The only way you trade Scola is if you're getting an equally or better skilled low post player in return, and preferrably a younger one(Gasoft no thanks). Of course you'd have to package someone else with him to get that. You guys don't realize how bad the offense would be if we don't have a low post threat to help open up our jump shooters, and that's partly because Scola has not missed a game in who knows how long. Nobody on this team aside from Martin (when he's confident) and Scola can command a double team. You can't just slot Pat in his place and expect the same quality shots. If Pat is not hitting his jumper they're going to double off him and whichever center is in there and make life really hard for our wings. I like that Pat has improved in the post, but it's still bad in comparison to Scola. His defense is what it is. He's effective bullying the bigger & shorter players like Blake & Boozer out of the paint, but he struggles against taller quicker bigs. It's always been that way, so I don't get why people are still surprised about it. If there's one knock on Scola this year it's his higher turnover rate when he gets double or triple teamed, he's gotta be looking for cutters or shooters when he does his tango. Even if Montiejunas is coming over, I'd still keep Scola around for another year just in case he doesn't work out, and to at least teach him work ethic and post moves for a season.
Wait. J. Howard was amazing. And C. Weatherspoon....that chubby dude who I can't remember...J. amechi or whatever that brittish dudes name was....who needs an over rated and over paid scola. / sarcasm.
I don't think he's had a lackluster year. His shooting percentage is about where it's always been. His rebounding is down a little, but we have other players like Dalembert, Lowry, and Parsons that have taken a few rebounds away from Scola, so I don't see his rebounding as really being much different. Scola is getting older, but I see him holding up well through the end of his current contract. Scola has never relied on athleticism, so there isn't much to lose in that regard. Scola is the type of player that could easily have several more productive years left and he's only on the books for three more years. I wouldn't have a problem trading Scola if we have someone to take his place or we can get a high draft pick, but right now I think he plays a very important role on our team.
Well, I thought I should come in here and eat crow. I was baggin' on Scola (hard) for a while during the beginning of the season, but he's shown that he was just recovering from that knee injury. I don't think we'll ever see 19 & 9 Luis again, but as long as he doesn't fall off a cliff, and his defense continues to improve next to a couple real shot blockers, he'll be doing fine. His contract isn't as horrid as was being made out, but I still don't think he's underpaid by any margin, and the structure of his contract (paycheck going up as he gets to his mid 30's) isn't that nice and he shouldn't be out of trade talks.
I totally agree, that Deckard post should be a STICKY, a must read for every fan. For instance, some guys still claim 2Pat is a better defender, even on this very same page, even after seen Boozer revamped when he had 2Pat on him instead of Scola. He's also nailing it when he says how better esteem he gets from experts (seasoned coaches, basketball analysts and so on) than from the Houston Rockets fans. When Scola is forced to play C, he really sucks at D, I agree with that. But when he has a capable REAL C (not a 6'6" one or one who doesn't have a clue how to play D despite having the height), he is far from being a defensive liability. during Yao times, I´ve seen him several games playing pretty efficient D against PF like Dirk or Amare in their primetime.
You went to some trouble to write that, so I thought it deserved a response. Here's a few points back at you: First, "What post game?" Are you kidding me? You could have written that his post game struggled earlier in the season, and I would have agreed, but I think that was more due to the coaching change, losing Chuck, and the compressed schedule than from a fall off in Luis' game. Second, "The fact of the matter is that what little athleticism he did possess is now declining like a sinking ship, and no amount of trickery will be able to shake the more agile defenders." Scola has always had a problem dealing with tall, athletic defenders, which fits Noah to a T. That's nothing new. Luis would admit to it himself, IMO. It's not a reflection on his age. It is what it is. Yet Scola still manages to be effective. While Patterson was struggling containing Boozer (and failing), Noah was doing a good job on Luis, yet in the second half (against Noah and Asik), Luis had 7 boards, 10 points, 3 blocked shots in the 4th... one on Deng, and 2 on Noah (yes, Luis blocked two of his shots in the 4th), 4 assists, including one to Lee late in the 4th, the first of Bud's 3 treys in the 4th, and a terrific lob to Bud late in the 3rd... here's the link to the video. Anyone have the embed? http://www.nba.com/video/games/bulls/2012/04/02/0021100786_hou_chi_play6.nba Where was I. Oh, yeah, you were saying something about how ineffective Scola is. You compared him to Hakeem in '97-'98, which made me laugh out loud. Why? In the first place, making the comparison. That wasn't the best choice. It's Hakeem. Luis and Hakeem really exist on two different planets as players, yes, even that year. Olajuwon missed half the season with injury, but when he played, he beat Scola in pretty much every category. He was also 35 years old. Scola is 31. He won't turn 32 for another month. He is not "declining fast." You took one play against Chris Paul where Luis didn't win a jump ball and used it to prove your point. How fair is that? Do you have video of the play? What can one possibly take from one play and use to define a player's season and his career from this season forward? I simply don't get it. As for Patterson, I like the guy. I think he has a bright future. He may even become a fixture for the Rockets as the starting 4 at some point. If we were tanking, I'd say Morey should have dealt Scola at the deadline (he tried, but for another starter, not to give the job to Patterson) and started Patterson the rest of the way. We would have lost more games, possibly a lot more games, IMO, which would have helped us get a higher lottery pick. That ain't what Morey is doing. It isn't what Alexander wants. Tanking this season may have been the best play, long term. There's an argument to be made there. Alexander isn't interested, even if Morey might have been. There's also a lot to be said for Bima's argument that winning and making it to the playoffs attracts free agents, and gives valuable experience to the younger players on a young team. As I said, I think Patterson has a bright future, but he isn't better than Scola. No yet. I could go on, but will stop with saying that I simply don't buy your argument, with all due respect.
I love watching Scola... Spoiler Make all you short-sighted haters eat ****! Spoiler PS: Deckard, that's our guy!
I gotta spread some rep around unfortunately, but Deckard really laid out the common sense view of Scola here. 31 isn't the new 40, folks. It's been a rough season.
I am fine with Scola playing a lot in the first and third quarter and a little in the second. Just not in crunch time in the fourth quarter. PLEASE NO. HTML: GP MIN FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% O D REB AST TO STL BLK PTS +/- Totals 54 1689 367 733 50% 0 2 0% 123 162 76% 99 255 354 110 132 23 19 857 63 Per 36 Min 54 1689 7.8 15.6 50% 0.0 0.0 0% 2.6 3.5 76% 2.1 5.4 7.5 2.3 2.8 0.5 0.4 18.3 1.3 Clutch 29 110 4.3 11.1 38% 0.0 0.3 0% 3.6 4.3 85% 1.6 3.9 5.6 1.3 2.3 1.0 0.3 12.1 4.9 HTML: OffRtg DefRtg NetRtg OREB% DREB% REB% AST% ASTRatio TORatio eFG% TS% Usg% Totals 102.8 100.3 2.5 7.1% 17.4% 12.4% 11.5% 10.5 12.62 50.1% 53.3% 25.4% Clutch 101.9 103.6 -1.7 5.3% 13.0% 9.1% 6.8% 7.9 13.80 38.2% 46.6% 19.6% He doesn't play defense anyways as we all know. In addition to that, his scoring drops drastically. efg% 50.1% to 38.2%!!!! and his ts% 53.3% to 46.6%. All he really does in clutch time is jack up mid range jumpers and this season so far, he is 0 for 10 in crunch time on mid range jumpers. He only makes about 50 percent of his shots AT THE RIM in clutch time. His fg% is 38% in clutch time as well. He is great in the first and third quarters but in the fourth quarter, play patterson, please. He just doesn't play well in the fourth.
He was un-scola-like on defense last game. He got so many blocks. Scola doesn't get blocks! I was so amazed. If he can play even average defense and get some rebounds CONSISTENTLY, I wouldn't mind playing him more in the fourth but because he is such a liability (on rebounding especially) and can't score as well in the fourth, for now I think he should sit out in the last 5 minutes of games.
Prior to this season he was one of the only two or three players in the NBA whose FG% increased in the 2nd half or 4th quarter.
He just seems to lose all rhythm in the last 5 minutes of games. He can't hit any of his wide open mid range jumpers. Last year, you could rely on him to hit those shots when it mattered most. This year, it just hasn't happened sadly.
Over the last 24 games Scola has averaged 19 and 8 per 36 on 53% shooting. Pat in the same stretch is 13 and 7 on 41% shooting. If Patterson did what Scola does people wouldn't shut up about it. The only thing pat does better is position defense, Scola is a better post option, better finisher, equal shooter, and better rebounder. Neither player defends the paint.
Scola is indeed having a nice run, but I only see him getting worse the longer we hold onto him. We definitely need to find a trade partner this offseason.
31 might as well be 40 when you can only jump 6 inches off the ground when you're 27. I do not believe Scola can dunk anymore; my friend keeps telling me he saw it like Bigfoot but I tell him that he must be having flashbacks to two years ago. At the latest, last year.
Pat is also a better help defender and shot blocker just because he's more athletic, quicker and jumps higher than 2 inches. But you are right about the rest.
I noticed this too. Scola and Martin, two player clutchfans hate, are going to be important if we make it to the playoffs. You will need scorers and FT shooting.
