Article: Tristan Thompson gives stern message to Celtics despite win vs. Hawks

[colincb]

TT hadn't played since March, didn't have a training camp, sat out 2 of the first 10 games because of injury, and averaged an NBA EFFiciency  (the pre-cursor to PER) of 11.3 through the end of January. In 11 games in February, he's averaged an NBA EFF of 14.5. He's rounding into shape and is currently around 90% of where he's been since after his rookie year. It's not surprising that it's taken TT, Kemba, and Nesmith longer to come around, and we're likely to have the same issues with Tatum (who's talented enough to fill up the stat sheet even as he's struggling with COVID after-effects), Smart, and Romeo.

[Roy H.]

TT hadn't played since March, didn't have a training camp, sat out 2 of the first 10 games because of injury, and averaged an NBA EFFiciency  (the pre-cursor to PER) of 11.3 through the end of January. In 11 games in February, he's averaged an NBA EFF of 14.5. He's rounding into shape and is currently around 90% of where he's been since after his rookie year. It's not surprising that it's taken TT, Kemba, and Nesmith longer to come around, and we're likely to have the same issues with Tatum (who's talented enough to fill up the stat sheet even as he's struggling with COVID after-effects), Smart, and Romeo.

Hustle doesn’t require training camp, though.  He was dogging it for awhile.  He looks great now.

[gouki88]

Bunch of garbage coming from a guy that has been downright terrible for much of the season.  Look if Tatum or Brown was saying this, I think it would have a lot more meaning, but a role player that hasn't been performing saying this just comes off poorly to me especially after he finally strung together two good games (albeit against the same opponent).

Cleveland beef??

Or, people are signaling Mo out due to reputation?  His words are too harsh, but maybe just barely so.

Until a few days ago, people around here were criticizing Danny for signing Thompson, calling him a poor pickup.  It’s weird to now see him stepping into the role of the guy preaching hustle, since he’s spent most of the season playing with 2010 Rasheed’s energy (I.e., close to none).  It’s like when Gerald Wallace started to speak up while riding the pine here.

The message is great.  The messenger, to date, looks questionable.

Huh? TT has most certainly improved over his last few games. He's clearly taken a while to adjust, but given he hadn't played serious hoops in 8ish months, had a hamstring injury to begin with and was joining a new team for the first time since he was a teenager, I feel like that's understandable.

[colincb]

TT hadn't played since March, didn't have a training camp, sat out 2 of the first 10 games because of injury, and averaged an NBA EFFiciency  (the pre-cursor to PER) of 11.3 through the end of January. In 11 games in February, he's averaged an NBA EFF of 14.5. He's rounding into shape and is currently around 90% of where he's been since after his rookie year. It's not surprising that it's taken TT, Kemba, and Nesmith longer to come around, and we're likely to have the same issues with Tatum (who's talented enough to fill up the stat sheet even as he's struggling with COVID after-effects), Smart, and Romeo.

Hustle doesn’t require training camp, though.  He was dogging it for awhile.  He looks great now.

I can't read his mind, but I do know he hadn't played for 9 months and was injured to start off the regular season.

[Roy H.]

Bunch of garbage coming from a guy that has been downright terrible for much of the season.  Look if Tatum or Brown was saying this, I think it would have a lot more meaning, but a role player that hasn't been performing saying this just comes off poorly to me especially after he finally strung together two good games (albeit against the same opponent).

Cleveland beef??

Or, people are signaling Mo out due to reputation?  His words are too harsh, but maybe just barely so.

Until a few days ago, people around here were criticizing Danny for signing Thompson, calling him a poor pickup.  It’s weird to now see him stepping into the role of the guy preaching hustle, since he’s spent most of the season playing with 2010 Rasheed’s energy (I.e., close to none).  It’s like when Gerald Wallace started to speak up while riding the pine here.

The message is great.  The messenger, to date, looks questionable.

Huh? TT has most certainly improved over his last few games. He's clearly taken a while to adjust, but given he hadn't played serious hoops in 8ish months, had a hamstring injury to begin with and was joining a new team for the first time since he was a teenager, I feel like that's understandable.

Yes, he has shown improvement recently. To me, that looks like it has come from playing harder.

I think that we have seen the same player. You think it’s understandable, I think there’s been a lot of dogging it there. Either way, it’s weird to see him being the one preaching hustle, since he just hasn’t been doing it until very recently.

[Moranis]

Bunch of garbage coming from a guy that has been downright terrible for much of the season.  Look if Tatum or Brown was saying this, I think it would have a lot more meaning, but a role player that hasn't been performing saying this just comes off poorly to me especially after he finally strung together two good games (albeit against the same opponent).

Cleveland beef??

Or, people are signaling Mo out due to reputation?  His words are too harsh, but maybe just barely so.

Until a few days ago, people around here were criticizing Danny for signing Thompson, calling him a poor pickup.  It’s weird to now see him stepping into the role of the guy preaching hustle, since he’s spent most of the season playing with 2010 Rasheed’s energy (I.e., close to none).  It’s like when Gerald Wallace started to speak up while riding the pine here.

The message is great.  The messenger, to date, looks questionable.

This is it exactly.  Thompson has been awful all season and it is as much effort as anything else.  As I said if Tatum or Brown had said it, it would have been fine, but they and maybe Smart are the only guys that have played with hustle and consistency all season long.  I just can't stand guys that have 2 good games and act like they've had 20 in a row.  It just comes off like bogus puffery.

[footey]

Bunch of garbage coming from a guy that has been downright terrible for much of the season.  Look if Tatum or Brown was saying this, I think it would have a lot more meaning, but a role player that hasn't been performing saying this just comes off poorly to me especially after he finally strung together two good games (albeit against the same opponent).

Cleveland beef??

Or, people are signaling Mo out due to reputation?  His words are too harsh, but maybe just barely so.

Until a few days ago, people around here were criticizing Danny for signing Thompson, calling him a poor pickup.  It’s weird to now see him stepping into the role of the guy preaching hustle, since he’s spent most of the season playing with 2010 Rasheed’s energy (I.e., close to none).  It’s like when Gerald Wallace started to speak up while riding the pine here.

The message is great.  The messenger, to date, looks questionable.

This is it exactly.  Thompson has been awful all season and it is as much effort as anything else.  As I said if Tatum or Brown had said it, it would have been fine, but they and maybe Smart are the only guys that have played with hustle and consistency all season long.  I just can't stand guys that have 2 good games and act like they've had 20 in a row.  It just comes off like bogus puffery.

To be fair, Tatum sometimes has quit in him on transition defense, more often than not while cussing out refs for not calling a foul.  He needs to be better too.  (and he was doing this long before he got COVID).

[Phantom255x]

Bunch of garbage coming from a guy that has been downright terrible for much of the season.  Look if Tatum or Brown was saying this, I think it would have a lot more meaning, but a role player that hasn't been performing saying this just comes off poorly to me especially after he finally strung together two good games (albeit against the same opponent).

Yeah, except if you haven't noticed, Tatum and Brown AREN'T saying this. I think that's kind of the point. Thompson is starting to light a fire and he's backing it up lately.

I'd much rather have him do that than just pout and do nothing.

If you feel that way about Thompson, then you probably feel that way about a bunch of other players who have said a "stern message" to and about their own team.

[nickagneta]

Great message. And it would be entirely justified and received well by all if Thompson admitted that, he was not giving it his all for a good while this season.

When Jaylen brought up player intensity and need to step up defensively, he was the first to admit that it had to start with him, even if he was one of the better, dialed in defensively, players on the team.

It's good someone is saying these things. It would be fine coming from Thompson, if he simply admitted he has been one of the biggest culprits in not bringing it consistently every night.

Doing so might have the message go over better in the locker room, but we don't know that it didn't go over well in the locker room. For all we know, everyone in that locker room looks up to TT and took this in the best way possible, so all the criticism about where the message is coming from could mean exactly squat.

[Ogaju]

Given TT is a champion and has played nearly 80 playoff games despite his early Cavs teams being straight up terrible, I think we should listen.

Are the players going to accept this talk from a player who wasn't part of the Celtics squads that made those playoff runs?

Thompson is a champion who just was on the LeBron ride. He was a very replacable part of that Cavs team.
Very different from a Kevin Garnett.

Good instinct though by Thompson recognizing that the Celtics need a voice that holds the team accountable. Basically creating a role for himself in the locker room not just based on his performances on the court, smart.

Yall act like LeBron won those games all by himself. TT played his role and their team won. He is getting paid about right for what he brings. He can be quiet and collect his check like everyone else. It takes a leader to speak, and speak out. The coach is certainly not doing it, and neither are the highly compensated players on the team. Kudos to TT.

[Ogaju]

Great message. And it would be entirely justified and received well by all if Thompson admitted that, he was not giving it his all for a good while this season.

When Jaylen brought up player intensity and need to step up defensively, he was the first to admit that it had to start with him, even if he was one of the better, dialed in defensively, players on the team.

It's good someone is saying these things. It would be fine coming from Thompson, if he simply admitted he has been one of the biggest culprits in not bringing it consistently every night.

Doing so might have the message go over better in the locker room, but we don't know that it didn't go over well in the locker room. For all we know, everyone in that locker room looks up to TT and took this in the best way possible, so all the criticism about where the message is coming from could mean exactly squat.

I read his comments and it was well done. He used the collective and did not exclude himself. The idea that he should not talk because he has being terrible is nonsense. He called out the starters., last I checked he is a starter. He also exercised great comradery when he referred to the team's accomplishment the last 4 seasons when he was not even a member of those runs. That shows he has really bought into the team. The criticism of his statement is really weird.

[Indocelts]

We have Bown, Tatum, Kemba, and coach Brad, who are more of quite leaders.

Some of the players do quit playing when the Celtics are in a big lead. We see it over and over again, there is no big lead that we are comfortable with. Not with the Cs.

Somebody needs to remind those players, maybe in a  harsher way than what Brad says during his time out. TT has seen it over his long career (including the champioship year with LBJ) that we need to play 100% the entire games, and sadly he does not see it here with the Celtics.

I think Brad should be held accountable also. As the coach, he needs to really push down the message that coasting after big leads is not acceptable. I think he is too nice of a person to berate his players and this is his achilles heel.

[Csfan1984]

Hard to have a killer instinct when guys having career nights get pulled out of blow outs.

BS has thought these guys to take their foots off the gas and not push up the score.

[SparzWizard]

If KG was on this team, you best bet he'd scream at Tatum and Brown, and make Theis and Timelord cry haha.

And shove Stevens in a locker until he gets it together.

[Tr1boy]

Given TT is a champion and has played nearly 80 playoff games despite his early Cavs teams being straight up terrible, I think we should listen.

Are the players going to accept this talk from a player who wasn't part of the Celtics squads that made those playoff runs?

Thompson is a champion who just was on the LeBron ride. He was a very replacable part of that Cavs team.
Very different from a Kevin Garnett.

Good instinct though by Thompson recognizing that the Celtics need a voice that holds the team accountable. Basically creating a role for himself in the locker room not just based on his performances on the court, smart.

True.. but also Tristan wasnt a bystander

Reminder: clip below. Moment Tristan and Lebron yelling at each other (playoff)

Like Tristan said. Hold each other accountable

https://youtu.be/d_ikVCaaLqE