The thing about the Spurs game that stuck out to me the most was not the 24-point half, or the 1 assist total for the Rockets through 2 1/2 quarters, although that was painful. The thing that really got to me was Rudy's blatant misuse of Glen Rice as he started to heat up in the third. Rice hit several "in your face" 18-ft jumpers and was starting to get really hot. Rudy, sensing Rice's jumper was really heating up, immediately calls to try to get Rice more involved. So what does he do? Calls for Rice to post up?!? I really fail to see the logic in that. Rice did not have another open jumper until he drained a three late in the fourth. Why, oh why, do you decide to start posting up a three point shooter when he starts to get hot. This was not a isolated incident, as Rice repeatedly posted up and most the time turned the ball over. Did anyone else notice this and think that we were completely misusing Rice?
Rice has stated that he likes to post up, and those were "enyo face" jumpers. Plus, I'd give Rice credit for 20's. Man, that is absolutely my favorite shot...my personal bread and butter, the pure unguardability of an ultra-quick release. If you really want to show someone up, take it off the dribble and jump right into your defender releasing directly over his head before he can get his hands up, much less even jump, like throwing a dart and releasing directly over the man's head. That is about as close to a facial as us non-dunkers can come. It makes up for all those times the jumpers tell me to *stay down*...grrr! Rice rox! He can shoot anytime, off any foot, from the dribble or not, and left or right....doesn't matter. imo, Reggie, Glen and Larry are on a level all their own at the quick release j.
Understandably, I think Rudy is still trying to get a grasp on what type of offense he wants to run, and how he's going to utilize Rice. In his defense, he hasn't had all 3 of his primary scorers healthy and "in the flow" at the same time this year. Fortunately, it seems that Rice is starting to knock the rust off and should have a good year. But how do you utilize an inside-outside player like Rice? Do you move him around, bringing him off picks one play, isloating him on the blocks the next? Do you let him set up and\or drift along the perimeter, stretching the defense? Considering the lack of consistent low post scoring, do you isolate Rice in the post and along the baseline? That's what I call a "nice problem".
Rudy went to the well too many times after Rice hit a couple of shots. They were triple teaming him when he got the ball. O well it was nice to see those awsome shots. Can he do it every night?? I wish Walt Williams could hit his shots. Please god give WW his shot back....
