Hawes & Thompson in the Post

[Kingster]

The coaching staff is force feeding Hawes and Thompson in the post. Long term, maybe two years out, it will pay off. But in the meantime, both players (especially Thompson) are not up to it. In order to give them some confidence, they should go to their strengths, which is their mobility and range. Hawes has shown he can hit an outside shot, he can come off a pick and hit a mid range jumper, and pass off the move. So play to the big guy's strength and draw up a couple of play sets along those lines. Thompson has quick feet. Those quick feet aren't very useful when he gets fed in the post and is facing away from the basket. So have him isolate, face his man, and go to the basket. A little imagination is in order to play off their strengths. Otherwise, both players are going to be punch-drunk from running into a brick wall all season long.

 

[hrdboild]

I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one. Force feeding those two in the post is exactly what we should be doing, especially if they're not quite up to the task. It's called development. How do you expect to get better at anything if you don't practice it? Shooting a jump hook over an assistant coach on the practice court is nothing like trying to do it over Tim Duncan. Maybe this is why Reggie is out and Kenny is taking his place. We already know Hawes can shoot the long jumper. That's great, keep that in the bag, but a lot of NBA games are won and lost in the post. We absolutely need someone to be able to score down there, and if that's not Hawes and Thompson than who is it?

You said it yourself, long-term it will pay off. What exactly are we playing for this season if not the long term?

 

[bajaden]

The coaching staff is force feeding Hawes and Thompson in the post. Long term, maybe two years out, it will pay off. But in the meantime, both players (especially Thompson) are not up to it. In order to give them some confidence, they should go to their strengths, which is their mobility and range. Hawes has shown he can hit an outside shot, he can come off a pick and hit a mid range jumper, and pass off the move. So play to the big guy's strength and draw up a couple of play sets along those lines. Thompson has quick feet. Those quick feet aren't very useful when he gets fed in the post and is facing away from the basket. So have him isolate, face his man, and go to the basket. A little imagination is in order to play off their strengths. Otherwise, both players are going to be punch-drunk from running into a brick wall all season long.

Thompson played in the post in college and was pretty effective. However, it doesn't take long for whatever weaknesses you have to be exploited in the NBA. I think he'll be fine. He needs to slow down a little. There's nothing like getting your shot blocked a couple of times to make you rush.

Two things he needs to work on that will really help his game. One is to work hard on his midrange jumper. I think he can be very effective with the elbow jumper, aka Webber. The other is to work on his left hand. Right now he's basicly a right handed player. Even with his spin move from the left side he switches the ball back to his right hand and thats part of why he's getting it blocked. There's no way to put his body between the defender and the ball. Both these things are off season things that could pay big dividends next year.

He also needs to work on his footwork. I would hope he'll return to the summer big man camp. In fairness to JT, he's getting the rookie treatment from the ref's. For as many times I see him getting called for traveling off his spin move, I see just as many other players using the same move and not getting called on it.

By the way, one of my pet peeves is the lack of inforcing the rules pertaining to carrying the ball. If you want to improve defense in the league ( and the league doesn't ) you simply inforce the rule that your hand has to be on top of the ball while dribbling. There's not a point guard in the NBA that doesn't carry the ball. John Salmons carries the ball all the time. I've seen players with their hand almost under the ball. If your not going to enforce that rule, why get pickey about the ball not hitting the floor the same time your pivot foot moves?

 

[Kingster]

I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one. Force feeding those two in the post is exactly what we should be doing, especially if they're not quite up to the task. It's called development. How do you expect to get better at anything if you don't practice it? Shooting a jump hook over an assistant coach on the practice court is nothing like trying to do it over Tim Duncan. Maybe this is why Reggie is out and Kenny is taking his place. We already know Hawes can shoot the long jumper. That's great, keep that in the bag, but a lot of NBA games are won and lost in the post. We absolutely need someone to be able to score down there, and if that's not Hawes and Thompson than who is it?

You said it yourself, long-term it will pay off. What exactly are we playing for this season if not the long term?

It's not all or nothing. I'm just saying to do about 50-50 post vs. non-post. Have you ever tried running into a brick wall? After a while, you're motivation tends to dwindle after the third or fourth time. If they do some non-post stuff, then maybe they can have some renewed vigor in hitting the brick wall again. Speaking of Duncan, it sure would be nice if they worked with both Hawes and Thompson on bank shots for their jump and hook shots.

 

[Kingster]

Thompson played in the post in college and was pretty effective. However, it doesn't take long for whatever weaknesses you have to be exploited in the NBA. I think he'll be fine. He needs to slow down a little. There's nothing like getting your shot blocked a couple of times to make you rush.

Two things he needs to work on that will really help his game. One is to work hard on his midrange jumper. I think he can be very effective with the elbow jumper, aka Webber. The other is to work on his left hand. Right now he's basicly a right handed player. Even with his spin move from the left side he switches the ball back to his right hand and thats part of why he's getting it blocked. There's no way to put his body between the defender and the ball. Both these things are off season things that could pay big dividends next year.

He also needs to work on his footwork. I would hope he'll return to the summer big man camp. In fairness to JT, he's getting the rookie treatment from the ref's. For as many times I see him getting called for traveling off his spin move, I see just as many other players using the same move and not getting called on it.

Totally agree about the left hand. But I think Thompson already has the range for a standing elbow jumper. What he doesn't have is a pull up jumper, or a running hook shot off the board. With his quickness, he could be deadly on those moves. Give him a couple of really good offseasons and I think his game will really come together.

 

[bajaden]

Totally agree about the left hand. But I think Thompson already has the range for a standing elbow jumper. What he doesn't have is a pull up jumper, or a running hook shot off the board. With his quickness, he could be deadly on those moves. Give him a couple of really good offseasons and I think his game will really come together.

I think were in agreement here. My comment about his jumper is to work on his consistantcy. On the job training in the NBA is tough. It shows you what your weakneeses are, but the plus is it shows you where you need to improve and thus what to work on.

 

[Kingster]

I think were in agreement here. My comment about his jumper is to work on his consistantcy. On the job training in the NBA is tough. It shows you what your weakneeses are, but the plus is it shows you where you need to improve and thus what to work on.

One more thing on their development. I've seen them both back directly into their man after getting it into the low post. Instead, they need to clip their man on the left or right side so that the defender doesn't have the leverage to hold them from position. Just another thing for them to work on. Both have good mobility, so it shouldn't be a problem going forward.

 

[bajaden]

One more thing on their development. I've seen them both back directly into their man after getting it into the low post. Instead, they need to clip their man on the left or right side so that the defender doesn't have the leverage to hold them from position. Just another thing for them to work on. Both have good mobility, so it shouldn't be a problem going forward.

You've reminded me of another rule thats not enforced. It reads something like this. " Any movement on the part of the offensive player that dislodges the defensive player from his set position is an offensive foul". Of course Barkley would have fouled out of every game if they had enforced it.

 

[Showtime]

I think it's good they are trying to get these guys on the block, because it lets them know what their role should be on this team, and if they struggle, it should let them know to work even harder. However, this is a two way street because I'm sure it's disheartening for them to see that, and then have Hawes denied the ball when he's posting ON MICHAEL FINELY. Do your jobs guards, and get the ball down low to the difference makers, because shooting jumpers all day won't get it done.

 

[bajaden]

I think it's good they are trying to get these guys on the block, because it lets them know what their role should be on this team, and if they struggle, it should let them know to work even harder. However, this is a two way street because I'm sure it's disheartening for them to see that, and then have Hawes denied the ball when he's posting ON MICHAEL FINELY. Do your jobs guards, and get the ball down low to the difference makers, because shooting jumpers all day won't get it done.

Yeah, I saw that too. Right now the Kings are nothing but a perimeter team. Even when they move the ball, which is seldom, it ends up usually with someone taking a three pt shot. Other than that, its Salmons creating his own shot. Beno driving into traffic and either coughing up the ball or throwing up a wild shot. Brown looking right at Thompson or Hawes posting up and then launching a three. Jackson shooting a three from the corner or driving into the lane and throwing up a wild shot.

I think the guards on the team think that the only way the team can get points in the paint is for them to do it. The big guys are there just to set screens for them and then rebound their misses. Instead of Hawes becoming the focal point of the offense, he's becoming and afterthought.

 

[Jer]

JT just needs to calm the hell down. It seems like every time he makes a move and something doesn't go as planned (a defender runs at him unexpectedly, he catches the ball awkwardly, whatever), he kind of loses control and panics. Relax!

 

[SacTownKid]

I think the team needs to learn to make it easier for them in the post. It seems like they are getting better but so far if Hawes or Thompson get the ball in the post you have somebody like Beno or Salmons drawing another defender because they are trying to cut to the hoop or something. Spacing is huge if you are going to play in the post.

 

[mac]

With them in the post we also need reliable shooters. Just look what the spurs can do with Matt Bonner and Roger Mason and in the past Bruce dirty Bowen. I think Douby could be very useful potentially in that aspect but as we all know he somehow sucks in games. After him I would think Garcia is our next best 3 pt shooter or maybe Greene in the future. I'm assuming Kevin or our post players would be drawing double teams of course.