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Jason Thompson, Foul Machine

(From the FanPosts. - TZ)

Much has been made of Jason Thompson's foul troubles. Last season, he finished with 314 personal fouls in 82 games, and the second-place fouler was not even close. Paul Millsap of Utah tallied 288 fouls.

Big men are much more likely to foul than smaller players, given the intensity of the game near the basket. This is nothing new. But being among the leaders in fouls committed does not necessarily reflect poorly on a player. Some previous season leaders in total fouls include Shawn Kemp, Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, and Hakeem Olajuwon. Of course, leading the league in fouls doesn't instantly make you a superstar. Just ask Shawn Bradley, Danny Fortson, Jason Collins, Ervin Johnson, and Mikki Moore.

If you look at the league leaders in total fouls committed so far in 2009-10, JT's got the eighth highest total (Greg Oden leads the pack). In personal fouls per game, JT is second. So, who cares if JT has a bunch of fouls?

Star-divide

Furthermore, are fouls necessarily bad? It entirely depends on the foul. Some fouls come during the recovery from a blown defensive assignment, while others are the product of hard-nosed defense. Some result in free points via free throws, while others limit the scoring from two sure points to zero points or one point.

With fouls, the biggest issue is lost playing time. With a 21.6 PER so far this season, Thompson is proving to be a valuable asset that needs to be on the court. Last year, JT averaged 6.5 fouls per 48 minutes, and was only able to play 28.1 minutes a game, which--being plenty of playing time for a rookie--was surely lower than it would have been had he been able to curb the fouls a bit. That foul rate was actually 18th-worst in the league--bad, but not as horrible or "telling" as leading the league in fouls seemingly was. As a side note, Andres Nocioni finished 21st in 2008-2009 with 6.3 fouls per 48 minutes.

This year, he's dropped his fouls to 5.7 per 48 minutes, which is a much more respectable 65th. He's up to 34.4 minutes per game, which is probably close to what it will be for most of the year, provided he can keep his fouls down like he has. In comparison, Jon Brockman gets 10.4 fouls per 48 minutes, which, if we set the qualifying bar at 7 games played, would place him 4th-worst in the league, behind Hasheem Thabeet (14.9!), JaVale McGee (11.8), and Rasho Nesterovic (10.6).

In Ziller's recent front-page post, we read:

There has been one other stand-out improvement, but credit for this one likely goes to Paul Westphal: Thompson is playing more minutes this season. Last year, J.T. averaged 28 minutes per game. Even after the All-Star Break, when Brad Miller, Shelden Williams and Mikki Moore were exiled, Thompson still averaged less than 32 minutes a game. Thompson's foul rate hasn't lowered significantly (4.9 per 36 to 4.3), but Westphal has decided to keep him on the court for longer stretches. That's helped the per-game numbers reach (to date) All-Star level.

I submit that a drop from 4.9 fouls to 4.3 per 36 minutes is a significant improvement, provided it holds for the whole season. At 34 minutes per game, JT's averaging a half of a foul less per game this season. That greatly increases the odds that he'll be on the court.

Ironically, Thompson's foul total may increase this season, in spite of a decrease in his foul rate. If JT averages 34 minutes per game with 5.7 fouls per 48 minutes for all of 2009-10, he will finish with about 331 fouls. That total could very well lead the league again, though a healthy Greg Oden might challenge him.

JT is apparently learning ways to limit his fouls, but he probably won't be averaging fewer than 4 fouls per game anytime soon. As long as JT is able to avoid the cheap ones, it's okay if he's up with the league leaders in total fouls. Just make them count, and keep playing 34+ minutes per game.

(This is a FanPost from a member of the Sactown Royalty community. The views expressed come from the member, and not Sactown Royalty staff.)

7 recs  |  Comment 23 comments

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Comments

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Very Nicely Done

I’m really looking forward to seeing what he can do this year. I wonder if the distributions of JT’s fouls per game are telling of his maturing on the court. Last year I remember a lot of fouls that came in spurts at odd and inopportune times that really stuck out. This year he seems to be fouling at points that seem more normal. After about 20 games I think it would be interesting to break down the time and situation for an average JT foul this year vs each quarter of the season last year. If my memory serves me right, last season his fouls tended to clump, this year they feel more evenly distributed. I might just be a rambling fool here though, but I feel this could lead to some interesting graphical analysis.

by propane on Nov 16, 2009 11:31 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

are Shock's Offensive Fouls down? That would lower his overall foul number and also help explain his lowered turnover number

I have a criticism of your post: I don’t know if you realize it but you said Greg Oden and Healthy in the same sentence.

by betweentheeyes on Nov 17, 2009 12:06 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Shock's offensive fouls are slightly higher per game than they were last year

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

Oh, hes in the laegue two and Jayson Thomson and that Boggins dude on Milwokee, and Occur for the Jizz. Its a talented laegue.--Kfan in Korea

by pookeyguru on Nov 17, 2009 12:27 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

They're pretty much at the same rate as last year.

If he had one fewer offensive foul this year, he would be at a lower offensive foul rate—but as it stands it’s just slightly higher. In other words, too soon to really tell. He’s really just fouling about the same per game, but they’re farther in between.

m*****f***ing c***s***ing peanut butter and jelly!! f*** f*** f***!!!

by JediLeroy on Nov 17, 2009 1:21 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

The important number isn't average fouls per game, but DQ's per game.

I don’t care if he averages 5.9 fpg as long as he doesn’t foul out at a high rate. And, as long as PW let’s him play thru it.

"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom

by HighTops on Nov 17, 2009 12:48 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Exactly. There was one point last year where he had three DQs in a row.

He didn’t foul out until the 33rd game of the season, and then he fouled out 10 times from that point on.

m*****f***ing c***s***ing peanut butter and jelly!! f*** f*** f***!!!

by JediLeroy on Nov 17, 2009 1:25 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

At the same time, his playing time did jump just before then.

m*****f***ing c***s***ing peanut butter and jelly!! f*** f*** f***!!!

by JediLeroy on Nov 17, 2009 1:26 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

If you were Shock you'd try to foul out too Leroy.

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

Oh, hes in the laegue two and Jayson Thomson and that Boggins dude on Milwokee, and Occur for the Jizz. Its a talented laegue.--Kfan in Korea

by pookeyguru on Nov 17, 2009 1:27 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Yep. Very true.

33 Wins. Yeah, I said it.

by JETisKing on Nov 17, 2009 6:54 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

JT just needs to make smart fouls!

The longer he’s on the floor the better our chances are of winning!

Natural Go Getta!

by slamson on Nov 17, 2009 2:19 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Use those fouls young man! Protect the bucket!

Just do it wisely.
Seriously, as I said in another thread, it seems clear to me that JT IS for the most part using his fouls better. Many many fewer touch fouls and more protecting the paint and protecting the bucket.
Its clear to me his whole game has gotten better both offensively and defensively.

So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Nov 17, 2009 10:00 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

And congratulations on making the front page Jedi

Very good post
Rec’d

So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Nov 17, 2009 10:03 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Good stuff Leroy.

Father of the "Natt this!" movement and Grandmaster of the "Never let AnotherStupidSN forget what a Sham-Wow is" Order.

by Aykis16 on Nov 17, 2009 11:30 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Time to lower the 'good' fouls as well

JT is stopping the stupid fouls. That is good considering he is getting more playing time, but I am worried about the so called ‘good’ fouls that are given.

Better D by our guards is needed. Evans is doing it, but Beno is something of a problem… I think it can be agreed that Beno has a problem staying in front of his guy often enough to keep him out of the paint and that all too often ends up as a ‘good’ foul by the our bigs.

Better outside D is needed so there are fewer fouls for JT who will then be able stay in the game longer. Otherwise…

by MustangMBS on Nov 17, 2009 1:38 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Leroy!

Good work.

Is my banana fluffy enough?

by 27freethrows on Nov 18, 2009 7:44 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

At around 49:55 of this clip, Donté Greene reads the beginning of this post to JT over skype. Nice!

by wabut on Nov 19, 2009 5:49 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Right on. Yo Buckéts, Shock, let's run that oop play some more!

And don’t worry about the fouls, JT, you just keep working, and maybe the refs will show you some respect.

Another flaw in the human character is that everybody wants to build and nobody wants to do maintenance. Vonnegut

by Ice_9ine on Nov 19, 2009 6:47 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

also, Donté, that dancing is shameful. I know it was like 4am, so thats alright

just dont let it happen again. Also, JT should never rap. Ever. Tyreke on the other hand, needs to rap his interviews, because nobody knows what he says otherwise.

Another flaw in the human character is that everybody wants to build and nobody wants to do maintenance. Vonnegut

by Ice_9ine on Nov 19, 2009 6:51 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Woot!

I admit I got a real kick out of watching Donté read my fanpost to JT.

But c’mon, JT! This was a positive fanpost! It talks about how you’re getting better!

m*****f***ing c***s***ing peanut butter and jelly!! f*** f*** f***!!!

by JediLeroy on Nov 20, 2009 3:47 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

The title sounded more neagtive than the post was

So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Nov 20, 2009 1:19 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Yep, that was intentionally misleading

m*****f***ing c***s***ing peanut butter and jelly!! f*** f*** f***!!!

by JediLeroy on Nov 20, 2009 2:55 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Yes - very provocative of you :)

So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Nov 23, 2009 11:12 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

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