I don't know why they panic. It's not like they've never seen that defense before. Battier who had a great game 3 and 4 didn't get as involved because of the lack of ball movement and Scola ended up just touching the ball like 2 times in that 2nd half.
We can't force things. And when we try to get the ball to Yao it usually takes a lot of time away from us. Time flies. We try to feed Yao for about 15 seconds and than we have like 6 seconds to find another, good quality shot. It is pretty imposible.
It's a good point (even though you're going to get unfairly flamed for the next 18 pages) Maybe we should use Scola as the low post option, Yao as the high pick'n'roll jump shooter. Just a switch up occasionally to throw off their lane clogging defence - get Pryzbilla up high and away from the hoop and see how that helps the penetration. My guess is that Rick and the coaching staff have done the Xs and Os on this and figure it's not in our best interest anyway...
Scola should be the second option on offense, no doubt. If we're unable to get it to Yao initially, swing it around, have Scola post/high-post, and get him the ball. We need to play INSIDE-OUT ball. No more of Brooks being the only one to touch the ball. Especially if Yao is in the game. And for the love of God, I hope Artest's only shots come on the kick-outs from the post during double-teams We can't afford to play Scola much more than 25 minutes, unfortunately. He doesn't have the length to contain Alridge. But when he's in the game, inside-out offense!
Scoring wise, Scola is the obvious choice for 3rd option, that most other teams forget. Although there are some teams (like San Antonio and I am guessing now Portland) that know what a threat Scola is are more then willing to double him when gets the ball and tries to dribble. Still, the Rockets would be foolish if they don't try to use Scola early and often to try to close this one out. Anyway, I am sure everyone knows already there are only two real candidates for MVP of the team this year, Yao and Scola. And this series, Scola is obviously the MVP for the Rockets.
I think the problem with the statement is the part about being more efficient than Yao in the low post. I really don't see why we have to post Luis up when the offense in the early going of last game was just fine using him as a second option with that spot up jumper of his from near the elbow. If his man is going to leave him open for the sake of doubling/shading towareds Yao, we all want him to take that shot, because it's very high % for him. Seemed to work pretty well last game, and it didn't stop working because they started to cover him . . they just stopped going to him.
In the end Portland was doubling Yao with Artest man. Outlaw, and sometimes battier´s. Scola was even doubled in one of the baskets he scored. Anyway i prefer Scola one on one with Aldrige than Brooks or Artest one on one with me.
This was my point. I'm not saying abandon Yao, all I'm saying is that Scola should be an option earlier in the shot clock and more often in the second half. Trying to feed Yao over a defender who is fronting him, chews up almost all of the shot clock.
I know that Scola has an assortment of moves down by the basket, and is shooting better than Artest, but honestly, you would rather see Scola post up a guy with 2-3 inches on him and longer like Aldridge or Artest posting up Roy/Batum?
It's the guards fault for not recognizing that the initial look of Yao being fronted at the start of the shot clock isn't meant for Yao to get the ball at that time. As soon as the point guard sees that Yao is being fronted he is supposed to swing the ball so the ball goes to the weakside and gets to someone who is open to attack or shoot (Scola) or it finds Yao who has most likely sealed his guy as he angles with the ball movement.
Scola all the way, he is schooling Aldrige on offense. If someone makes a PostPlays highlights for the series you could see this.
Just like Rick said, it doesn't really matter who takes shots as long as those are good shots created in the flow of the offense. Obviously Yao is still your main thread on the offensive end but when they use 2 guys to guard one player that means somebody is WIDE OPEN. Give him the damn ball. Usually it is Luis and he has been making them pay. He is the mos efficient Rocket and 13 shots is not enough for a player that shots over 58%. When you have a hot hand you don't care about other player, you just give that hot player the ball. And damn, Scola has been CONSISTANT.
I just don't remember Scola having all that much success posting Aldridge up, but rather hitting open midrange jumpers for the majority of his points. I will have to go back and watch the games again to see if I'm just taking Scola for granted.
I like Yao and everything but the guy looks like a stiff sometimes. He needs to get down and dirty and have no compassion for anyone while doing it. Swing your elbows yao! You can see sometimes when he gets mad he gets nasty, but thats just when something happens like he gets dunked on or something. On the basketball court, your not there to make friends, your there to fight. Afterwards then be friends. On the court, break ppls faces in man.
Scola is the most underrated PF in the game. Don't forget, he was great in last year's playoff as well.
I think it's a bit of a trap to overly rely on Scola. Yes, Portland gave him the open shot last game and he made it. But it also took us away from establishing rhythm for the rest of the players, and that hurt us later in the game. That said, Scola has been superb throughout this series.
You mean like how Scola had 15 in the first quarter and then people were whining that Yao didnt shoot until the 2nd quarter?? By all means, keep going to what's working.
