Tristan Thompson

[RedBlackAttack]

It looks like things are starting to click for Tristan. I don't feel that is an overreaction due to his great first half tonight, either. He has looked really good to me for the last few weeks, comparatively speaking. Sometimes it happens with young players where you'll be wondering about if they'll pan out and, all of a sudden, they just get "it."

The light looks like it has turned on for Tristan. Absolutely great sign for this franchise.

[rabman_gold]

It looks like things are starting to click for Tristan. I don't feel that is an overreaction due to his great first half tonight, either. He has looked really good to me for the last few weeks, comparatively speaking. Sometimes it happens with young players where you'll be wondering about if they'll pan out and, all of a sudden, they just get "it."

The light looks like it has turned on for Tristan. Absolutely great sign for this franchise.

Completely inaccurate, but I do understand what you're trying to say. He's not a moron with size. He's an intelligent hard-worker who learns from continual instruction and practice. He hasn't just suddenly broke out... he was slowly turning his awkwardness into something that became more noticeable with Andy hurt.

He simply was fixing his mechanics one by one. He even was the biggest communicator on the floor defensively. He is a legitimate winner.

[RedBlackAttack]

Completely inaccurate, but I do understand what you're trying to say. He's not a moron with size. He's an intelligent hard-worker who learns from continual instruction and practice. He hasn't just suddenly broke out... he was slowly turning his awkwardness into something that became more noticeable with Andy hurt.

He simply was fixing his mechanics one by one. He even was the biggest communicator on the floor defensively. He is a legitimate winner.

Saying the "light went on" is sort of a cliche. I did note in the paragraph above it that this has been a process, though... And his improvement has been gradual and visible over the last month or so for anyone paying close attention. Point is, he no longer looks like a deer in headlights, which is the general vibe he omitted for his first year and change carrying over into this season.

It is also interesting that he really flourished without Andy on the floor. When you think about it, there is good reason why that may be the reality, too. Both guys are high energy and very good rebounders. Having two of those kind of players on the floor at the same time could be detrimental to one... In this case Tristan since he is not as good as Andy at this stage.

Does this mean, for the future of the organization, it may be best to deal Varejao and allow Tristan to grow in that role?

[Lottery God]

It looks like things are starting to click for Tristan. I don't feel that is an overreaction due to his great first half tonight, either. He has looked really good to me for the last few weeks, comparatively speaking. Sometimes it happens with young players where you'll be wondering about if they'll pan out and, all of a sudden, they just get "it."

The light looks like it has turned on for Tristan. Absolutely great sign for this franchise.

He is definitely starting to get it. He's also surprisingly a good passer once he knew where to pass. His shot still sucks, but the game seriously just slowed down for him over the past two weeks and especially this past week. He's starting to have Andy-esque stat lines. I'm liking it.

[RedBlackAttack]

He is definitely starting to get it. He's also surprisingly a good passer once he knew where to pass. His shot still sucks, but the game seriously just slowed down for him over the past two weeks and especially this past week. He's starting to have Andy-esque stat lines. I'm liking it.

If we get to the point where the main criticism of Tristan is his jumper, I will be absolutely delighted. Not that developing a nice midrange game wouldn't do wonders for his overall production and for the team, but he was having a lot of trouble even scoring around the basket. It looks like that portion of his game is beginning to come around.

It may take him 4-5 years before he is ever really comfortable shooting the ball outside of five feet and I'm OK with that, as long as he is flourishing around the basket.

[theSTEREO.]

He has had some nice plays and games recently, but until he stops getting 50% of his attempts blocked, he's still got me worried.

[Futuredome]

TT is slowly, but surely figuring out that HS/College stuff don't work in the pros. Alot of work to be done.

[Lottery God]

He has had some nice plays and games recently, but until he stops getting 50% of his attempts blocked, he's still got me worried.

Oh, well you should feel relieved because he's only getting around 20% of his shots blocked.

[rabman_gold]

The reason it looks like flourishing without Andy is because they're virtually the same type of player to go after loose balls, rebounds, and shots. They like going through the same sets, areas, and lanes on the court. They overlap. Seeing Tristan do his thing shouldn't be a surprise with this knowledge. That's why Andy chewed him out when he overdid his rebounding by not being aware that Andy already had it. And Tristan realizes who the leader is so that's why he was forcing himself to play cooperative styles with Andy rather than using the same path. He really is a smart player. He knew the troubles and tried to go out of his way to appease a little bit. And he also doesn't care about his numbers at all. He'll be a great player just from these aspects, but it's unlikely he sniffs awards or honors. He won't be that good.

[Jack Brickman]

I think the biggest compliment you can pay Tristan after tonight is how much better the team played whenever he was on the court. The team was noticeably better when he and Dion were out there.

[brooksfosho]

Solid game from TT tonight. Once he learns to keep the ball high and not try to jump out of the gym every time he goes up for a layup/dunk, I think he'll be just fine. He's been doing a lot of nice things for us lately. We're a much better defensive team when he's on the floor, even when the stats don't back it up.

Despite our losses, it's pretty frightening that we have two young bigs who can put up double double's while on the floor together, as well as two young guards who can score/create at will; all of whom are in either their first or second year in the league. I'd be curious to see where this particular starting line-up ranks among the youngest (or least experienced, rather) to ever play. Can't think of any other team who's given so many minutes to such young players in recent years, though I guess we haven't really had much of a choice.

Good signs going forward! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[RedBlackAttack]

Solid game from TT tonight. Once he learns to keep the ball high and not try to jump out of the gym every time he goes up for a layup/dunk, I think he'll be just fine. He's been doing a lot of nice things for us lately. We're a much better defensive team when he's on the floor, even when the stats don't back it up.

Despite our losses, it's pretty frightening that we have two young bigs who can put up double double's while on the floor together, as well as two young guards who can score/create at will, all of whom are in either their first or second year in the league. I'd be curious to see where this particular starting line-up ranks among the youngest (or least experienced, rather) to ever play. Can't think of any other team who's given so many minutes to such young players in recent years, though I guess we haven't really had much of a choice, haha.

Good signs going forward! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

That is something I've been pointing out to a lot of people on the general NBA board that I post on...

Four of our best six players are either rookies or sophomores and only one is above 21. Take it even further, basically every important rotation player on this team with the exception of Andy would be considered a young player on any other team in the NBA. Kyrie (20), DWait (20), Tristan (21), Tyler (22), Alonzo (25), CJ (25), Pargo (26)...

Amazing amount of young talent on this roster.

[chrisrich91]

That is something I've been pointing out to a lot of people on the general NBA board that I post on...

Four of our best six players are either rookies or sophomores and only one is above 21. Take it even further, basically every important rotation player on this team with the exception of Andy would be considered a young player on any other team in the NBA. Kyrie (20), DWait (20), Tristan (21), Tyler (22), Alonzo (25), CJ (25), Pargo (26)...

Amazing amount of young talent on this roster.

It's nice, but the problem remains that only one of those youngsters is a bonafide star, and only one other has a realistic shot at being special. There's still a lot of work left to do with the roster.

[RedBlackAttack]

It's nice, but the problem remains that only one of those youngsters is a bonafide star, and only one other has a realistic shot at being special. There's still a lot of work left to do with the roster.

I don't see that as much of a "problem." There are more tiers than just "special" and everyone else. Kyrie is a probable star and possible superstar. Waiters has as much potential as any young SG in the NBA, from what I've seen. It is difficult to prognosticate his exact floor/ceiling at this stage, but I'm excited about his skill set. Tristan could be a top level rebounding and defensive big man. Zeller looks like he could be a solid role player/starter in time. Alonzo and CJ are probably best suited in supporting roles off the bench.

I'll take that kind of foundation at this stage in our rebuild. Sure, there is more work to do and I think everyone understands that, but that is a given this soon in a roster implosion/rebuild. Take into account all of the cap space, the benefit of having a piece like Andy to dangle for more assets and many picks, including our own which will almost certainly be high...

I think we are in a good place.

[Len]

Tristan 14/14 vs the best Front defensive front court rotation in the league? I swear I heard that somewhere. But anyways...

Tristan must read my posts. Every since I posted that he can't set a screen for shit, and listed the exact times during the game which he blew it, he has set good screens.


Tristan if you are reading this, keep doing your thing, set harder screens and be a boss out there. Work on your Jumper in a year or so, keep the good D up, and the energy.