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Chron: FIGHTING TIME-Rockets Glen Rice making no concessions to age

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by ron413, Oct 7, 2002.

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  1. ron413

    ron413 Contributing Member

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    http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/bk/bkn/1606313

    Oct. 6, 2002, 10:53PM

    FIGHTING TIME
    Rockets' Rice making no concessions to age
    By JONATHAN FEIGEN
    Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle
    AUSTIN -- Time will win. It always does, especially when it competes with an athlete on the other side of 30 with a knee that had to be sewn back together.

    But for now, Glen Rice will concede nothing, except perhaps the need to ease himself back into his old preseason routine.

    His plan is to be what he always has been. He will be an offensive force, a consistent threat on the perimeter and low post, a veteran leader. He will be, he said, the player he was before injuries ruined most of the past two seasons, perhaps even before he couldn't quite fit in with the Lakers.

    Rice, 35 and a veteran of 13 NBA seasons, is easily the most accomplished Rockets player, the leading scorer in Heat history, an All-Star Most Valuable Player for the Hornets, a champion with the Lakers. But Rice insists those successes are not measures of what once was, but indications of what can be.

    "As far as being who I am and doing what I do, I'm still going to want that," Rice said. "I'm a scorer. My shooting ability is there. I still want to do that as much as I can and as well as I can. Whenever I'm doing what I do best, it's going to give us a big advantage. I'm trying not to slow down until it's time to slow down, and right now is not the time."

    Rice is not ready to slide back into a bit part.

    When speaking of the competition for playing time, Kelvin Cato said only guards Cuttino Mobley and Steve Francis have starting jobs assured. Rice, sitting next to him, jokingly cleared his throat until Cato added Rice to the list.

    When Rice was asked during the Rockets' media day if he could average 30 minutes per game, Rice was incredulous.

    "Thirty minutes is nothing," he said. "I feel like I can play as long as the clock is still ticking."

    His position is crowded. Kenny Thomas has excelled at small forward in training camp. Bostjan Nachbar has shown all the skills that made him a first-round pick. Terence Morris has been more confident and shown more offensive skills than as a rookie.

    But the 6-8 Rice can offer something they cannot. With Kevin Willis and Walt Williams gone, Rice is the only Rockets player in his 30s, with more than twice the NBA tenure of the next most experienced Rockets, Maurice Taylor and Cato. He has more playoff experience than the rest of the team combined, and has the only championship ring among players.

    "I think it's good to have a mixture," coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "We're tilted over to the young side. Our veterans are young veterans. Cuttino, this will be five (years), Steve, this is four. I consider that young. We're getting to the point it's time to mature, and to have an older guy there to talk about the situations he's been through is always valuable."

    But to be a leader, Rice said he has to be a player.

    "We have a lot of young talent here, very good talent," he said. "As a veteran, I can give them a lot of guidance. Pretty much every team I've ever played with has been a learning experience. I've tried to rub off on the guys, trying to make sure everyone is on the right path, the path of success.

    "In trying to do that, you have to have the acceptance, and guys have to be willing to learn. Hopefully, they'll see my track record, as far as winning, they'll accept that and respect what I've tried to do in this league and know I'm trying to do everything I can to make them as individuals better and as a team better."

    But Rice insists he is ready to be the player he was before he had to play through injuries with the Knicks (plantar fasciaitis) and Rockets (a torn patella tendon) the past two seasons.

    In 20 games last season, Rice averaged just 8.6 points, on 38.9 percent shooting, and 2.4 rebounds, all by far the worst of his career. But he has averaged 19.3 points on 45.8 percent shooting in his career, has scored more points than anyone else to join the league since he did and until the past two seasons, has been unfailingly durable.

    "I've looked at the last couple years and I've been hurt a lot," he said. "I try not to make that an excuse, but it is what it is. I'm behind a little bit. I'm definitely going to come out strong and get back to playing the way I know how to play. I don't want to talk about it as much, I want to go out and do it.

    "I joke that the last couple years because of the injuries I've been able to save myself. Now it's time to go out and push it."

    He has not been permitted to push it too far at training camp, and by the weekend, the frustration seemed to show. He has had to skip at least half the workouts, and never practiced more than once in the same day. But Sunday, he scrimmaged without restraint. Besides plays Tomjanovich called "real good moments," Rice was thrilled with how he felt after the practice.

    "The knee felt so much better," he said. "I took a little time, getting more rehab in and went out there today full tilt and let me tell you something, I feel great, really good."

    That, Rice said, is just a start. The end remains uncertain. He has two seasons remaining on the four-year, $36 million contract he signed with the Knicks. He said he doesn't know if his current contract will be his last and with enough other concerns the past two seasons, was not ready to worry about that, too.

    "I hadn't really thought about it," Rice said. "I've focused on coming out this year and having the best year I possibly can. After that, it will just fall into place."

    There will be time for such concerns later.

    "I just want to get back to playing the way I'm capable of playing and stay healthy," he said. "I really feel the last couple of years, I haven't had a chance to be as healthy as I was in the past. When you're not healthy, there's not too much you can do as far as being at the top of your game. If I stay healthy, I'll give myself a great chance to do what I can do."
     
    #1 ron413, Oct 7, 2002
  2. rockbox

    rockbox Around before clutchcity.com

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    If Rice can even get back his Lakers form, this team will be at least a 6th seed in the west and possibly a 4th seed.
     
    #2 rockbox, Oct 7, 2002
  3. CriscoKidd

    CriscoKidd Member

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    I'm rooting for Glen Rice, but I'll believe it when I see it.

    I hate having to wait. :mad:
     
    #3 CriscoKidd, Oct 7, 2002
  4. HotRocket

    HotRocket Contributing Member

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    I guess this is going to mean the Nachbar will be burried at the end of the bench. I was really hoping he would have a chance to start and show what he could do, but with Thomas moving to the three along with Rice and Tmo; he might be lucky to get the same type of min. Dan Langhi had last year.

    But then again, if if Rice is even half the player he once was... number 5 seed here we come.
     
    #4 HotRocket, Oct 7, 2002
  5. Relativist

    Relativist Contributing Member

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    I agree that if Rice can back up on the court what he's saying to the press right now, I don't see Nachbar getting more than garbage minutes. If Kenny's effective at SF, he'll get the minutes because of seniority and I wouldn't have it any other way. Nachbar's not going anywhere. Our longterm success is not hinged on his development.

    If Rice becomes at least the third-leading scorer this year, how will you guys look back on the Shandon trade? Me, I guess it all depends on whether we make the playoffs and how far we go. If we have a really successful year, then I (living in the present) will be perfectly happy to say that it was a good move. I don't know who we could've picked up in Rice's place who would've helped us win last year. We might've gotten close to the playoffs, but with the injuries, I don't think we would still have made it. Considering we ended up with Yao, I don't see how any of us can be really unhappy with the way things are turning out, even if losing really bites.
     
    #5 Relativist, Oct 7, 2002
  6. Rockets34Legend

    Rockets34Legend Contributing Member

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    It's going to be hard for Rice to get some playing time w/ KT excelling at the 3.

    And w/ Nachbar coming along....there might not be a spot for Rice next year...
     
    #6 Rockets34Legend, Oct 7, 2002
  7. Sane

    Sane Member

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    If Rice's knee pain is gone before preseason, and he's able to play 30 good minutes a game in the preseason, the it's BYE BYE KT.

    I just don't think that KT will be happy as a 3rd string PF and 3rd string SF.


    My guess: KT will play big minutes and look good during Mot's suspension. But when MoT comes back, Eddie and Boki have seen NBA ball for 10 games or so, then KT is gone. T-Mo will be the 3rd string PF AND Sf and will be happy about it. Boki and Griff will be the primary backups, while Rice and MoT start.


    Can we get a first rounder for KT?
     
    #7 Sane, Oct 7, 2002
  8. TBar

    TBar Contributing Member

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    Keeping in mind what we are paying Rice, and we got nothing out of him last year, if he has a good season, I guess that does redeem the Shandon Anderson sign and trade slightly.....

    But for what we are paying him????

    If we play Rice at the expense of playing time to develop Boki, or play Kenny - our only slash to the basket- physical inside player-then this presents a new set of impacts to the team...

    I never liked the aquisistion of Rice- I felt it was a mistake.

    I wish him the best and will keep my expectations at a low to dismal level.........

    9 mil for nothing

    Give it to charity next time.......

    Drop the money in a rat hole and pound sand in it........
     
    #8 TBar, Oct 7, 2002
  9. ricerocket

    ricerocket Member

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    The motion offense requires many players. At forward, MT, EG, KT, Rice will rotate and Boki will get some time too. Not everybody will be healthy all the time. MT will miss 5 games. Someone will get the flu. There will be time for Boki just like there was for EG. Maybe not as much, but he could even see 2 time.

    Rice is going to be awesome. He doesn't have to prove himself by scoring a lot, he just needs to be that threat and feed off Steve, Cat, MT and Yao Ming. He is going to be open a lot. And he is a big 3, he'll post up a lot of smaller 3's or shoot over them coming off motion picks. This is a very talented offensive team. Gel baby gel... Get those test tubes and bunsen burners out, we need some chemistry! :D
     
    #9 ricerocket, Oct 7, 2002
  10. Verbatim

    Verbatim Member

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    Rice was injured last year. Not with the foot injury that everyone knew he had. Rockets got "more" for the trade than first conceived. What more can the man do? Injuries happen. Mo Taylor was a waste of money too then. For that matter, so was Grant Hill or a number of NBA Players. When they are hurt, they are hurt.

    Besides, the trade was needed to fullfile the "pack" with S. Anderson. You just knew there was some "promise" not written that S. Anderson was going to get paid by the rockets. If the rockets let him walk, then they be lying.

    If Rice can play this season, great, if not, and he's not hurt, then it's a waste of money.
     
    #10 Verbatim, Oct 7, 2002
  11. PhiSlammaJamma

    PhiSlammaJamma Member

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    When's the last time you saw a player return to his previous skill level at his age.
     
    #11 PhiSlammaJamma, Oct 7, 2002
  12. ricerocket

    ricerocket Member

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    Insurance probably paid their salaries, so the Rocket's didn't waste anything. We even got that MLE we didn't use on Marc Jackson.
     
    #12 ricerocket, Oct 7, 2002
  13. Relativist

    Relativist Contributing Member

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    Well, pretty recently. I can't stand the guy as much as any, but I have to grudgingly offer a name. Michael "Retirement is Boring" Jordan. :rolleyes:
     
    #13 Relativist, Oct 7, 2002
  14. GATER

    GATER Contributing Member

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    This has been mentioned here more times than the number of posts you have. And my stock answer everytime is always the same - if the Rockets were forced (for reasons of loyalty or a promise) to take a bloated contract, there had to be someone younger than Rice who would have both salary matched and provided some solid playing time.

    Shandon Anderson made $5.5m last year. Do you have an idea how many other players might have been available for that price?

    Has everyone forgotten the Rocks had serious reservations about Rice's health even before the trade was finalized? Remember the extra $1.0m Les got back from the Knicks?

    I'd have rather have had Tariq Abdul-Wahad's contract - he'll be available for 82 games and plays some D.

    Along with JAG/Macbeth, Will & leebigez, I was among the first to step up as opposing the trade but now that we got him, I'm rooting for him. Unfortunately, I'm not optimistic.
     
    #14 GATER, Oct 7, 2002
  15. codell

    codell Contributing Member

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    I think if Rice's outside game is on the up and up, he will be a great asset to this team. If not, we have to find a way to get Nachbar some healthy minutes as he is better suited for a motion offense and a good running game.
     
    #15 codell, Oct 7, 2002
  16. ROXTXIA

    ROXTXIA Contributing Member

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    Rice won't hold up like he thinks. Give him 24 mpg, maybe.
     
    #16 ROXTXIA, Oct 7, 2002
  17. RocksMillenium

    RocksMillenium Contributing Member

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    Michael Jordan, John Stockton after serious knee surgery a few years ago, Hakeem (who after a similar knee surgery played high level basketball for another 2 to 3 years), Dominique Wilkins after blowing out his achilles tendon, Anthony Mason, even Patrick Ewing (until more serious injuries tore him down the last 2 years or so), so it's more then possible.
     
    #17 RocksMillenium, Oct 7, 2002
  18. Easy

    Easy Boban Only Fan
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    How long had these players been ingury plague? Rice has been hurt on and off for at least 2 years. We are not talking about just one major injury. We are talking about a frequently hurt pattern for over 2 seasons.

    And he is 35, which is not young at all, even if he hadn't had the injury problems.
     
    #18 Easy, Oct 7, 2002
  19. Woofer

    Woofer Contributing Member

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    I think he's over the hill but I like his competitive fire, and wish some of it would rub off on Cato.
     
    #19 Woofer, Oct 7, 2002
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