Scola becomes the Euroleague´s All time top scorer

[ArgSpursFan]

Posted on March 08, 2007 at www.euroleague.net

Tau Ceramica clinched first place in Group D and home-court advantage in the Quarterfinal Playoffs with a big win over Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv on a record-breaking night at the Fernando Buesa Arena in Vitoria, Spain. Tau topped Maccabi 94-73 as star power forward Luis Scola scored 25 points to become the all-time Euroleague top scorer. Scola now has 1,998, passing injured Unicaja guard Marcus Brown (1,979). Fittingly, Scola set the mark in front of the third player on the list, Maccabi center Nikola Vujcic, who scored only 6 to give him 1,774 for his career. Tau also set a Euroleague mark with 26 straight home wins. Tau last lost at home on January 12, 2005 against CSKA, 81-85. Tau shared the previous record with Winterthur FC Barcelona, which also won 25 straight home games between November 8, 2001 and March 10, 2004. Scola scored 19 in the first half as the hosts put the game away early. Tau led by 10 after 10 minutes and were up 50-33 at halftime. Maccabi never made a serious comeback and finished with its second-worst Euroleague defeat all decade. Maccabi lost 94-71 at Armani Jeans Milano last January. Tiago Splitter scored 16 for Tau, Ender Arslan had 11 and Fred House 10. Kaya Peker and Zoran Planinic added 9 apiece. Lior Eliyahu led Maccabi with 19 points and 11 rebounds, Tal Burstein had 11 and Derrick Sharp 10 in defeat.

Tau needed just a minute to take its first lead on a three-pointer by House, as Maccabi got off to a cold start with Eliyahu as its only real weapon on court. The rookie was the only yellow able to score in the first 4 minutes, while the hosts fed Scola inside for an 11-4 lead to force an urgent timeout by Maccabi coach Neven Spahija. The break stopped Tau a bit, as Eliyahu continued his own show to score 4 more unanswered points and bring Maccabi within 11-8 after 5 minutes. Then it was Scola who came to the rescue. The Argentinean power forward became scored his record-breaking basket with a mid-range jumper and followed it with a fastbreak slam that boosted Tau to 15-8 midway though the first period. House increased the margin from the free throw line before Simas Jasaitis became the second visiting player to score with a three-pointer that made it a 6-point game. The next spark came from Splitter, who came up big in the paint and ignited a 6-0 run for a double-digit lead with 1 minute to go. Jasaitis and Planinic exchanged baskets in the last seconds to close the first period with a 25-15 lead for the hosts.

Things only got worse for the visitors, as Planinic took over for Tau and followed a long-range jumper with a two-handed dunk to raise the difference to 30-15. Maccabi's drought ended after Goran Jeretin finished a fastbreak with a layup, but it meant almost nothing against a full-throttled Tau. Scola hit inside once again and when Maccabi switched to zone defense, Planinic broke it easily with a drive to feed Peker for a 34-17 lead. Scola wasn’t happy though until he recorded 4 more points inside to give his team a 21-points margin midway through the second quarter. But when Tau's captain left the court, things started to improve for the guests. Jeretin hit three times from the free-throw line, followed by a three-point play by Eliyahu and a jumper by Burstein that took Maccabi within 38-25 with 4 minutes to go. Tau coach Natxo Lezkano tried to warn his players during a timeout and they reacted quickly with a better defensive effort and faster transitions. A dunk by Splitter and a triple from the corner by Serkan Erdogan prevented Maccabi from rallying. The frustrated visitors returned to poor shooting in offense. The margin remained from that point, as two free throws by Will Bynum closed the half with Tau holding a very comfortable 50-33 advantage.

Scola opened fire after intermission, but Maccabi came out more focused in offense and managed a 0-7 run behind a three-point play by Sharp, a nice layup by Jasaitis and a dunk by Vujcic to make it a 12-point game. Even though Splitter came to the rescue with another three-point play, the face of the game was a bit different. Bynum proved it with a monster one-handed dunk on an offensive rebound, which caused Tau to take a timeout leading 55-42. The break was pretty useful for the hosts, who returned more focused on defense as only Sharp remained a menace. On the other side, Maccabi managed to slow down Tau's offense a bit, but Pablo Prigioni hit once from downtown and drew a three-point foul for a 62-45 lead with three minutes to go. The yellows tried again a zone defense in an attempt to make Tau uncomfortable, but it seemed that nothing would stop the hosts as Splitter kept rocking inside. A buzzer-beating three from Burstein kept Maccabi within 70-54 at the end of the third quarter.

Sharon Shason made it a 13-point game with a three-pointer to start the fourth period, but Tau found the answer in with Peker, who capped a nice fastbreak with a double-handed dunk and Arslan, who hit from downtown for a 75-59 lead. Nothing seemed to work for the yellows, as no one was able to get anything done playing one-on-one. Arslan remained hot and hit from downtown once again for an 80-59 margin with 5 minutes to go. Eliyahu answered with 6 points in a row, but the main problem for Maccabi was at the defensive end. Each Tau offense ended up with a point or a foul, preventing Maccabi from reducing the gap to more reasonable numbers. With the outcome in no doubt, both teams used the last minutes to please the crowd as Tau sealed a big win.

[samikeyp]

Now he needs to come over and prove it on the big stage.

[ArgSpursFan]

no doubt he will.

[mardigan]

If he gets the chance

[T Park]

Prove that hes good on the Major League level and not the AAA level.

[sa_butta]

I sure would rather have him than Oberto at this point, cant be any worse.

[ArgSpursFan]

I sure would rather have him than Oberto at this point, cant be any worse.

way better tham him.

[samikeyp]

Im all for Scola coming over and getting the chance to prove himself. If he is as good as I have heard he is the last four years, then im all for him suiting up.

[ArgSpursFan]

That´s gonna be another ginobili kind of sorprise for spurs fans

[Please_dont_ban_me]

:D

Sucks for him. I don't think he planned on having such longevity in his Euro career.

[ChumpDumper]

Wow.

Marcus Brown.

[Agloco]

Under two k and hes the all time leader?

How many games do they play over there anyway?

[GrandeDavid]

Will the Spurs just find a damn way to bring this guy over next season!? At least he'll still be in his 20s!

[Phenomanul]

Under two k and hes the all time leader?

How many games do they play over there anyway?


The Euroleague, as currently constituted, is fairly young.

[Kori Ellis]

:D

Sucks for him. I don't think he planned on having such longevity in his Euro career.

Then he shouldn't have signed a 10-year-contract :)

[AFBlue]

Will this game be televised...I'd love to see him put up the 25.

[Please_dont_ban_me]

Then he shouldn't have signed a 10-year-contract :)

Somebody should've told him it's not the NFL.

[smeagol]

Then he shouldn't have signed a 10-year-contract :)
He was what . . . 16 yrs old when he signed it?

Tough to make a decision at 16 taking into consideration a possible NBA future.

But I know you were joking Kori :spin

[ChumpDumper]

It's still a dumb contract. I'm not joking.

[Kori Ellis]

He was what . . . 16 yrs old when he signed it?

Tough to make a decision at 16 taking into consideration a possible NBA future.

But I know you were joking Kori :spin

Yeah I was joking. But was he 16? Because he is going to be 28 when it's over.

[AFBlue]

Yeah I was joking. But was he 16? Because he is going to be 28 when it's over.

14 Kori...14

[ChumpDumper]

So it's a 14-year contract?

Even dumber.

[AFBlue]

So it's a 14-year contract?

Even dumber.

I have no idea...I'm guessing that it started when he was 18, since it's a 10 year contract and he'll be 28 at contract end. See that, some Baylor schoolin right there.

Are Euroleague contracts fully guaranteed though, like in the NBA? Or is it like the NFL?

[ArgSpursFan]

not sure how the NFL rules work,but in europe,you sing a contract and the club you sign for owns your rights for that specific period of time.+you get bonuses,monthly salary and stuff like that.I think it was a 14 yrs contract(not so sure , and too lazy to look it up right now)

[leemajors]

not sure how the NFL rules work,but in europe,you sing a contract and the club you sign for owns your rights for that specific period of time.+you get bonuses,monthly salary and stuff like that.I think it was a 14 yrs contract(not so sure , and too lazy to look it up right now)

NFL players rarely make it to the end of their contracts. they are summarily cut when their performance doesn't justify their contract.

[ArgSpursFan]

well,the monthly salary and bonuses are guaranted by the #of games they play in the season,and as far as the contract it self,I think(but not sure)that if you don{t produce as spected, they have to pay you anyways a minimun salary,but they cant cut you.So it could be like a guaranted kind of contract.
So I guess he wasnt too fool to sign such a big($$)contract.

[ArgSpursFan]

I will look it up tomorrow and find you exacly whats up.

[Big P]

So it's a 14-year contract?

Even dumber.

I'm sure if your employer guaranteed you a job for 10+ years for millions of dollars, you wouldn't think its a dumb idea.

[Nikos]

I would like to see what Scola could do, but the more time elapses the more annoying it gets.

If Scola got 30ppg and 20rpg I don't know if I could get excited, because it doesn't look like he will come over.

[ChumpDumper]

I'm sure if your employer guaranteed you a job for 10+ years for millions of dollars, you wouldn't think its a dumb idea.How much is it actually for? This board is well-known for wildly exaggerating Euro salaries.

How much does Scola make a year?

Question.

[Dartherus]

How much is it actually for? This board is well-known for wildly exaggerating Euro salaries.

How much does Scola make a year?

Question.
In Baskonia's forum an at www.acb.com it was told repeatedly that his whole contract (incremental salary), and the full buyout was 14 million Euro.

For a kid coming from Argentina, in a time when it wasn't so common to go into NBA, it was a HUGE contract.

Just consider Gasol, who's his same age. Gasol buyout was less than the third, because he was paid a very low salary. In such cirscumtamces, and the fact of being Spanish, Gasol and Raul Lopez were able to come into NBA, lower bououts and in Lopez's case, a huge discount for the Jazz.

Scola back then was more proven player than other prospects of his age (playing the senior argentinian NT at 17, outplaying top US prospects like Zach Randolph or Carlos Boozer in international junior competitions, something not so common back then). In the long term, this hurt him, because he ended up staying in Europe too long due to such big contract.

Next year, the buyout drops a lot, cause it's his last year of contract and Tau could have him going for free. I guess that's the major Spurs chance to get him.

[ChumpDumper]

Another forum?

Forgive me for calling bullshit, but that's hardly credible.

How much does Scola make?

[silk]

What would be scola's ratings on nba 2k6? rebounding speed and awareness mainly

[ChumpDumper]

Scola is aware of rebounds, he just doesn't get that many.

[mountainballer]

Another forum?

Forgive me for calling bullshit, but that's hardly credible.

How much does Scola make?

in the season 2005-06 he made 1.416.155 Euros per year (currently 1.855.163 $). he was the best payed player in Spain last season.
(just for information: Garbajosa was no. 3 at 1.335.106 Euro)

to avoid your bullshit call: http://www.lacoctelera.com/guso/post/2005/09/29/el-nuevo-supermanager-ya-esta-operativo

btw. why do you call another posters oppinion or statements bullshit or other unfriendlinesses, whenever you don't belive them, or don't want to belive them, because it doesn't back-up your claim?
you have such great knowlegde about NBA basketball and obviously little about Euro bb. why not share information instead of ridicule whatever comes from the other side.

[ChumpDumper]

Why would I share information I don't have?

I ask for information I don't have.

So Scola is making about $1.8 million this season. Seems about right to me. Thanks for the link, although I would have preferred the actual ACB page it claims to get the figures from, not some RealGM type blog entry.

[smeagol]

Yeah I was joking. But was he 16? Because he is going to be 28 when it's over.
I through 16 out there because I know he was really young. He might have been 17 or 18, which is still young.

And as some other poster said, 10 years ago, when there were not many forigners playing in the NBA, an 18 kid from Argentina gets a big money/10 year contract dangled infront of his nose, chances are he would have taken it.

[Mr. Body]

They need to draft Rudy Fernandez in order to graft some of his mini-Manu hair onto Manu.

[velik_m]

The league is like 5 years old.

[vanvannen]

Consider every team in the Euroleague also plays in the national competition. In Spain the league is called ACB. So they play ACB games and Euroleague games, kind of how they do in football, where a team like AC Milan would play the italian league and the UEFA Champions League.

[stéphane]

I know we all support the spurs but hey homers playing with the spurs may not be a life dream for him...
Some posts just sound like it's a heartbreak not to play in the nba but wake up he plays in a top 5 team in europe, he's really considered, he lives in a nice euro country that speaks the same language and he earns big time $$ so....

[Texas_Ranger]

That's great for him. I think that is better for him if he'll stay there and not go to NBA, because I think he will not play that good here.

[Marhq]

Scola got screwed by his agent, as did Oberto some years ago, when he was still young enough as to adapt to the NBA. The thing with non NBA agents is that if a player of theirs goes to the NBA they lose a client and money (and usually these are the best paid players). So unless they have signed some sort of clause to get some compensation should the player go to the NBA, there isn't really an incentive for the agent to act competently/honestly when the chance of an NBA contract arises.

Saludos.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Replace Horry and Oberto with him(hopefully he opts out) and switch timtim to center. Then go after Nocioni.

[zeleni]

in the season 2005-06 he made 1.416.155 Euros per year (currently 1.855.163 $). he was the best payed player in Spain last season.
(just for information: Garbajosa was no. 3 at 1.335.106 Euro)

to avoid your bullshit call: http://www.lacoctelera.com/guso/post/2005/09/29/el-nuevo-supermanager-ya-esta-operativo

btw. why do you call another posters oppinion or statements bullshit or other unfriendlinesses, whenever you don't belive them, or don't want to belive them, because it doesn't back-up your claim?
you have such great knowlegde about NBA basketball and obviously little about Euro bb. why not share information instead of ridicule whatever comes from the other side.

hey, BS is BS. We all know BS is growing like grass on the net.

Biggest thing to consider about Scola's salary is: Money doesn't include taxes. Netto. What you read is what he gets. With bonuses coming his way all the time. Nice contract.

[ArgSpursFan]

That's great for him. I think that is better for him if he'll stay there and not go to NBA, because I think he will not play that good here.
the was actually people saying exacly the same thing about Manu when he got drafted. :lmao

[ChumpDumper]

hey, BS is BS. We all know BS is growing like grass on the net.

Biggest thing to consider about Scola's salary is: Money doesn't include taxes. Netto. What you read is what he gets. With bonuses coming his way all the time. Nice contract.He should be making at least $3 million if he was compensated like other top Euros. Bad contract.

[smeagol]

He should be making at least $3 million if he was compensated like other top Euros. Bad contract.
It was signed 10 years ago. Who knows what top players were making in 1997.

[Kori Ellis]

hey, BS is BS. We all know BS is growing like grass on the net.

Biggest thing to consider about Scola's salary is: Money doesn't include taxes. Netto. What you read is what he gets. With bonuses coming his way all the time. Nice contract.

And in addition, a lot of overseas players have their housing paid for and cars to use supplied by the team.

It's a good deal.

[ChumpDumper]

If he ever thought about joining the NBA or being a high level player in Europe, ten years is entirely too long and the buyout terms entirely too high. It is now indentured servitude. His agent screwed up, plain and simple.

[Kori Ellis]

If he ever thought about joining the NBA or being a high level player in Europe, ten years is entirely too long and the buyout terms entirely too high. It is now indentured servitude.

Of course. I fault his agent on that, not him. He was a kid.

[Athenea]

If he ever thought about joining the NBA or being a high level player in Europe, ten years is entirely too long and the buyout terms entirely too high. It is now indentured servitude. His agent screwed up, plain and simple.
Same thing Spurs r doing not allowing him to come to the NBA (not only to the Spurs).

[SequSpur]

why do the spurs needs to sign a bunch of got damn foreigners for? that fad is gone.

[ChumpDumper]

Same thing Spurs r doing not allowing him to come to the NBA (not only to the Spurs).If he didn't have that contract with Tau, he'd already be a Spur, genius.

And on his way to making real money after averaging a double-double and becoming rookie of the year and MVP.

[Athenea]

If he didn't have that contract with Tau, he'd already be a Spur, genius.

And on his way to making real money after averaging a double-double and becoming rookie of the year and MVP.
Are u sure?
Coz u r saying through pages and pages on the topic that Scola is not good enough for the NBA ergo not good enough for a championship caliber team. He still could have been a rebound liability, right? Do you think that he would have turned into gold out of nothing the minute he became a Spur?
Make up your mind. U fall in love of the rhetoric and argumentation and always forget the substance.
Remember...u were the 1 saying hedo>manu

[ArgSpursFan]

oh shit, I didnt know that chump.Now I start to understand why you became a Hawks fan.

[ChumpDumper]

Are u sure?No, I'm exaggerating, idiot.
Coz u r saying through pages and pages on the topic that Scola is not good enough for the NBA ergo not good enough for a championship caliber team.I think 9 and 4 is realistic.
Do you think that he would have turned into gold out of nothing the minute he became a Spur?Do you?
U fall in love of the rhetoric and argumentation and always forget the substance.And "U" don't do anything. You're a nutjob.
Remember...u were the 1 saying hedo>manuThanks for lying, whottt. We're all still looking for a Hedo replacement aren't we? Not so easy, was it? I wanted to keep both. Too bad we didn't sign Manu to a three year deal for his first contract.

[ChumpDumper]

I'll ask you again since most of you guys are afraid to answer in the other thread.

What do you think Scola's numbers will be playing 20-25 minutes a game for the Spurs?

[AFBlue]

I'll ask you again since most of you guys are afraid to answer in the other thread.

What do you think Scola's numbers will be playing 20-25 minutes a game for the Spurs?

I'll give him 12 and 5 in that 20-25MPG range.

[ChumpDumper]

Thanks.

[Mr. Body]

That sounds reasonable. Maybe fewer points in my estimation. I think he'd do better for another team, to be honest.

[mardigan]

Probably 7-10 points and 4-6 boards, I really havent seen anything that would make me think he would be a whole lot better than Oberto

[AFBlue]

That sounds reasonable. Maybe fewer points in my estimation. I think he'd do better for another team, to be honest.

I see what you're saying in that he wouldn't likely see the ball as much, but if he played 25 minutes as a backup to TD, I think you'd see him put up enough attempts to get 12PPG pretty easily. He is an aggressive offensive player who has played on the biggest of stages (Olympics, World Championships), so I doubt he'd be awed/intimidated by the NBA.

[mardigan]

Does anyone know what the deal is with Javeteckus (Iknow I spelled that wrong), is he ever going to play in the NBA?

[Mr. Body]

I don't think Javtokas is ever a Spur or plays in the NBA. Last summer was probably his chance, but either he asked for too much money or the Spurs saw someone they liked more (Elson). He's rotting on the bench in Europe and may not be fluid enough for the American game.

[T Park]

wow

body has gotten bitter over his lover.....

a shocking spurstalk development.... :eek

[Kori Ellis]

wow

body has gotten bitter over his lover.....

a shocking spurstalk development.... :eek

:lol

He didn't sound bitter. He just posted the truth about Javtokas' situation.

[T Park]

But that was the truth back in november, and he sang a different tune.....

[mardigan]

I don't think Javtokas is ever a Spur or plays in the NBA. Last summer was probably his chance, but either he asked for too much money or the Spurs saw someone they liked more (Elson). He's rotting on the bench in Europe and may not be fluid enough for the American game.

Too bad, from the highlights I had seen he was pretty athletic, but I guess thats not enough if you dont have offensive ability

[WalterBenitez]

Now he needs to come over and prove it on the big stage. big stage !? :rolleyes you probably mean NBA, .. for your info it is not the only stage around the world :p:

[WalterBenitez]

why do the spurs needs to sign a bunch of got damn foreigners for? that fad is gone.

TD, TP, Manu ... you know where they born? :reading

Steve Nash, that blondi playing in Mavs ... the tall guy in Houston ... NBA is about tallent not about being US citizen ... if so ... my mistake :donkey

[ArgSpursFan]

TD, TP, Manu ... you know where they born? :reading

Steve Nash, that blondi playing in Mavs ... the tall guy in Houston ... NBA is about tallent not about being US citizen ... if so ... my mistake :donkey

you forgot Dirk on your statement walter.

[whottt]

Have Chump and Athenea announced the wedding date yet?

[T Park]

big stage !? you probably mean NBA, .. for your info it is not the only stage around the world

Where the BEST players play.

So yes, the BIG stage.

[smeagol]

Ahh, the Manu vs Hedo infamous thread.

I would pay money if Kori could retrieve that thread from spurstalk heaven . . .

[ChumpDumper]

The truth is much less exciting than the myth.

[smeagol]

The truth is much less exciting than the myth.
Use your mod powers to find that thread so we can compare truth vs myth

[ChumpDumper]

My search ability is the same as yours. Get to it. I know what I said and everyone else is content to believe what they want. Whenever it's brought up, it means I've won whatever argument I'm in and the other guy is desperate to change the subject. I'm fine with folks using it as a white flag.

[exstatic]

Probably 7-10 points and 4-6 boards, I really havent seen anything that would make me think he would be a whole lot better than Oberto
He's not as good a rebounder as Oberto, averaging less than 6 in the Euroleague, but is probably a better low post scorer. Rather than signing him, and attempting to get RFA Noccioni, I'd rather offer him as bait to Chicago FOR Noccioni. They need a low post scorer, and have wing players and guards coming out of their asses.

[T Park]

As much as that would be great, Scola aint worth squat unfortunately....

[AFBlue]

As much as that would be great, Scola aint worth squat unfortunately....

He's worth something to other teams, but he's worth more to the Spurs. And it will stay that way until he comes over here and proves himself in the NBA.

[exstatic]

As much as that would be great, Scola aint worth squat unfortunately....
Probably more to Chicago than to us. They've got the rebounding and interior defense covered, but don't have any bigs that can post up in the paint effectively.

[AFBlue]

Probably more to Chicago than to us. They've got the rebounding and interior defense covered, but don't have any bigs that can post up in the paint effectively.

The S&T you suggest is very unlikely. For starters, if it's for more than the MLE, the Spurs would have to offer equal salary...so that would mean offering Barry + Scola at least and hoping that the Bulls take that deal. If the Spurs ONLY offer him the full MLE (which I'm not sure he'd take), the Bulls would match.

[Pugglekicker_21]

What I've garnered from reading-

1. Luis Scola is a Spurs prospect playing for Tau Ceramica of a certain European league

2. He is 28, and we could have gotten him at a much younger age where it not for his agent.

3. He will be at his easiest this offseason to get, and judging from the Spurs this season, they will make a harder push for him than in years past.

4. We also might make a run at the Chicago Bulls' restricted free agent Andres Nocioni, but this has not been brought up in other threads beside this one, and this is an unlikly possibility.

5. That would make our starting lineup 2/5 Argentian, 3/5 if Scola was retained as well and he broke into the lineup.

6. Some of Scola's strength's include his speed? his awareness (d or offensive?) and his ability to score in the low post.

Conclusion-Well if he's available Id be one of the first to welcome him here, and Id only have a problem with him because he'd be close to that magic number of 30.