[Washington Post] Scola a Perfect Fit for Rockets

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/15/AR2008031502066.html

Scola a Perfect Fit for Rockets
Argentine Solves Need at Power Forward, Propels Streak

By Michael Lee
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, March 16, 2008; D07

When Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey was compiling a list of power forwards to target last summer, he thought his team's chances of getting Luis Scola from San Antonio were about as likely as the Rockets somehow going on the second-longest winning streak in NBA history.

"It was a long shot," Morey said in a recent phone interview.

But an unheralded, unexpected offseason trade with the defending champion Spurs has helped the Rockets (45-20) win an improbable 21 games in a row, move past San Antonio in the standings and put them in position to play for the best record in Western Conference this afternoon at Toyota Center against the Los Angeles Lakers. It's no coincidence that the Rockets' streak -- the longest since the 1971-72 Lakers won 33 in a row -- coincided with Scola's insertion as starting power forward.

"He was a steal," Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James said. James played against Scola last summer in Las Vegas, when Scola was named most valuable player at the Tournament of the Americas after leading Argentina to a second-place finish without the assistance of NBA stars Manu GinÓbili and Andres Nocioni.

Scola, the leading scorer from Argentina's 2004 Olympic gold medal team and a two-time Spanish League most valuable player, had been the property of Houston's division rival since San Antonio took him in the second round of the 2002 draft. The Spurs didn't believe that Scola would fit in with their players -- they feared he might get in Tim Duncan's way, to be specific -- and were under pressure to deal him last summer. Otherwise, Scola was going to sign a long-term deal in Europe, and San Antonio would get nothing for him.

The Spurs came close to dealing Scola to Cleveland, but to Morey's surprise, they decided on the Rockets' offer of Vassilis Spanoulis, a second-round and cash for Scola and center Jackie Butler. The move gave San Antonio the financial flexibility to keep its championship team intact and add some auxiliary pieces. The Rockets finally solved their decade-long problems at power forward.

"It's hard to criticize what San Antonio is doing," Morey said. "They'll probably be the favorite to win the title."

For years, Scola held the reputation as the best player not in the NBA. But the first few months in Houston were a huge adjustment for the 27-year-old rookie. He had to learn a new city, a new culture and a new game. "It was a little hard in the beginning," Scola said after spending the previous seven seasons with TAU Cerámica. "I feel way better the last month and a half."

Rockets Coach Rick Adelman started Scola on Jan. 27 when center Yao Ming was forced to sit out with a respiratory problem. Scola had 18 points and six rebounds in a loss against the Utah Jazz. Yao returned to practice the next day, but Adelman moved power forward Chuck Hayes to the bench, hoping that Scola could provide a boost to the starting five.

The Rockets haven't lost since -- including the past nine since Yao was lost for the season with a broken left foot.

"I wish that Yao was here," Scola said in a phone interview. "But I think we have a team. Everybody is hitting shots. It's going to be hard to focus on somebody when we're playing the game."

Scola is averaging 11.8 points and 5.7 rebounds as a starter, and is making a late push for rookie of the year. He isn't flashy, and if not for his flowing black hair, Scola might not stand out. He makes small but significant plays, such as tapping a rebound to Dikembe Mutombo for a dunk or finding Tracy McGrady cutting backdoor for a layup. "He has a good basketball I.Q.," Rockets point guard Rafer Alston said. "He has experience. He's a team guy, loves to defend, loves to pass."

Scola's path to the NBA hasn't always gone as planned. He was preparing to take the ACT so that he could attend Temple, like Pepe Sanchez, his teammate on Argentina's national team. Instead, he chose to play in Spain at age 17.

After seeing his friend Ginobili have success, Scola had hoped to play with him in San Antonio. Instead, he's in Houston.

"It was no problem for me. I understand [the Spurs] didn't have room for me," Scola said. "They give me this opportunity. If they didn't trade me, I may have to stay in Europe and I never play in NBA. They traded me and I'm really thankful for it."