Championship game in about an hour's time. Winning the EL title is one of the things Morey has said that's held Llull back from heading to the NBA. That could change today. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/tW8-gECgeWQ?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Not really interested in him anymore. I mean, he's a good NBA rotation player for sure, but he's gonna demand MLE money, and Rockets shouldn't be even thinking right now about expending any MLE money on a PG. Moreover, I don't see the player really excited about leaving for the NBA at this point of his life at least (and I said life, not career). If you're looking to our european assets, Papanikolaou is more likely.
Still, if you want to follow the game: http://live.drakulastream.eu/static/popups/2206331133364630.html
He's also considerably worse (IMO). Llull's game translates well to the NBA. K-Pap, I'm not sure. I'd prefer the Rockets to trade him/included him in a package to a team that values him highly. I still like Llull a lot and though the Rockets may not have a need at PG right now, we all know that position needs change quickly with Daryl Morey being the GM. Llull would be an excellent combo guard off the bench for this team.
He's 1 assist shy of tying the Euroleague finals record. Related: An Euroleague assist roughly equals 1.5 NBA assists.
Not looking good... Real Madrid down by seven points, 1:31 left in overtime. You can watch on ESPN3. http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index
Mirotic made the first blunder in OT and from then on Maccabi never looked back. I guess Llull's never coming over now. Might as well add his draft rights to the K.Love trade package
Yeah... let me rephrase: Adding a 3&D wing may be a more pressing need than bringing in a combo guard for MLE money. Yes. (Also because the scorer-keepers are much more strict.)
Will Real Madrid stay intact next year? I mean they have Rudy Fernandez, Sergio Rodriguez, Nikola Mirotic and Llull... I know Rudy is anti-NBA, but I wonder if any of the others could break up the team.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Sergio Llull wants to win a Euroleague title w/ Real Madrid before considering Rockets, but Real Madrid just lost in the title game again.</p>— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) <a href="https://twitter.com/clutchfans/status/468122374957989888" data-datetime="2014-05-18T15:14:06+00:00">May 18, 2014</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Athletic superiority by Maccabi it was crucial in the game. They stopped them outside and won the rebounding. I think Madrid should have punished more Maccabi with Mirotic in the low post (instead of facing) considering he always had a smaller player paired him. They also struggled defending Ellis, specially the p&r (and specifically the big men). I think Slaughter should have played more minutes, being a great defensive rebounder and thei best p&r defender. Tough tough loss for Madrid, coming from a brilliant season but losing again the Euroleague final. I think Mirotic is the only one who could march to the NBA. Very unlikely with Llull, almost no chances with Rudy & Rodriguez. Next year Euroleague Final 4 is in Madrid. This loss doesn't contribute Rockets interests regarding Llull I think Kostas aptitudes transalte well to the NBA game. He would be still big enough for his position. He's not a scorer, will continue being a role player in the NBA, doing the job on the boards, playing off the ball and shooting some threes. Basically, he would be maintaining the same role.
I thought Rudy would come back if he were 'guaranteed' PT. Just asking - - would Llull, Rudy and/or Rodriguez come to a team as a 'package' with Pau? Just sayin' - - I'd be all in on that at TheToyShop.
Houstons Euro assets didn't do too good... Euroleague finals were played last night. In the final four, the two Spanish teams both had Rockets assets: Sergio Llull playing for Real Madrid and Kostas Papanicolau playing for Barcelona. In the games against each other, Papanicolau scored 8 pts and grabbed 5 rbs while Llull made 11 pts and had 5 rbs to go with it. However, Barcelona with the 3 mil Euro Papanicolau lost by 38 points to Real Madrid!! In the finals, Real Madrid with Llull (and their superbly star packed roster) faced a no name Maccabi Tel Aviv roster and lost in overtime by 98-86. Llull did not score and had just 2 rbs in almost 36 mins of playing tiime. Looks like the Rockets should think twice before paying extravagant amounts of dollars to free them from their contracts in Europe. The real wizzard (not the team) appeared to be Maccabi Tel Avivs coach, Boston born, David Blatt, who took his lean team (by far the cheapest roster in the final four) to this amazing achievement. In the past, he already did wonders as the head coach of the Russian national team (and now beat the very strong CSKA on the way in the final four).
David Blatt for top assistant! He can make Casspi good! Kostas "The Smear" Papanikalaou is useless because he is a part of the Thomas Robinson trade and is cursed with the stink of TRob.
