More with Luis Scola

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">If it's mind-bending, rim-swaying highlights you want, you tune in to see LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony or Kobe Bryant for Team USA. For the sleight-of-hand of a magician and the strategy of a general, you keep your eye on Jason Kidd.

When you watch Luis Scola play for Argentina, you're often struck by one thing ? he knows how to play.

Oh, there will be quibblers who want him to finish more with slam dunks and the insatiable appetites who'll want him to gobble up every rebound that comes off the glass.

But in getting an extended peek at the Rockets' newest power forward, what Scola gives you is a sense of skill, of professionalism, of seeing the court and knowing what to do. In many ways, he's a power forward version of Shane Battier.

Through the first three games of the FIBA Americas tournament, Argentina was 3-0 without regulars Manu Ginobili, Andres Nocioni, Fabricio Oberto and Walter Herrmann playing. Through the opening round of the competition, Scola is giving a glimpse of what the Rockets saw when they dealt for him and hope to have on the floor.

"I didn't see anything that surprised or was unknown about him," said general manager Daryl Morey, who has just returned from Las Vegas. "Overall, he's just got a very high basketball IQ, and that's something that we're looking forward to utilizing."

Through the first three games, Scola was averaging 16.3 points, 8-3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 56.3 percent from the field.

"He hits the mid-range shot, he gets himself in the right place for rebounds and he makes the extra pass that leads to a basket," Morey said. "You can see all of those things that will fit in Rick (Adelman's) offense."

The Rockets' world is never going to revolve around Scola. But if you're watching any of the tournament on TV, you're seeing why the franchise is excited about having him as a complement. He's likely never going to be an All-Star, but he can help elevate the current All-Stars, Yao and McGrady.

In the win over Puerto Rico, when Argentina fell behind by double-digits early, Scola embraced the role of the workhorse and put his team on his shoulders, finishing with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Against Mexico, he missed his first two shots from the field, then hit 5-for-6 the rest of the way and dealt out five assists.

"Here's a story you'll really like," Morey said. "I went to dinner with Luis the other night and when we first sat down, all he said was, 'I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'll try to do better.'

"When I asked him what he was talking about, he told me that David Macha (the Rockets' strength and conditioning coach) had given him a workout program to follow over the summer. But he's been training with the Argentinian national team and they usually have two-a-days. Now they have games. And Luis was concerned that he's having trouble getting in the workouts that David gave him, too.

"I told him, 'Relax, Luis. I think you're playing enough basketball, doing enough to stay in shape.' But it's always nice to have a player who feels that way, who wants to be doing more." </div>

Source: Houston Chronicle