[CHRON] Scola takes advantage of opportunity's knock

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/sports/5319106.html

Scola takes advantage of opportunity's knock
In 2 games without McGrady, rookie has shown Rockets what he has to offer


By FRAN BLINEBURY
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle


You can unpack your suitcase and hang your clothes, but that doesn't necessarily make you comfortable.

You can buy furniture, learn how to navigate the streets, and ferret out the best restaurants, but that doesn't make a place your home.

Luis Scola signed his contract with the Rockets in July and joined the team for the first drills at the start of camp.

Last weekend, he arrived.

It was more than a white-hot 10-for-11 shooting performance in San Antonio, more than his first double-double the next night against Phoenix, more than back-to-back 20-point games.

It was seeing the 27-year-old rookie forward move up and down the floor and around the basket with more confidence.

"I don't know," Scola said. "Sometimes it takes different kinds of situations. Maybe the game was just for me. I can just play hard every game, and sometimes you hit the shots and get confidence, and you play a little bit better. It is hard to say what is the difference."

The biggest difference, of course, was that a sprained right elbow kept Tracy McGrady out of the lineup, changing the Rockets' look and giving Scola opportunities.

"I think it is (because of that)," coach Rick Adelman said. "I think they really geared trying to stop Yao (Ming), which opens things up for Luis. But you've got to hope the two games he's had have given him some confidence and that he's going to be more aggressive in the way he plays.

"I don't know if we're going to get 20 points each game, but he's got to be more aggressive. I think he can get all the hustle plays. He's going to be open a lot. His guy usually helps, especially on Yao. If he's active and moves to the right spot, he's still going to get opportunities.


Slow the game
"He was pressing (earlier). I thought he was playing too fast. He was rushing things. He just missed a lot of open looks. These last two games, he wasn't rushing. He was taking his time and taking what was there."

Scola, from Argentina, waves off talk of adjusting to a new atmosphere, new country and new league.

"People keep talking about it," he said. "To me, it sounds like an excuse. I'm just a basketball player. I try to play and try to help the team. Shots and rules, we have to stop thinking about that and start trying to help the team win games."

Yao says that's not just talk.

"(Scola) shot the ball well, and he knew how to find his position (the last two games)," Yao said. "He is used to playing at this speed now. I'm used to playing with the international rules and playing here.

"I know that when you come here, even if you have a lot of experience, you need to adjust to know that it's a different speed game. He looks comfortable now."

The challenge will be to continue finding the comfort zone with McGrady returning.

"Absolutely," McGrady said. "He needs to be as aggressive with me in the lineup as he is with me out of the lineup. If he can keep that mindset, that just gives us an extra scoring hand coming off the bench.

"I think playing with myself and Yao, when we're out on the basketball court, he feels that he doesn't want to be as aggressive because we take up pretty much the bulk of the shots. I've got to have a talk with him — tell him the way he played when I was out for the last two games, he's got to continue to play that way."

With McGrady out of the lineup, there was more motion and ball movement in the offense, a style Scola, 6-9, has played and thrived in internationally. Given room and a familiar atmosphere, he blossomed the way the Rockets had hoped since last summer.

"I think the last two games he's proved to his teammates that he can really play," Shane Battier said. "Not that we ever doubted him. But once you start putting up some numbers, it's funny how guys start looking for you a little more. No question, you become more confident yourself, and it becomes easier.

"That's what the first year is all about. It's about sinking or swimming. Once you prove that to yourself, 'Hey, I belong here,' the game seems to change and get a little easier."


Consistency sought
To Scola, little has changed.

"I think you have to get away from the extremes," he said. "When you play bad, you don't have to be so down, and when you play good, you don't have to be so excited. It's too long (a season). Two games good is not really good."

But it is a start.

 

and smart too. Kinda like Shane.

 

When Tmac comes back, he'll have another option where to pass the ball to. An open Scola or cutting Scola is a lot better than Rafer or James shooting from the arc.

One thing I'd like to see is both Bonzi and Luis trying to cut, and we have head posting for 3. A pass could come from either posting Yao or drving Tmac.