newly practiced shooting mechanics. He is now teaching his muscle memory each time he practices taking a shot. He'll certainly need many more reps to get where he needs to be. But, there is a big difference in just learning it, as opposed to having to deal with previously learned mechanics and having to fight old muscle memory every step of the way.

 

[Spencer Hawes]

Someone with common sense can see TT has improved his jumper tremendously in the time he's been here. He still doesn't have confidence in it, which is why his attempts are so low. No one is saying he's a better shooter than anyone on that list, just that he's not as far from them as you believe.

And even 10-year-olds understand Steph Curry sees a lot more defensive attention as the Warriors #1 option than Cole does on the Heat.

I don't get all the switching hand BS. You guys seem to put your hopes on him improving that jumper to a point where he is a consistent threat. I don't see it. I hope he proves me wrong but I'm not gonna put my hopes in building a championship team on someone switching hands and hoping they develop. There are other options out there and TT and his feel good story about switching hands shouldn't be a reason why we can get someone in here that is a natural shooter at the 4.

 

[Stitches]

I don't get all the switching hand BS. You guys seem to put your hopes on him improving that jumper to a point where he is a consistent threat. I don't see it. I hope he proves me wrong but I'm not gonna put my hopes in building a championship team on someone switching hands and hoping they develop. There are other options out there and TT and his feel good story about switching hands shouldn't be a reason why we can get someone in here that is a natural shooter at the 4.

I think Bennett looks like a natural shooter, but I'd hardly start him over TT. Give me the more effective all around player than the guy who just looks good letting the ball go.

 

[Tornicade]

Great job again at using stats to distort things. Apparently, you have no common sense whatsoever. Do those FG percentages take into account if a player is being defended or given the open jumper like TT? Norris Cole is shooting 40.4% from 3 point line. Steph Curry is shooting 38.3%. Norris Cole must be the better 3 point shooter right? Good job at making yourself look foolish again.

the chart clearly showed the players attempts per game. it also showed what they were doing at range. which is the basis of the discussion. they are guys you mentioned plus other relavent teams in the league.

now if these guys are doing nothing but taking contested shots on teams where none of them are primary or even secondary scoring options. then perhaps they should pass the ball or get better positioning.

these off the cuff arguments really dont fly anymore. you can go on NBA.com and actually watchh every single one of these guys shooting attempts. game by game or for the whole season. none of these statements would hold up under scrutiny. the arguments made for guys like aldridge.love and dirk as primary scoring options do not apply or hold the same for guys like West, lee zbo and boozer. different kind of power forward.. yes I can understand why the concept of different types of power forwards may be hard to get acrosss on to those that only recognize one type.

as ffar as steph curry and norris cole. I already broke down how I would handle the comparison and you declined to make the thread because it would be another rebuttal that would get decimated.

I present my stats in a quality fashion and in context and I leave them open for interpretation and discussion.

there is neither a stephen curry nor norris cole in that list..


try again.

I love it when you resort to personal attacks because it rerpresents you seeing the same things on the other side but ignoring them or afraid to "lose"

 

[Spencer Hawes]

I think Bennett looks like a natural shooter, but I'd hardly start him over TT. Give me the more effective all around player than the guy who just looks good letting the ball go.

I'm guessing you never learned how to shoot properly or don't really appreciate the mechanics of a nice stroke? Most shooters who shoot the ball well have nice looking strokes. Most terrible shooters have flawed mechanics. Don't know why AB is brought into the discussion. I guess as long as TT is around, Bennett should sit his fat ass down cause we're banking on that sweet looking TT stroke?

And TT is effective? In what capacity and compared to who?

 

[Spencer Hawes]

the chart clearly showed the players attempts per game. it also showed what they were doing at range. which is the basis of the discussion. they are guys you mentioned plus other relavent teams in the league.

now if these guys are doing nothing but taking contested shots on teams where none of them are primary or even secondary scoring options. then perhaps they should pass the ball or get better positioning.

these off the cuff arguments really dont fly anymore. you can go on NBA.com and actually watchh every single one of these guys shooting attempts. game by game or for the whole season. none of these statements would hold up under scrutiny. the arguments made for guys like aldridge.love and dirk as primary scoring options do not apply or hold the same for guys like West, lee zbo and boozer. different kind of power forward.. yes I can understand why the concept of different types of power forwards may be hard to get acrosss on to those that only recognize one type.

as ffar as steph curry and norris cole. I already broke down how I would handle the comparison and you declined to make the thread because it would be another rebuttal that would get decimated.

I present my stats in a quality fashion and in context and I leave them open for interpretation and discussion.

there is neither a stephen curry nor norris cole in that list..


try again.

I love it when you resort to personal attacks because it rerpresents you seeing the same things on the other side but ignoring them or afraid to "lose"

I guess nice charts makes your case? Try again cause you made yourself out to look like a silly on many occasions...like when you say Drummond wasn't part of Detroits rebuilding core lol. Or how Bynum's future with the team looks so awesome in his first game back. Silly boy.

 

[Pioneer10]

I don't know what TT did to Taj Gibson in another life, but Gibson tend to pull a Marsellus Wallace and just go medieval on Tristan. I think Tristan had more shots blocked then made tonight: just does not matchup well with the Bulls.

 

[oasis05]

Tristan did have a nice block on Nazr. The bulls have a plethora of near 7 footers. Tristan never had a chance.

 

[Tornicade]

I'm guessing you never learned how to shoot properly or don't really appreciate the mechanics of a nice stroke? Most shooters who shoot the ball well have nice looking strokes. Most terrible shooters have flawed mechanics. Don't know why AB is brought into the discussion. I guess as long as TT is around, Bennett should sit his fat ass down cause we're banking on that sweet looking TT stroke?

And TT is effective? In what capacity and compared to who?

Todays episode of Mythbusters

Per Game	Total FGA	Total fg%	In the Paint (non RA) Attempts	In The Paint (Non RA) fg%	Mid Range Attempts	Mid Range FG%
Boozer	13.5	46.5%	2.4	28.9	6.0	42.3%
David West	10	47.5%	2.7	37.4%	5.1	44.5%
Ibaka	11.8	52.8%	1.5	39.3%	5.1	46.1%
Zbo	15.0	44.5%	4.2	41.3%	4.9	39.5%
Thompson	10	46.9	3.6	46.9%	2.2	40.7%
Duncan	12.3	47.0%	2.6	45.4%	5.2	33.3%
Blake Griffin	15.9	52.3%	2.5	41.3%	5.4	37.9%
T jones	9.3	51.5%	2.0	38.2%	.8	26.9%
David Lee	14.7	52.4%	4.0	46.2%	2.7	38.1%

<tbody>
</tbody>

Thompson mid range game has taken a slight dip but he is still trending upward and is 22. These guys arent exactly blowing Thompsons doors in from range.

Compared to a majority of more experienced veterans in his position.