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Buck Harvey can really suck ass sometimes....
It's like every once in a while he'll write an article while he's on LSD or drunk or something, or both.
This article is one of those times.
Another stupid article that fails to blame Pop for his mistakes. When is this city going to get a writer/reporter, etc. with some ing balls.
Buck Harvey: Manu's big error? Spurs see that now
Web Posted: 05/24/2006 12:00 AM CDT
San Antonio Express-News
Don't blame Manu Ginobili for one play. Blame him for something bigger.
Blame him for being too good. Blame him for raising the price of the next Manu.
When the Spurs try to figure out what to do with Luis Scola, who looks to be everything Ginobili was, they stop partly because of one factor.
Ginobili's success has made everything stickier.
This wasn't an issue four years ago when the Spurs faced similar questions. In 2002 they also lost in the second round, and then some thought they weren't athletic enough. That's because they weren't.
They didn't have many options that summer, just as they don't have many now. Then came the change. The Spurs brought over an Argentine who had been playing in Europe.
Yeah, that was some mistake. Two les later — as well as a few thousand No. 20 jerseys sold — Ginobili ranks among the best Spurs in franchise history.
He will recover from Game 7, as will his franchise. The Spurs have enough to compete next season with the core that returns, although the Spurs might not win 63 games again in the regular season.
The Clippers, after all, are young and improving. The Rockets will be better with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady healthy. Amare Stoudemire will come back. And the Mavericks are just beginning their run.
But Tim Duncan proved, with the best playoff series of his career, he's not exactly fading away. As long as he's on this level — and this should go a minimum of another three years — the Spurs will be among the elite.
Still, the Spurs need a lift, and the same was true in 2002. That's when Ginobili, mostly unknown in the United States but considered the best player in Europe, agreed to play for a bargain price of $1.5 million.
Why? At the time few understood the gold-medal power of the Argentines, and another example came in the draft that same year. Then the Spurs went back to their South American well and took the second-best player from Argentina, Scola.
The Spurs thought enough of Scola to consider drafting him with their first-round selection, at No. 26. They instead traded the pick for Speedy Claxton.
A full round later, with Ginobili not yet revealing what was possible, Scola was still available. The Spurs took him at No. 56 as they had once taken Ginobili at No. 57.
Scola is about as old as Ginobili was in 2002, but they are opposites in style. Scola is a 6-foot-9 post player, and that's a negative for the Spurs. He plays, basically, Duncan's position.
He doesn't spread the floor, either, which means he might have gotten Rasho-Nazr time in the Dallas series. Scola hasn't made a 3-pointer in 25 games in Europe this season. That's why, ultimately, the Spurs will consider trading Scola's rights for someone who fits better.
But there's another side to Scola. He plays with Ginobili's spirit.
Gregg Popovich defended Ginobili on Tuesday, though he really didn't have to. Most in San Antonio understand what Ginobili has meant to this franchise.
But Popovich insisted, and he eventually came up with a phrase deserving of a plaque and a ceremonial presentation. Ginobili, Popovich said, is the "Stud of the world."
That would make Scola the junior stud. He's a bull, banging and scoring with both intelligence and determination. That's why he ranks among the top five players in Europe, culminating with him being named to the All-Euroleague team.
How this translates to the NBA: His Spanish teammate, a Brazilian named Tiago Splitter, is not as good right now, and Splitter will be an NBA lottery pick.
So why not add lottery talent to a locker room that needs it? Why not sub Scola when Duncan sits, and sometimes combine them to punish some teams inside?
The Spurs would do it today for Ginobili's old salary. But after what Ginobili has done, after everyone fully understands what the European leagues can produce, the price will be up to as much as $4million a year. That's a lot to pay someone who might not get many minutes.
So the Spurs hesitate on the kind of talent that changed them in 2002.
Why?
It's clear whom to blame.
Buck Harvey can really suck ass sometimes....
It's like every once in a while he'll write an article while he's on LSD or drunk or something, or both.
This article is one of those times.
Well the Ludden article today is very good if that's any help.
Oh and thanks Buck, for picking us to win...loser!
Let's see a 6'9'' PF who plays with Manu's spirit and forces Dirk to play defense. Doesn't sound too bad to me.
Last edited by 2centsworth; 05-24-2006 at 12:52 AM.
If the Spurs could trade Scola for a high draft pick or a long three, I'd do it right now. Scola will probably be good, but he doesn't really fit with what this team needs.
That said, I don't want the Spurs to give him away. He's still under contract for another season in Spain, so if it comes down to it make him wait another year if you don't want to bring him over this coming season.
a good bigman who is a stud?Scola will probably be good, but he doesn't really fit with what this team needs.
oook
It's not Manu's fault. The Spurs did not have the personnel to matchup with the Mavericks.
The Spurs were built to beat Miami and Detroit. Dallas was built to beat the Spurs. I love our team and they will be back even stronger.
And despite all the bad matchups, Spurs still almost pulled it out. I am not blaming TP but if he was more consistent with his jumper, the Spurs would have beaten the Mavs. TP isn't there yet but he will be soon. That is a scary thought for the rest of the NBA.
Pop is a great coach. Frequenting sports bars here in LA, I have spoken to several fans of the different playoff teams this year. And I asked all of them what they thought of Pop and they all would love to have him coach their respective team. Not one person had a bad word about Pop. Even the Spurs haters loved Pop.
I still love my Spurs and I have no doubt that they will bring Larry home once again.
manu is still the man. he's all heart.
what do they know?Pop is a great coach. Frequenting sports bars here in LA, I have spoken to several fans of the different playoff teams this year. And I asked all of them what they thought of Pop and they all would love to have him coach their respective team. Not one person had a bad word about Pop. Even the Spurs haters loved Pop.
Obviously, according to Aggie, those people are popsuckers.
I think the price should not be that high...also 'cause he and his agent will have to consider we'll have to pay the Tau, at least, another three millions (in 6 years), not counted in salary cap exceptions.
So, I think that could be possible to split the mid level of three years each on Scola and javtokas...
TPark - He scores in and around the post. That's it. He's not going to stretch the floor, rebound or block shots. Tim's complement needs to do at least two of those things.a good bigman who is a stud?
oook
And according to me, you're a dumb . Either talk x's and o's and personnel, or shut the up honkey.what do they know?
Obviously, according to Aggie, those people are popsuckers.
Thi guy loves Manu, am I right? It's hard to imagine Luis Scola having the same impact that Manu had in Spurs ....
Honestly Scola is a warrior, can catch the ball (don't call me stupid since we NAZR and those night), can go for a ball with the same passion like Manu ... Let me put a big question mark in his defense (he's not good in that area in FIBA, imagine in NBA), probably rebounds as well as he does in FIBA's world.
BTW, I'd love to see Luis Scola and Tiago Splitter in the same team in NBA, those have something good between them (it's not love) it's a natural understanding.
Kevin O'Keefe?
ok juts imagine this
a 6'9 player who plays strong inside and its a scoring machine at the same time in the floor with duncan( an incredible player inside) that will make the spurs truly hard to guard ..why ...cus then the other teams have to focus inside and with 2 speedy players like ginobili an parker and a 3 point shooter in the floor the match ups will be wird for the other teams .. by the way scola can guard almost any center in the nba except yao shaq (obvius...who can?) so bring him now!!!
I don't blame the loss all on Pop. We had some games won but didn't get it done. Pop cannot control missed shots and opportunities but that is just me.
Despite the implication that we're just gonna trade the rights to him due to the business aspects, I'd really like to see Scola play for the Spurs...
I liked his game during the Olympics and Manu's really good friends with him so his "worries" or "self-doubt" would be erased since Scola at his side will remind him of his Olympic Run, so a Manu-Scola Tandem will FUSTIGATE the League...Remember all those times Nazr dropped the ball? ....No MORE.
We couldn't play Nazr or Rasho or rely on them for many reasons, one, they were never hardcore scoring threats...like others have been saying, if Scola lives up to his rep/heart then Make the damn teams adjust to US! 4 scoring threats, 2 cutters, 2 inside Men?? That's tough.
Ben Wallace is only around 6'8, 6'9 he plays center. I don't understand the PF conflict. Horry isn't exactly big enough to back up Duncan when he's in foul trouble.
Last edited by CosmicCowboy; 05-24-2006 at 10:50 AM.
Trade Scola's Rights and Nazr for Nocioni...
Nocioni is every bit as 'Manu-like' as Scola... but this guy can rebound and also spread the floor....
And he's only slightly more available than D-Wade.
nocioni's value is too high, they can get a lot more than you mentioned. He was Chicago's best player in the playoffs and the city loves him.
Reposting the info, remember the 'predictions' about Nocion i performance in the NBA, before his arrival?
FYI. In Tau Ceramica, Scola and Nocioni were team-mates, and despite Scola being ONE YEAR YOUNGER, he was CLEARLY AHEAD NOCIONI in performance, leaderships and Basketball IQ....very clearly......And Scola defense is pretty improved, he can guard any kind of big Guy, this year in Euroleague he has guarded players with great footwork without problems.
If you remember Nocioni and Manu cases, you should be aware that Scola has a pretty chance of making an impact in NBA, Oberto wasn't in the same league as Manu or Nocioni in Europe, he was clearly past his prime, so his case can't be applied to Scola.
The way I see it Scola is every bit as good as Nocioni and vice versa.... Nocioni, however would fit the needs of the team much better than Scola could since Scola and Duncan basically play the same position, while Nocioni plays SF.
Nocioni's value is based off of his monstruous performance in this years playoffs... fair enough... He is a proven NBA player... I don't doubt Scola could be any less effective since he plays with a similar fire....
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