Cousins: Converting at the Rim
- Thread starter Kingster
- Start date
macadocious
Starter
He needs to go to big man camp this off season. He plays below the rim. He shoots from his hip, even on layups, making it really easy to black his shot and alter it. He alters this part of his game and he easily adds 5-6ppg next year. He also (along with almost all of our players) needs to know when to shoot from 6-12 feet out, instead of barreling into 2-3 down low defenders.
Kingsfan98
Prospect
He has really bad balance when he makes moves under the basket. He ends up throwing up these scoop shots while falling down. He makes it really easy for his defender to block or contest his shots.
Section 101
All-Star
Lose a few more pounds and start dunking more.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
He just needs to refine his post game. In all honesty, there are times when there's nothing there to be had, and he just forces it up anyway. He needs to kick the ball out for a reset in those instances. He has great hands, and many of his forced shots come after grabbing a difficult rebound in a crowd. In the few instances where Cousins has gotten the ball within five feet of the basket, he scores almost every time. Unfortunately most of the time he gets the ball in the 10 to 12 foot range from the basket, which without a refined post game, makes it a lot more difficult to score.
To his credit, I've started to see a few more counter moves in the post of late. So someone must be teaching him something. Perhaps Alex English! He has a history of working with big men.
To his credit, I've started to see a few more counter moves in the post of late. So someone must be teaching him something. Perhaps Alex English! He has a history of working with big men.
CruzDude
Senior Member sharing a brew with bajaden
Absolutely, positively, Big MansCamp for Cuz can be the ticket to the next level and go long way to correct his issues we all seem to be aware of. He is young AND stubborn and is learning, albeit slowly. But he is showing some progress. I think Big Mans Camp is held in bay area too so easy for him to get there.
macadocious
Starter
I don't think he is stubborn at all. I think this kid got a bad rap for being a fiery personality and not being very mature at 18!
I think the one thing he has shown it that he is EXTREMELY coach-able. Does he make bad decisions and regress at times? Yes, most players do. But for the most part, when there is a glaring weakness in his game he is working on it.
The two main things he needs to stop are
1.) Reaching in for the ball. He has less than a 5% chance of a steal and about an 85% chance of a foul.
2.) What was said above IRT working around the rim.
I think the one thing he has shown it that he is EXTREMELY coach-able. Does he make bad decisions and regress at times? Yes, most players do. But for the most part, when there is a glaring weakness in his game he is working on it.
The two main things he needs to stop are
1.) Reaching in for the ball. He has less than a 5% chance of a steal and about an 85% chance of a foul.
2.) What was said above IRT working around the rim.
iowamcnabb
Hall of Famer
This. As they say, " get that weak sheet outa here". The kid is way too strong for finesse finishes
iowamcnabb
Hall of Famer
I'm all about crafty bigs and cuz can certainly be one but he also has the size and strength to simply overpower his opponent. Don't let that edge go to waste.
OnYouLikeGlue
Bench
Definitely. He just doesn't seem to be very patient when he's close to the basket. Most of his shots seem rushed. He very rarely mixes in pump fakes to try and get defenders off balance before going up strong. That patience should come with experience.
True enough. The biggest issue young post players have is a lack of patience and the ability to take what the defense gives you. So you get this array of quick and sometimes out of control post moves rather than deliberate and decisive ones. In the post Bob Lanier had basically a hook shot and a turnaround jumper and he'd take whichever the defense gave him until they'd force him to the other and then he'd kill them with that one.
Cousins will figure it out. If anything it's amazing that his post skills are as advanced as they are at this point in his development.
Entity
Hall of Famer
His High School coach Otis Hughley worked at the big mans camp for 10 years and also kings hired him last year as well. so Cousins has had 5 years with a coach from the big mans camp.
lwc
Starter
^Agreed.
lwc
Starter
^Again, well said. Cousins was a talented black-hole at UK as well, but not as much as he is here. If I was a coach, I would want him to be a black hole quite often, but not always.
lwc
Starter
^I agree. This can be a super easy fix or a life-long hassle. I would say most of his reach-ins are from frustration. I notice it a lot after he gets blocked or misses or does NOT draw a charge, etc...
mr. moustache
Bench
His percentage near the basket would gain another 10 points if he had the patience to either kick it back out when there's nothing there, or take a *tiny* bit of extra time before putting his shot up.
Each game he's probably missing 2-4 tip-ins. They hurt his FG percentage and boost his ORB percentage. That said, they don't really hurt the team too much.
Each game he's probably missing 2-4 tip-ins. They hurt his FG percentage and boost his ORB percentage. That said, they don't really hurt the team too much.
Glenn
Hall of Famer
Cousins will never be a high flier and I would rather him hit the weight room and create a little more muscle where the baby fat now is. He uses his brute strength to carve out a position to get a rebound and seldom if ever can be moved from that position. I saw a picture of that in a camera shot above the rim against OKC where Cuz was battling 4 white jerseys. They couldn't budge him. If he actually lost weight, he would be able to be pushed around. I am very happy at his progress given it's been just a little over a year in the NBA.
As to the specifric topic of playing under or over the rim, I'm not sure he has much choice as he has very little hops. As has been mentioned a few times, he needs patience once he grabs a rebound and if he has patience, he'll do much better. There is nothing unusual about a guy his age having a problem with patience. This guy is a bull and needs to maximize what that strength can get him.
I understand the idea that a dunk is a higher percentage shot than what he uses but I don't think he can do much about that.
As to the specifric topic of playing under or over the rim, I'm not sure he has much choice as he has very little hops. As has been mentioned a few times, he needs patience once he grabs a rebound and if he has patience, he'll do much better. There is nothing unusual about a guy his age having a problem with patience. This guy is a bull and needs to maximize what that strength can get him.
I understand the idea that a dunk is a higher percentage shot than what he uses but I don't think he can do much about that.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
Bingo! Your dead on. He's a quick learner, and mostly self taught as far as the post goes. I don't know how many of you saw him play in highschool, but he didn't have much of a post game at all, other than just overpowering his opponet. He's come a long way in a short period of time. I shudder to think how good he could be in a couple of years.
Tetsujin
The Game Thread Dude
Putting it that way, it sounds like Demarcus is Mikki Moore.
jcwkings
All-Star
I'm telling you this guy can be the second coming of Tim Duncan, just needs to get some go to post moves, his mid range shot will continue to improve, once he gets some post moves and learns to read double teams and pass out to shooters he will be a superstar, I'm talking top 10 in the world type, he can pe a very good post defender and he already has great instincts for taking charges, I think as we get more efficient and the need for offensives boards is lessened, we should really think of finding a stretch 4 like Frye and Anderson, then find a sharpshooting sf with good defended, refine our bench and this could be a contender.
Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
He'll never be remotely as good as Duncan as a defender.
But frankly Duncan was always overrated as an offensive player. Cousins is legitimately more talented of that end of the floor.
jcwkings
All-Star
i think your forgetting how good Duncan was in the post, also Cousins has the quickness, strength and instincts to be a really good defender. im not saying he will be identical, but Duncan is the only below the rim big that was truly dominant(4 rings dont forget). also your overlooking how young Cousins is (21 years old!!!). Defense is really the last thing that comes when it comes to players developing, defense is as much a experience factor as it is just ability and drive. Even a guy like Lebron didn't really develop into a great defender until 1 maybe 2 seasons ago.
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Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Duncan was never as good in the post as people made him out to be. Mostly simple stuff really. No signature shot. No amaing footwork or suitcase full of moves like McHale or Hakeem. Duncan was a great player, but his legend rather exceeds his actual abilities sometimes. What made him unique was that he was a center called a PF and brought all those defensive center traits that an Ewing or a Mourning or whoever did. So big on the boards, likely best defensive PF ever. But offensively he was never the best in the league. About a 22-23pt scorer on about 50% shooting. Excellent numbers, but approachable. Al Jefferson before the injuries was in that region and probably had more moves. And neither of those guys has Cousins' ballhandling, passing, or potential perimeter skills.
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