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Cookin' Rice steams over lack of playing time
Posted: Tuesday June 13, 2000 01:48 AM
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Glen Rice thinks he could have prevented the Los Angeles Lakers' first loss in the NBA Finals. Phil Jackson, through his actions rather than his words, has shown he doesn't agree. The Los Angeles Lakers' high-scoring forward and his coach are at odds as the series moves toward Game 4 on Wednesday night. The Indiana Pacers, who lost twice in Los Angeles before winning 100-91 on Sunday night, can tie the series with a victory. Rice is angry about being benched by Jackson during critical parts of the Finals, including most of the fourth quarter in Game 3. Jackson, who largely used defense-minded Rick Fox is Rice's place, apparently sees him as a defensive liability. Now controversy is stirring in the Lakers' previously harmonious camp. Rice is telling anyone who will listen that he should be playing more minutes and getting more shots as the Lakers search for two more victories and a title -- and his teammates are backing him up. "I definitely think we would have had a better chance to win (Game 3) with me on the floor," Rice said. "I really think I need to be in there for us to succeed. With me being on the court, it's going to make it a lot easier for Shaq in the paint. It could all be done a lot easier. "I'm trying to be as positive as I can. I'm not trying to be negative or be the bad apple in the bunch. I'm just asking to be involved a little more." Rice played just 27 minutes and had seven points -- none after halftime -- in Game 3. While Indiana said its defense was the reason for Rice's failures, Rice blames Jackson for benching him in the fourth quarters of the last two games. "I have no comment for that," Jackson said when told of Rice's statements. "That's the way he saw the game." Kobe Bryant's sprained left ankle likely will be well enough for him to play Wednesday night. But even if Bryant returns, the Lakers showed in Game 3 that they need several options on offense besides Shaquille O'Neal in order to win. Rather than treating the complaints as a distraction, his teammates appear to be rallying behind Rice, who scored 21 points in Game 2 with Bryant out. "I was disappointed a little bit that our best shooter was on the bench," said O'Neal, who had 33 points in Game 3 but was harassed by double-teams. Rice's role on the Lakers has diminished gradually this season. When he was acquired two years ago from Charlotte for Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell, the Lakers thought his offensive explosiveness would provide the outside counterpoint to O'Neal's dominant inside game. But Rice doesn't believe he fits well in the Lakers' triangle offense. His favorite shots -- quick jump shots taken off screens -- don't often arise in the scheme. "I know I can score, but I try to work within the offense," Rice said. "It's frustrating sometimes. If I'm involved, it's a much simpler game for us." Bryant's emergence as a superstar this season also cut into Rice's chances to contribute. In addition, Rice is often a disinterested defender, which makes him a poor bet late in games. Rice hopes to be a high-priced free agent at season's end, but he wouldn't touch the subject Monday. When asked whether his exclusion from the game plan against Indiana would influence his decision to return to the Lakers, he was mum. "I'm just going to try to complete this mission, and I'll go from there," Rice said. "I don't want to be a distraction. These things can easily be worked out if we win a championship." While the Lakers struggled with egos, the Pacers took a day off and focused on tying the series. Indiana got 33 points from Reggie Miller and rediscovered the swagger they had during the Eastern Conference playoffs. Miller and coach Larry Bird are also involved in a dispute, though it's much less serious. Bird is trying to convince Miller to spend less energy lobbying the officials and trash-talking his opponents, while Miller says it's the only way he knows how to play. "These are the Finals, and this is the first time I've been here," Miller said. "My emotions should be high. I've played like that my whole career." The Pacers also were pleased with their improved defensive effort against O'Neal. Bird used power forward Dale Davis as Indiana's primary defender against Shaq, and though Davis isn't nearly O'Neal's size, he is muscular, tough and clever enough to keep O'Neal at bay until the double-teams can arrive. Davis cited three factors in the Pacers' improved effort on O'Neal. "We pushed Shaq out of the block, we got better pressure on the ball, and we were quicker with the double-teams," he said. "That's really all you can do against him. He'll still get a bunch of points anyway." Pacers assistant coach Dick Harter, who runs the team's defense, isn't a fan of double-teaming on defense but says he has no choice against O'Neal. Jalen Rose compared Indiana's defensive about-face to "cramming for a test in college." "We tried some things in the first two games that didn't work as well," Rose said. "(In Game 3), we were so much more aggressive and in Shaq's face. We're not used to the double-teams, but we're adjusting quick."
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