:24 HOOP: You took the Lakers to seven games last year. What did that do for this team’s confidence?
Scola: They were better and deserved to win, but we were so close. It was hard to see them win the championship. It’s good to compete1 with the best, but we have to forget about last year. This is a different year with different expectations.

:23 HOOP:What was your team’s mindset heading into this season with Yao and McGrady out, and Ron Artest having left for L.A.?
Scola: There were a lot of changes, but I think everybody was positive. We’ve got great players and a lot of talent, so we all believed we could be competitive.

:22 HOOP:How has your role changed?
Scola:I’ve been pretty much doing the same things, but getting a little bit more2 involved. The system that we have is about moving and passing, so a lot of guys are touching the ball.

:21 HOOP:How would you describe your game?
Scola:I try to move a lot, try to be very active and try to play hard every game. Those would be my strengths.

:20 HOOP: We've heard other players describe you as annoying.
Scola:[laughs] Well, when they play on the other team that’s what you want. You have to play hard and try to make them uncomfortable.

:19 HOOP:Did you pick that up from watching the Celtics growing up?
Scola:That’s something that just came to me, but I did love the Celtics. I remember my dad bringing home a VCR tape when I was really young. It was one of the Finals games between the Celtics and Lakers, and I decided that I liked the Celtics.

:18 HOOP:Did you watch that game over and over?
Scola:I watched it a few times. In ’92, we finally got cable in our house and we saw the Finals between Portland3 and Chicago. That was my first game I saw live.

:17 HOOP:We read an old interview4 in which you said that if you ever got to meet Larry Bird, you might never wash your hand again. Have you met him yet?
Scola:No. He came to watch me play once when I was in Spain five or six years ago. That was a pretty special moment for me. We’ve played in Indiana, and he was there, but I didn’t want to bother him.

:16 HOOP:We’re glad to hear you’re still washing your hands…
Scola:You have to wash your hands now because of all the viruses out there. But maybe for a couple of days I won’t if I ever meet him.br />

:15 HOOP: What did you like about Bird?
Scola:He was not real athletic, but he played so hard and he knew how to play. He was very smart and really competitive.

:14 HOOP:What do you like about U2?
Scola:I’ve been listening to them for years now. It’s a cool band. I like that kind of music5, like U2 and the Rolling Stones, two legendary bands.

:13HOOP:Have you ever seen U2 in concert?
Scola:No, but that is definitely on my to-do list. I did get to see the Rolling Stones once in Saragossa, Spain. It was the last date of their world tour and for a few months there were huge rumors that they were going to split. So I thought I had tickets to their last concert ever. That would have been sweet.

:12 HOOP:What are your favorite NBA cities for sightseeing?
Scola:I’ve got a few. New York is definitely one of my favorites. San Francisco is another.

:11 HOOP:Do you still enjoy seeing some of the monuments on the road, like the Statue of Liberty?
Scola:I couldn’t do the Statue of Liberty. Usually when we get there it’s like three or four in the afternoon, and the last boat has already departed. I also miss Alcatraz every time. Someday I will come back and do all those things, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go out and get a taste for the city.

:10 HOOP:What is your favorite NBA city for dancing?
Scola:I don't dance.

:09 HOOP:We watched a video on YouTube of you winning the dance competition6 during a Rockets open practice in 2008?
Scola:Oh no, I thought everybody forgot about that. That was one of the worst days of my life [laughs].

:08 HOOP:You’d be great on Dancing with the Stars. You’re known for your footwork.
Scola:I’m not real athletic and I’m not really tall, so I have to develop whatever I can to survive in the NBA. Footwork is what’s helping me and I’ve worked on it every day.

:07 HOOP:How do you work on footwork?
Scola:You can do drills. But I think you have to be in shape and play a lot. Your quickness, reaction, body memory has to be automatic. If you’re out of shape, what should take a tenth of a second takes your legs three-tenths of a second, and you’re done.

:06 HOOP:How do you keep your hair in shape? What kind of shampoo do you use?
Scola:I change it every couple months, because my hair gets used to it. But right now I am using Dove Frizz Control.

:05 HOOP:Do you ever get your hair pulled during a game?
Scola:No, that would be cheating. I don’t think anybody wants to do that. People would talk about that for years. There are a lot of other ways to play defense.

:04 HOOP:How often do you shave?
Scola:I don’t have a pattern. Sometimes I’ll go two weeks, sometimes I shave four days in a row. It grows really fast, so even if I shave today it will look like a shadow tomorrow.

:03 HOOP:A good look for fishing, right?
Scola:I like all the rituals of fishing—being outside on the boat in the water, and eating it after—but I wouldn’t call myself a great fisherman.

:02 HOOP:Do you have a favorite fishing hole?
Scola:I’ll go anywhere, I don’t care. In Houston it’s difficult, but when we go on vacation, I like to go fishing. Or when I’m back home, I go to a big river we have and go with my dad.

:01 HOOP:Biggest fish you've ever caught?
Scola:My dad says that my fish grow all the time [laughs]. I’ve never measured them, but I get pictures because nobody believes it.