Tiny's size, or lack thereof

[McG78]

I posted in the ESPN power rankings thread about how unbelievable Tiny's body transformation has been. Not only has he lost weight (a' la Pittman) but he has also gain muscle, looks slim and athletic, and filled out. Saying he has lost weight isn't enough. He has truly transformed his body.

This brings me to another point. A lot has been made about our rebounding in the exhibition game (only a +1 advantage). People need to realize that Tiny is learning how to rebound as we speak. Previously, Tiny used his size to screen out smaller defenders. He didn't need to know how to time his jump or move side to side to continue the block out. He just turned and realized the other guy wasn't strong enough to push him under the basket or athletic enough to rebound outside of Tiny's wingspan. Tiny now has to learn how to time his jump and keep someone on his hip.

The only reason I bring this up is that it is just another area that will continually improve over the season. I think we start high and finish higher.

 

[aaronterry]

He's done an impressive job of transforming his body - but he still does not look overly athletic now. He can certainly improve his rebounding, but learning to rebound is not an easy skill to pick up. Especially not on the level we will need with our limited post presence. We'll certainly have a major drop-off on the boards this season.

There were times last week when we seemed to get some boards on good bounces. There were times when we weren't athletic enough down low to get the board.

Hard work and improvement will be keys to this season and should set the expectations for a great year next year. I like these players, but let's not put too much on their shoulders.

 

[w0lfe]

I agree, i think rebounding will be a major issue this year. Especially when we go against guys like Cole Aldrich