11/20 Hawks at Cavaliers

[PandaKidd]

Thompson is just that Rodman factor, hes ALWAYS in the right spot for a rebound. He absolutely DOES push off, but its completely legal. He uses his lower body and his footwork is REALLY good. You are allowed a little freedom down there, so Id say maybe 5% of the time I see him really push someone in the back or something. But TBH watch ANY low post player they all do it to some degree. Al has to put his ASS on him and make sure hes not anywhere near that ball. They didnt do that.

So, same problem that plagued the hawks last year plague them this year:
Lack or rebounding
Lack of talent

Missing Bazemore and having a banged up Teague dont help either.

[Jamaaliver]

So, same problem that plagued the hawks last year plague them this year:
Lack or rebounding
Lack of talent

Any ideas on how to counter these?

Last year I thought it was strictly personnel. That adding a true Center, a big man willing to dice it up down low, to the rotation would alleviate our long standing rebounding issues. Thus far...we've seen limited improvement.

So maybe it's a strategic flaw?

One thing I'd like to see us adjust things is in offensive rebounding. Less AL on the wing waiting to throw up 3-pointers, more AL (and Paul) in the paint attempting to corral long rebounds. For years BUD has de-emphasized offensive boards in favor of getting back in transition defense. A worthy, logical approach.

But perhaps we leave the guards to that strategy while encouraging Tiago, Millsap and AL to crash the offensive boards. Attempting to tap it out and just pressuring opposing frontcourts that way. We have as much talent and size in our frontcourt as anyone in the East (outside of CHI). Let's play to THAT strength a bit.

The other suggestion to help with toughness, rebounding...consider starting Tiago at Center (when healthy) and increasing his PT slightly. Right now we are undersized at positions 2 - 5. Let's change that.

Tiago (when healthy)
Millsap
Korver
Thabo
Teague

Horford still gets 30 minutes a night backing up the 4 & 5 spots....

Thoughts?

Other suggestions on us becoming the aggressors?
Maybe bring back Tavares for situational matchups?

[jayu70]

Just give Edy some minutes. He can't be much worse than Moose and Scott when it comes to rebounding.
I thought Muscala would take another step this season, so far I'm not seeing it. Still weak and gets pushed around so easily.

More Pnr/PnP with Al and Jeff...more Pnr/PnP with Dennis and Paul.
Our PGs need to up their shooting percentages with team going under screens.

[Rip2137]

Thompson is just that Rodman factor, hes ALWAYS in the right spot for a rebound. He absolutely DOES push off, but its completely legal. He uses his lower body and his footwork is REALLY good. You are allowed a little freedom down there, so Id say maybe 5% of the time I see him really push someone in the back or something. But TBH watch ANY low post player they all do it to some degree. Al has to put his ASS on him and make sure hes not anywhere near that ball. They didnt do that.

So, same problem that plagued the hawks last year plague them this year:
Lack or rebounding
Lack of talent

Missing Bazemore and having a banged up Teague dont help either.

Okay, I hate to harp on this because its not really a big deal and I wish our players actually did it, but what he is doing is not legal, its tricky and not called so he should definitely keep doing it.

You guys might start watching when the shot goes up so you think "He is just always around when the ball is there", that's not what he is doing. When they swing the ball to the guy on the wing, while the pass is still in the air, he shoves his man out of the way. He then uses usual techniques to maintain that position. When a guard gets a step on his man, he shoves his man and by the time the floater goes up, he is in position.

The only way you can do this is to accept you are not going to be involved offensively(which he has) because it takes you completely out of the play...something Rodman always did. But there is working early and there is what Thompson is doing. This isn't opinion. when I typed that I was rewatching the game and ONLY watched him when he was on the court to try and figure out how he gets position, and its just that. Before the shot even goes up, sometimes before it even looks like the shot is going to go up, he shoves the hell out of people and takes their defensive rebounding position.

Other offensively challenged bigs should watch this and study. If you can't offer anything on the offensive end anyway, you might as well be getting rebounds.