Mack Talking Smack

From some newspaper (G.S. Board)....

OAKLAND -- Big game tonight at the Arena between the Warriors and Houston Rockets.

Why? Because Sam Mack says so.

Mack's 1-for-10 shooting night in the Warriors' 109-102 loss Tuesday night to the Dallas Mavericks hadn't even worn off and already he was talking about going up against the Rockets and their shooting guard, Shandon Anderson.

Mack, signed by the Warriors last Thursday, finished last season with Houston and felt he was on the verge of re-signing with the team before the season began. But the Rockets also were pursuing Anderson, who was a free agent at the time, and Mack was kept waiting.

And waiting, and waiting. ...

Eventually, the Rockets signed Anderson to a three-year, $6.6 million contract. As for Mack, he didn't hook up with a team until last week, when the Warriors, desperate for backcourt help because of injuries, signed him for the rest of the season.

"A lot of it had to do with waiting on Shandon," Mack said. "But we're two different players. I think I can bring more to the table than Shandon. They thought Shandon could bring more to the table than me. Obviously they gave him the money. All I can do is prove them wrong."

Mack averaged 10.7 points per game last season with the Vancouver Grizzlies and Rockets, ranking eighth in the NBA in 3-pointers made (87) and 17th in 3-point percentage (.397). He also played part of the 1995-96 season with the Rockets and all of the 1996-97 season with them. Mack scored a career-high 38 points against the Warriors on April 2, 1996, in a game at the San Jose Arena.

"It's a big game for me because I thought I worked hard for that organization," Mack said. "At that point and time (over the summer), I don't think I was treated fairly when it came down to negotiating my contract."

Mack said he and his agent at the time, Bill Duffy, were involved in negotiations with Rockets senior executive vice president of basketball affairs Robert Barr in late July and early August, and had begun to make progress on a contract.

"We had sat down and got some numbers, figured on a starting point," Mack said. "But from what I understand, when we came back later, they didn't want to honor the numbers we were talking about. You can't make them honor it. I chose not to go on and I had to sit out. But now I'm ready to go."

Part of the problem was that Barr resigned on Aug. 11. Mack worked out for the Warriors in September, but they instead signed guard Tim Legler for $885,000. Before the season, Mack was seeking the $2 million exception. Legler was released Dec. 29.

Also playing into things was that then-coach P.J. Carlesimo wanted to sign Legler rather than Mack because, he said, he believed Legler would better handle limited playing time.

In any event, Warriors coach Garry St. Jean might want to keep a watchful eye on Mack, who is raring to go.

"Some guys do take it up over that level," St. Jean said about a player going up against his former team. "When you look at the psychology of sport, you want a player to find that perfect level to compete at that allows for maximum performance. But when you get a little too high, that emotion can affect you and it's not productive."

"It's a real big game," Mack maintained, despite the Warriors' 6-28 record and the Rockets' 10-24 mark.

If you say so.