An interesting and positive article I found on Luis Scola. Didn't see this posted anywhere. http://nba.fanhouse.com/2009/10/13/player-to-watch-luis-scola/#cont Player To Watch: Luis Scola Posted Oct 13, 2009 2:00PM By Matt Moore (RSS feed) Luis Scola is a 29-year-old power forward. He has long(er) hair, and is not built like a racehorse. He doesn't jump out of the gym, his tangibles aren't off the charts, his wingspan isn't epic, and he's not a franchise player. But man, the guy can play ball. Since Scola came into the league two seasons ago, he's quietly been a foundation of the Rockets' success. A rare miscalculation by the San Antonio Spurs, who drafted him in 2002 when he was only 22 but traded him to the Rockets, Scola has become just the kind of player you expect to find in San Antonio. Hardworking, efficient, dedicated and professional. Scola manages to play with fire and intensity, without ever losing his cool. Scola only gave up 1.8 turnovers per game last year, despite having the second highest percentage of possessions used (19.3) of the Rockets. His PER of 17 is well above the league average, which is also impressive considering his very limited offensive role on the Rockets. Scola is not the guy you give it to and just watch him go to work. Though the work part is definitely there. He rebounds at a great rate (more than 10 total boards per 36), shoots at a high percentage, and when he's on the floor, his team performs better in almost every category. But the biggest contributions Scola makes aren't even in the box score. Much like Shane Battier, the "No-Stats All-Star," Scola brings savvy and basketball intelligence that are off the charts, along with a fiery disposition and will to win. I don't know what they're feeding those boys in Argentina, but they have a drive to succeed that is downright intense. Scola in his limited time in the NBA has adapted incredibly well, using his Euroball-style skills to learn NBA facets. His defense on pick and rolls is at once aggressive and considerate, rarely allowing easy passes most bigs fall prey to. His frame allows him to muscle up to players bigger than him and his active hands and footwork enable him to frustrate players of considerably greater talent. What's best, Scola rarely allows his emotions to affect him negatively. He picks himself up and goes back to work. Which is not to say that he doesn't have his faults. Like Manu Ginobili, Scola often times moves for the charge by way of block too much. He lacks a go-to offensive move, and struggles in making key passes (as evident by his assist numbers). He can work the offense out of the high block, but put him in the low block and it's unlikely he'll be dishing a dime. But all of these things are effectively masked by Scola's basketball IQ and ability to control himself to play within his game. With Yao Ming out for what most think will be the vast majority of the season, Scola's contributions are that much more important. He'll need to improve in all areas, taking on a larger burden while still maintaining the same level of efficiency if the Rockets are going to have a chance at a playoff spot. At the same time, it would be unfortuante to lose the all-out style of play Scola has brought, diving on the floor for lose balls, constantly wrestling for tie-ups, but it may be necessary in his pursuit of consistency in a season where he is so important. The one thing you can count on is that Scola will most certainly try, more than any other.
Without Yao, Scola probably will face double team every night if Hayes is the starting C. That is a big challange. Of course, it is a big chance too. If he can handle his new role well, he will get a big contract next year. Maybe that can even help him earn an all-star appearance.
I think Scola can be a better offensive player than he has been. I'm interested to see what he can do with more touches.
I'm of the opinion that people are going to be shocked at the numbers Luis puts up under the present cumststances. 19 and 10 for the year is my best guess........
I don't know if this been pointed out, but Scola did good while we were inthe Yao ming offense. We're not doing that no more. Its a fast break team. He's done decent in the pre season, but nothing to cheer about.
Scola would excel on a fast break team. He's not a jumping jack like Pops, but he'll beat his man down the floor as much as anyone.
Scola is one of the rare players that has a unique sense of finding the open spots on the court. If the Rockets players will only look for him in the offense they will find out that he is almost always in a position to either score or pass to an open man. In the few minutes that he has spent on the court in the preseason, it is quite noticeable that opposing teams tend to double team Scola as soon as he gets the ball. It is a sign that other teams know of his capabilities and that, almost with Yao, they will rather let the other Rockets beat them than allow Scola to get off. He is the player that would attract a lot of attention from opponents this season without Yao.
bottom line: our leaders this year are battier, scola and hayes. thats a team i can root for. blood and guts. blood and guts.
My favorite player and the best move Morey ever made. Barring injury, you can count on him pulling down 10 rebounds a game this year, and upping his scoring. The guy's just a winner.
As much as I would love to see him represent the Rockets at the all star game, no one is going to vote for him, really. It's an all-STAR game, not an all-hustle-balanced-stats game. Basically, you have to be popular with everyone around the league. People will know who Joe Johnson is, but when you ask them who Luis Scola is? Heads will shake.
Otis Thorpe made the all-star team in 92. Scola won't make it though. The West is simply too stacked at the PF position.
Unless Scola can run the floor for easy basket, I expect his efficiency to drop greatly this upcoming year. Scola relied heavily on Yao's post game for getting easy looks. And his post game is not anywhere near Yao's level. I think Luis will post nice peripheral numbers, but they'll likely be empty stats.
I love it - Blood and GUTS! That's this year's team. All heart, some talent. I can't wait to see them in the playoffs, pissing on all the BSPN projections. This team can win, we just need to see how consistently.
Uh Yao Ming was pretty much ineffective this season. Sure he had some good games, but he had just as many bad ones IMHO before his leg gave out on him. Luis Scola performed just fine, in fact in the playoffs he averaged 14 pts. I hardly call that an "empty stat" considering he was often the fourth option (after Yao, Artest and Brooks). People who call Scola a "hustler" or a "scrapper" really irritate me. Hayes is someone who is all hustle and heart. Scola is a very skilled player who is not that athletic. To say he won't be able to score efficiently without Yao Ming because all he has is hustle is preposterous.
You totally missed the point of Meh's post and contered it with something that did not have naything to do with what he said. Meh was saying that Scola got easy looks because the opposign defense would focus on Yao. As a "fourth option" (as you put it) he plays better because the defese doesn't focus on him. You're argument is that Scola WILL score efficiently because he has hustle. Hustle has nothing to do with scoring efficiently. If it does, then please explain in deapth. Now, Scola will in deed be one of our main options, and he will score well because he is savy and skillful, but his efficiency will definitely go down as he will face constant double teams. This won't hurt the opposition as the man left poen will end up being Hayes. My hope for this team is that Brooks learns how to create off the dribble and learn to kick out to players like scola, ariza, and battier when the defense collapses on him.
I'd say you're the one who totally missed my reply. I wasn't disputing that Scola got easy looks because of Yao, I was disputing his statement that Scola will put up empty stats and will not score efficiently with Yao gone. Ok first of, "you're" is a contraction of "you are" while "your" is an indication of ownership. Your face is hot. You're going to the game? Secondly that was not my argument at all. In fact I just said that it irritates me how people call him all hustle when has a decent shot and has some great post moves. Why will I rant about people calling him all hustle then say that Scola will score efficiently because he has hustle? IMHO Brooks has already been doing that since last season. In fact, that's the only creating he knows how to do, Brooks is really just an SG in a PG's body he doesn't have the natural instincts and playmaking mindset guys like Lowry have.
I understand where you're coming from. But I believe his efficiency will remain high for a "go to" player. He may lose a little bit of efficiency since he is going to be taking considerably more shots but his productivity to efficiency is not going to suffer because of his bball iq and his grit. If he does not get injured, he is going to have a great season.
You were? Because you posted his postseason ppg, which is irrelevant to his EFFICIENCY on offense. IIRC, he had one good game against the Lakers, and 3 duds after Yao was injured. I actually don't have a problem with him shooting more. If he can continue to get open jumpers and nice looks in the paint, then I don't have a problem with him shooting 20 times a game. The problem is the type of shots he'll get. How many times did you see Scola simply take his man in the post, or off the dribble, and create his own basket? Infrequently. He gets his points within the flow of the offense. This is good, actually EXCELLENT as a role player. But as a go-to guy he'll be counted on to create more offense. Because those looks will disappear now.
