By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle Hours earlier, Glen Rice was all kinds of indifferent cool. He would be smart, he said. There was no reason to push anything. He would take the knee out for a run, push around the Spurs the best he could and see how he felt in the morning. He would have been a complete liar if he had any idea how he would really feel. That wise, veteran cool was replaced with the jittery legs and a racing heart he almost convinced himself had left him. By the time the Rockets' 96-93 preseason win over the Spurs reached the second quarter on Tuesday, Rice was shaking as he had not in years. He was nervous, he kept telling his teammates as if he needed to hear it himself to believe it. He was excited about a meaningless mid-October tuneup, the sort that he sat out last season and would have given only a cameo through most of his previous 13 NBA seasons. "It's in my blood, man," Rice said. "Once I get out there, it's my competitive nature that takes over. The game was at 65 (miles per hour). I was at 90." Able to play just 20 games last season before knee surgery sent him into a long, lonely rehabilitation, Rice was in the game for two minutes before he touched the ball. He immediately drained a trey, announcing at least to himself his return. He played 24 minutes, finishing with 10 points and five rebounds. With the Rockets clinging to a four-point lead, he scored four consecutive points in the final two minutes to hold off the Spurs. "I was like a kid in a candy store," Rice said. "I was nervous, too. I told my teammates, `I don't know why I'm nervous, but when I'm nervous, that's a good sign. It's been a long while. It's been too long. If I can go out and feel good and be nervous before the game, I'll accept that." Rice did measure his progress as he said he would. During the day, he was not even sure if he would play. Given the go-ahead, he said he was largely considered to test his progress. He had gone through the Rockets past five practices, including an Austin two-a-day schedule. But he knew games could be different. "I have to think about the knee first," Rice said. "We have other exhibition season games. But I want to mix it up. The intensity is different than practice. We want to get some games under my belt. "I haven't missed a practice in a while. That's a good sign, knock on wood. It's been going pretty good. I get treatment every day, a little extra treatment as well. I just want to keep getting it stronger." By Tuesday night, however, he was convinced. He still did not know what today would bring, and he did not know how much he would play in the week's back-to-back games. But he said the first test could not have gone better, and not just for how much he enjoyed it. "It was big," Rice said. "I felt strong. I was able to do some things. I was able to do what I like doing, posting up, shooting the jumper, hard cuts. And everything felt great. My wind held up. "I worked really hard on conditioning. I was really surprised I wasn't tired. The knee felt great." The Rockets seem far deeper at Rice's position than last season. Kenny Thomas has split time at the forward positions and Terence Morris continued his preseason roll, making 5 of 8 shots for 12 points in 27 minutes. But after a game nearly as notable for who didn't play as who did, the Rockets' forwards missing most or all of last season, Glen Rice and Maurice Taylor came back, and Rice seemed to offer something still unique to the Rockets. The Rockets played without Steve Francis (tendinitis in his right ankle), Kelvin Cato (strained left shoulder) and Jason Collier (broken nose). Moochie Norris dislocated his left pinkie six minutes into the game and was through for the night. The Spurs' David Robinson (sore left wrist) and Steve Smith (flu) also sat out. "Mo and Glen, I was really happy to see both of them and I was happy to give both of them minutes," Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "We have a few games in a short amount of time. That will be a good test for them. "(Rice) has been a great player, and his experience (showed) like hitting those foul shots at the end, hitting big shots. I love the guy. I always admired him. He had some physical things, but he can be a tremendous help to us, not only in leadership and experience, but with his skills. As he gets in better shape and starts feeling like himself, he'll be a very consistent outside shooter." Until then, Rice has no complaints, especially now that he had the adrenaline rushing through his system again. "I can't remember the last time I stepped out and played for the team," Rice said. " It's so good to be back."
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/bk/bkn/1618962 Oct. 15, 2002, 10:58PM -Rockets summary- Anticipation Though he said there was nothing new on bringing Yao Ming to Houston -- no release from the China Basketball Association -- Rockets owner Leslie Alexander said he is growing more excited about adding the first player taken in the draft to the Rockets' roster now that the negotiations are complete. "There's not much left to do," Alexander said. "It's very exciting. I always felt it was real, but it's getting more exciting. It will be better when he's here." Alexander attended Tuesday's annual Clutch City Classic. Proceeds of the game were dedicated to the renovation of downtown's Root Memorial Square Park and to Youth Basketball leagues around the city. "Obviously, this is a big charitable night," Alexander said. "It great to start the season. It's exciting to be back. There's nothing I like more than going to a Rockets basketball game." He clearly had reason to feel a need to spread the word. The Rockets' first preseason home game drew just 8,013. Limited replay After 32 seasons in the NBA, Jess Kersey said he was happy to change. The league will allow officials to use instant replay to get a second look at last-second shots at the end of the first, second and third quarters and if it affects the final score, at the end of the fourth quarter and overtime. Officials will also be able to check to see if a shooter stepped on the 3-point arc on last-second shots. Kersey, however, said the use of replay should go no further. "We still want judgment calls," Kersey said. "That (using replay to reconsider judgment calls) is not what our game is about. We don't need to do that." Kersey said he could remember few controversial, last-second decisions in his 32 seasons as an NBA officials. The most memorable could be the Ralph Sampson shot that clinched the Rockets' 1986 Western Conference Finals upset of the Lakers. But the most controversial Rockets' loss on a last-second shot, the 1993 season-finale loss in San Antonio that cost the Rockets' home-court advantage in Seattle in that season's playoffs, would have been a perfect example of a play that can now be reviewed. "We'd make the right decision," official Bob Delaney said. "Everybody else in the arena had 42 different angles to look at. We have the technology available. We're going to use it to get the call right." Battle wound Juaquin Hawkins' success in training camp has made Rockets coaches anxious to see him in a game. Hawkins, however, has not been able to dress for either Rockets preseason game. Hawkins was out with a sprained ankle last week and was forced to miss Tuesday's game after he was badly cut in a collision with Cuttino Mobley. Hawkins needed 15 stitches in his head to close the wound opened when his head met Mobley's teeth. "You're not a basketball player unless you have some battle wounds," Hawkins said. "I have four more (preseason) game. I'll be ready." "I'm just glad he's feeling better," Mobley said. "He was playing really well in the preseason. I like him. He's good." TV agreement The Rockets reached an agreement on Tuesday with Ch. 51 to broadcast the remaining five preseason games. Regular-season games will be broadcast on Ch. 51 and Ch. 39, although the schedule is still open to change.
If the shot is back, that means the legs & probably the knees are good. Lets pray they stay that way. Everybody's looking good & Yao is on his way! I'm reeeeaaaaly excited about this season!
A healthy Rice could mean an easier run to a 5th or 6th seed. He's a veteran go to guy who can take over games in stretches and finish games strongs with his outside shot and FTs. He's also a pretty good rebounder.
Those of you who saw the game, what do you think? Rice's stat line from the game didn't look that impressive: 3-7 FG, 1-4 3ptrs. Accuracy is questionable, of course. I'm waiting for Rice to get a string of hot or at least fairly decent games going before I get too excited.
Wow that article sounded great, not only the physical healing, but the mental confidence Glen has regained. I've always liked Rice and I hope everything keeps going smooth for him. His situation reminds me a little of Drexler's when he came to the Rockets, a burning desire to win a championship. Rice won with the Lakers, but I think he didn't feel like a major part of that team. A championship with the Rockets would bring the legitimacy that wasn't completely there with the Lakers.
I see that Rice played 24 minutes and Morris played 27 minutes. So they shared the court for at least 3 minutes. Who was not playing SF when they were both out there? And what position did the displaced player play?
They were playing frontline by committee. W/O Cato, Collier and Yao Ming they started EG, MT and TMo. It wasn't a true PF/C/SF game from that standpoint. Rice looked real good. He was moving well, playing good defense and hit a few nice shots. He also played clutch at the end, that veteran factor kicked in. It was a nice start back. If KT and TMo continue to play well and EG and MT also do well we have some damn good forwards: EG 26 min 9 pts 7 rbd 5 blk KT 30 min 13 pts 8 rbd 3 asst TMo 27 min 12 pts 4 rbd 4 asst 2 blks MT 25 min 10 pts 5 rbd 2 blks GR 24 min 10 pts 4 rbd 54 points, 28 rbd 9 blks 7 asst !We only got outrebounded 45-43 without a center! That's just great and evenly distributed production. Without the benefit of Steve, Mooch, Cato and Yao Ming...
