Tristan Thompson

[Numbers Guy]

I really don't think he can palm a basketball.

Why do his hook shots look like this?



For fucks sake.. he has a ridiculous wing span and leap.. EXTEND.

The backboard is infact there to be utilized.. everything doesn't have to be two hand dunked.. use the rim as your protection.

WHEN YOU CATCH THE BALL KEEP IT HIGH.

So frustrated by him.

[Daddy Deezy]

I really don't think he can palm a basketball.

Why do his hook shots look like this?

I notice it too... CONSTANTLY.

He doesn't go up quickly or strong after a rebound and he seems to grab the ball with both hands as if he is a kid trying to hold a basketball (too big to hold with one hand). Its hard to describe really... its almost like an inherent awkwardness in his shooting style around the rim and in general.

[RTrees]

I'll say this again,the kid needs to learn to make a jump hook..while that seems elementary,its a shot many a big man has used ..since he can't seem to go up without getting waxed ,using a hook makes him be under control and add offense..
Course he'll probably get that smacked back in his face too.

Am I crazy or did he have a little close range hook in summer league? Haven't seen him try it once in the regular season.

[Rich]

Just gonna throw this out there, but Jonas' game tonight would be have been Tristan's worst game of the season. This thread would be blowing up right now had that been him.

[RTrees]

I really don't think he can palm a basketball.

Why do his hook shots look like this?



For fucks sake.. he has a ridiculous wing span and leap.. EXTEND.

The backboard is infact there to be utilized.. everything doesn't have to be two hand dunked.. use the rim as your protection.

WHEN YOU CATCH THE BALL KEEP IT HIGH.

So frustrated by him.

He's a young one, hasn't grown into his body yet. Hands, fingertips, arms will get stronger, leading to better control of the ball.

I hear you're frustrated but that has nothing to do with making a plant grow. Just wait. That's all you have to do. The growth is inevitable and interesting to watch. Only minutes will allow his game to grow, and once in a while we'll see new branches while the base of what's already there gets stronger too.

Did you see that face up J the past few games from about 10-15 feet? How awkward! But did you notice how far away the ball was from the defender with Tristan's upright body posture when he shoots? For them to block that, they'll HAVE to jump to stop it, or get much closer to where he can get around. Hard to call that a branch yet, it's like a little bump in the stem right now.

We have to wait for the really good parts, but he's still doing a ton out there, working like crazy. Cavs' opponent production (in PER) is lowest at the PF spot among all positions. He keeps opposing PF's off the glass and I'd argue that this helps Andy find the ball easier too. He is having an effect on the game. It is positive more often than not. It just doesn't always look too good, or like anything at all.

[Birdy89]

Just gonna throw this out there, but Jonas' game tonight would be have been Tristan's worst game of the season. This thread would be blowing up right now had that been him.

If Jonas is still having games like that in his 2nd year then I am sure people will be tearing him down.

He is a rookie though, TT is not.

He had a clunker tonight, but when are we going to see a flash from TT like we saw from Jonas when he went for 22/7 this week against Tim Duncan?

As a rookie he is already averaging more points/blocks (not too far behind in rebounds) than TT and his PER dwarfs him. Looking at the Per 36 minute stats and the gap becomes larger and TT sees alot more minutes than Jonas.

He is younger than TT and a rookie, and is largely matching his production already.

By this time next year I suspect there will be few if any straws left to grasp at for the few holdouts who still haven't realized how bad Grant shit the bed passing on Jonas to draft TT.

[Tornicade]

Jonas played professionally in europe. he is no more a true rookie than any of the other first year european pro basketball players.And the only thing Grant is doing in regards to jonas is thinking its a shame for jonas and his career that he didnt want to play with us.

[Green Lantern]

Am I crazy or did he have a little close range hook in summer league? Haven't seen him try it once in the regular season.

I thought he was developing one last season. It seems to be forgotten.It shouldn't be .
They should be working on things like this with him..
If he has trouble trying to get off whatever kind of putback he does around the rim,the hook would allow him to be out more and move around the paint.
He plays undersized around the rim,instead of using his length to his advantage.

[SteelSmack]

If Jonas is still having games like that in his 2nd year then I am sure people will be tearing him down.

He is a rookie though, TT is not...

How about a 27 and 12 game in TT's rookie year?

[Jack Brickman]

How about a 27 and 12 game in TT's rookie year?

^^

[Tecumseh]

I think what is most concerning to me is that we heard all summer how hard Tristan had been working on his game. And his improvement from last year is marginal if anything.

[EugB23]

Why does he get his shot blocked so often for crying out loud? He's got a 7 foot wingspan and just need to go up quickly and dunk it. He is not blocking shots or getting enough rebounds right now which makes him USELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MYoung23]

Folks just keep avoiding the whole awkward and robotic thing.

[narbar32]

I notice it too... CONSTANTLY.

He doesn't go up quickly or strong after a rebound and he seems to grab the ball with both hands as if he is a kid trying to hold a basketball (too big to hold with one hand). Its hard to describe really... its almost like an inherent awkwardness in his shooting style around the rim and in general.

The weirdest thing is that he doesn't have these small hands; they're actually pretty big.

I think he's just uncoordinated or, at least, relatively uncoordinated as an NBA player. It seems to be manifested in almost everything he does on the court, from his awkward running gait, his shooting form, and yes his slow concentrated gather before going up and his one and only decision when he does finally jump to finish at the rim -- stretch the ball up with two hands come Hell or high water. His patented slop hook when he's just a little too far out of range to try to get a dunk blocked is an unskilled move too, and its effectiveness isn't like Jamison or Andy where it indicates skill that belies the awkward looks of it.

Besides that, every effing thing the kid does on the court seems to also just ooze passivity. It's fucking gross for a big man with his physical profile/skillset. The way he treats the basketball is no different. Grip that thing, motherfucker! You ain't gon break it. He holds it so gingerly. It's like he's tenderly caressing his lover's penis.

EDIT: Got ninja'd by MYoung just a little bit. He was more concise, as always.

[Green Lantern]

Folks just keep avoiding the whole awkward and robotic thing.

Not really I think several have said it.I don't disagree with it at all.
Fact is he looks worse this year.