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SkywalkerAC · 03-28-2008, 04:32 PM

I think something that gets lost in all the drama is how improved TJ is both shooting the ball and finishing with the layup/runner.

Do you remember how difficult Ford used to make shots for himself? Hanging in the air, double pumping, reversing and didn't quite have the touch to finish amongst the trees.

It seems that TJ has spent a lot of time with Lucas working on his finger-roll as well as his jumper. He still bites off more than he can chew sometimes, as he attacks the defense with such speed but I have more confidence that TJ will actually finish his layups and his shots. Some of this may be a result of him taking less risks with his body.

What do you think? Do the numbers say different?

AllEyezonTX · 03-28-2008, 05:03 PM

I'm with you...Lucas doesn't give them any breaks from what I hear. The running alone will kill the average man

southeasy · 03-28-2008, 06:44 PM

i've been saying since tj got back he is really following through & getting more legs into his shot, instead of his old flick type shot.

and around the rim, he's taking alot of the power out of his drive & going for the soft touch layups, getting the bounce to go his way

SkywalkerAC · 03-30-2008, 04:51 AM

good points on both. his 3 pointer really seems to have straightened out (it was off-kilter in the past) and he's really setting his legs into each shot - the way that AP does.

and with his layups he's using his speed to get to the spot, then jerk into a slower pace to float the ball up with ease. we've some good runners too, which is an incredibly difficult shot to defend.

TJ seems much more intent on kicking it out if he gets hung up in the air these days.

I guess these have been emerging aspects of his game all season but it's nice to see all his hard work yield observable results.

Again, I don't know what his percentages say. He's still forcing some tough shots in the gut of the defense and he's still leaping high into the air but there does seem to be more control to his moves.

billfindlay10 · 03-30-2008, 05:59 AM

I think that Ford is starting to get back in game shape after his struggles with injuries. This is helping out his shot as well.

**bigbabyjesus** · 03-30-2008, 06:27 PM

his midrange j is money

but in terms of finishing at or around the basket, he's pretty awful

SkywalkerAC · 03-30-2008, 06:29 PM

he's still no Tony Parker, that's for sure.

**ballocks** · 03-31-2008, 08:40 AM

tj is still short and slender so he needs to get high if he wants to finish at the rim- he can do that because he has athleticism second to none, but he needs a lot of room and a running start to do it too. that makes it difficult for him. as a result, you won't see him finish amongst the trees very often. there's just not a lot of room for tj to get his legs under himself. if there is room, he's gold; if there's not, he's out of control and wild and subjects himself to injury because he's so small and weak. there's nothing he can do about that.

i guess it comes down to the team we're playing. that's always true but especially true in this case imo. if they've got a lot of juice and muscle inside, he'll find it very tough. if they don't have any juice (say, when he's playing the raptors

) he'll dominate.

i think a major symptom of what's wrong with this team can be seen by their inability to finish. tj's the exception because he's willing- he just can't. the rest of them (andrea, moon, rasho, hump, even calderon and bosh these days) can, they just won't. the approach is completely different and i don't mind if that's part of the reason tj ford is so frustrated ("man, if i had your body i'd be going up like there's no tomorrow!"). this team is absolutely terrified of going up strong and initiating contact in the lane. i can't explain it.

thankfully i feel parker has improved in this area- somewhat. but he won't do it in the clutch because he still appears scared to perform in the clutch at all. the rest of the team has not improved, though. i don't know what they think might happen to them if they go inside but there is a strange reluctance to do so that will not die. it's not the problem itself, it's just a sign of the problem. why are they so scared? hopefully it can be addressed asap.

peace

SkywalkerAC · 04-13-2008, 02:47 AM

was fantastic to see him challenge VC for the andone.

what is TJ shooting from the field since starting again?

AllEyezonTX · 04-13-2008, 10:21 AM

idk, but he just missed a gimmie in the Piston game - ugh

SkywalkerAC · 04-13-2008, 11:18 AM

man i wish he had thrown down that alley oop in the last game. and that his game winner against ATL had counted.

AllEyezonTX · 04-13-2008, 11:26 AM

I missed the Alley att. - No thread for the game today?

SkywalkerAC · 04-14-2008, 07:31 PM

TJ shooting 50% as a starter this year.

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