The OP is saying that Scola flops too much and needs to play fundamental defense. He's not saying that Scola is bad.
Didn't we go over this with the Scola vs. Landry 3 debate 3 years ago? And everybody made the case that Scola was a better rebounder because he got the "gimmie" rebounds early in the game. LOL!' Honestly, would the Rockets be any better off with having Landry over Scola?
Yeah but the whole thread seems like a massive bashing to Scola (in this very same page, the comparison with Landry is again re-emerging and surely the ones claiming that 2pat is a better option), instead of criticizing him for a specific aspect of his game. As the forum poster Deckard explained before, Scola is far more appreciated by coaches and basketball experts, than by Rockets fans. One bad game and they seem ready to critice him heavily, forgetting his importance in key games won. With all his defects, I sure that Scola will be the Rockets' MVP of the next playoffs (and it wouldn't by a coincidence, the last time Rockets won a playoff series and made the Lakers go into the 7th game, Scola was the top scorer and best PER of the team, taking those entire playoffs).
Luis' offense is almost necessary for us to win games. But last night, it was a perfect storm. His shot wasn't falling, he was guarding an impossibly athletic big, and he had a severe case of butterfingers on the boards. No doubt his worst game of the season. He is what he is. He has limitations. But I expect him to bounce back just fine.
Phoenix should be a good opponent for Luis to bounce back on before facing a major set of back to back games against Denver. These next three games will be key. If thats the game for Luis to struggle in then so be it. Luis will be the key to their success in the next three games, and potentially the playoffs.
I didn't see the game (I live in DC), but was worried Milsap would have another one of his big nights against Scola. Looked at the boxscore, and to my surprise it was Hayward that had the big night. Who the hell was guarding Gordon Hayward? I can't believe it was Parsons.
The Scola haters are amazing. If Scola was so bad defensively, how did the 07-08, and 08-09 rockets finish with the 2nd and 4th defensive ratings with him playing big minutes. When he has a shot blocker he is a more than adequate defensive player. But McHale stupidly plays him with Patterson, who doesn't really do anything well right now. In his 3 playoff series, against Boozer, Aldridge, and Gasol, all good power forwards. He averaged 14 and 9. As for his oft criticized rebounding, he's not a great rebounder, but he's hardly a terrible rebounder. Before this season he averaged 9.6 reb per 36 mins, compared to other starting PF's Kevin Love 13.7 Kenneth Faried 12.3 DeJuan Blair 11.4 Blake Griffin 11.2 Carlos Boozer 11.1 Kris Humphries 11.0 David Lee 10.9 Kevin Garnett 10.5 Zach Randolph 10.4 Serge Ibaka 10.3 Drew Gooden 10.1 Jason Thompson 9.6 Luis Scola 9.6 Ersan Illysova 9.5 Bismarch Biyombo 9.4 Paul Milsap 9.4 Elton Brand 9.3 Amare Stoudamire 9.2 Pau Gasol 9.2 Chris Bosh 8.9 Ryan Anderson 8.6 Andray Blatche 8.6 Josh Smith 8.4 Jason Maxiell 8.2 Dirk Nowitzki 8.2 David West 8.1 Antawn Jamison 7.8 LaMarcus Aldridge 7.8 Channing Frye 7.8 Jason Smith 7.5 Andrea Bargnani 5.8 His rebounding is down this year, but he has been recovering from surgery, over his last 32 games he's averaging 8.4 per 36. Ppat and Landry are terrible rebounders, and people have always seemed to ignore that. He is a good PF, not great though, and he's paid like a good not great PF. It certainly is a position we can upgrade. But Scola is far from amnesty garbage like some of you haters seem to think.
I think your hitting at most people's criticism is: Scola has to play well for the Rockets to beat good teams, typically teams who will be in the playoffs. The problem though, is that basically makes Scola your de facto "Most Important Player" or star player, and he is not where near good enough nor consistent enough (this season), to wear that mantle against playoff teams. It all comes back to that Scola as a 3rd/4th option is a blessing, but as a 1st or 2nd option is hit and miss. The Rockets just don't have many (only Dragic and Lowry when they are on) other people to surpass him.
Scola's a warrior, a double-double beast, and completely undeserving of this disrespect after one bad game. That said, against Utah, I'd like to see the twin towers trotted out-- at least tried.
way too much Rockets bashing in these posts one player did not take all the shots the team lost as a team and I'm still rooting for this team to get past this game and go out and win 5 more. zzpot
Yeah, amazing what one loss does considering they just came off a road sweep, lol. He's been doing this the entire time he's been here and its not changing.
