http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/1087674 Rice can't wait to start taking shots By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2001 Houston Chronicle KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Impatience was catching up to Glen Rice. But now it was coming at him from a different angle. He knew it would be difficult to watch practices from the sideline like some Janis Ian (those whose names are never called when choosing sides for a basketball game) outcast. The feeling would be worse on a new team, with new teammates to get to know and impress. His last season was not up to his standards, meaning during the preseason, he was going to start reclaiming his place in the NBA eminence. Rice, recovering from plantar fasciaitis in his left foot, was prepared for those feelings as he missed the Rockets' first two preseason games. But he was not prepared for seeing all those open shots Wednesday and Thursday. He could be the life of the party, if only he could get an invitation. "There were so many open shots," Rice said. "I mean wide-open shots. I really wanted to be out there." To that end, he has a plan. Some time today at Kemper Arena as the Rockets prepare to play the Detroit Pistons, Rice plans to work on Rockets trainer Keith Jones, hoping to get least a temporary parole from the training room. Rice has been limited to two training camp scrimmages, endless laps in the pool and assorted shooting drills. But the Rockets are getting all sorts of open shots, and not making them with any satisfying regularity. "I've been lobbying Keith since day one," Rice said. "At first, he had to tie me down with ropes. Now, he's going to have to tie me down with chains. It's tough. I'm trying to get some minutes." Jones said Rice would not win his argument. Much of the progress Rice has made has been because he has not pushed his comeback, and the Rockets have bigger things in mind than a preseason exercise in Kansas City. But while Rice yearns to get his hands on the ball, he and the Rockets view those open shots as a positive sign from the first two preseason games, losses to the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks. Only a fraction of the Rockets' planned offense has been installed and only a portion of that has been used because of the limits of the defenses they have faced. Yet, both opponents have routinely slipped into a strong-side zone, now permitted by this season's rule changes. As a result, the Rockets have found open spaces for their shooters on the weakside. Mix in the more reliable shooting strokes of their injured five, particularly Rice and Cuttino Mobley, and the Rockets see high scores coming relatively easily. "It's leading to wide-open shots on the perimeter, inside and outside," Steve Francis said of the offense. "The only reason we're not making those shots, it's preseason. Guys don't all have their legs under them. But guys will be knocking those shots down. Guys are wide-open." Though he hasn't been able to join the fun, Rice could be buoyed by the increasing impression that those open shots are not going anywhere. Francis promised the shots would be available all season. Last season the Rockets were the ninth-most accurate shooting team in the NBA. That relatively good result was due largely to the quality of the shots they could get rather than the quality of their shooting. "We're definitely a better shooting team percentage-wise," Francis said. "We can go a lot higher than ninth." Of course, Rice hopes to get his share of open shots as soon as possible. "It's hard not to see that," Rice said. "There's a lot of wide-open jump shots. That could continue the rest of the season. We have a team with Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley with guys that are capable of penetrating and creating shots for guys and creating shots for themselves. "I'm very anxious to get back out there. I want to get out there this weekend and get back to doing the things I can do." Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said he is anxious to plug Rice into the offense and is happy to see the open shots are there. "Our guys are doing a great job moving the ball around," Tomjanovich said. "We haven't done a lot of that in practice. We're not a real run out and double-team type of team. We're emphasizing individual defense. "I'm extremely pleased and excited with the shots we're getting. Glen Rice is really excited. He said he can't believe how many open shots we created." Rice can't stand it either.
Hold on Glen don't rush yourself. Rest up and get back to 100% so that you can go off for 50 or something! This team is going to score in bunches. If they play even decent defense the playoffs are coming!
All I want from Glen is 45% FG% and 40% 3pt%. I could care less whether he averages five points or fifty. But as long as he reliably hits the open shots, someone will be able to score. The defense will have to choose which is the lesser evil, and hopefully it will mostly be a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't situation for opponents.
Those shots will be there more for Williams than Rice. Teams will not be so eager to leave him open on the weak side. Which, of course, improves our one-on-one on the strong side. Can't wait to see all the pieces fall in place
This makes the acquisition of Jackson even more appealing. With his low post offensive punch, we'll be able to score from anywhere on the floor. This is going to be an exciting season.
Well thats good to hear from Glen, I just hope he doesn't start crying like he did in LA when he doesn't get as many shot attempts. I thought that triangle offense would be ideal for him, but he kind of talked his way out of a 2nd ring. We'll see how he works for us.
Actually that triangle was terrible for Rice for the same reason that Horry and Fox's stats drop when Kobe plays, Kobe changes the triangle's inside-out attack into a slashing attack. I don't think it's a coincidence that Rice, Fox, Horry and even Grant's stats drop when Kobe plays. I think Rice will fit in perfectly.
