Patterson Becomes a Surprise Starter

Rookie Ruben Patterson was probably as surprised as anyone that he was picked to make his NBA starting debut Sunday against the SuperSonics, and asked to guard SuperSonic most-valuable-player candidate Gary Payton.

Starting small forward Glen Rice was sick and missed the game, and backup Robert Horry told Coach Kurt Rambis he preferred to remain a reserve.

Patterson, a physical defensive specialist who had played a total of 61 minutes in the first 38 games, heard the news about an hour before the game.

Though Payton scored 33 points, Patterson, who played 11 minutes, was relatively unscathed.

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Shaquille O’Neal has a favorite saying, which he recently used to criticize verbose Seattle center Olden Polynice: “I’m a bridge, Olden is water--no matter how high the tide rises, he’ll always be under me.”

After the Seattle victory on Sunday, Polynice had a retort: “You can all tell Shaq I might still be water and he’s the bridge, but guess what, that bridge was man-made and the water is made by God. I will always survive. And he better watch out before I rise over him.”

RODMAN WATCH

A look at Dennis Rodman’s numbers with the Lakers:

SUNDAY vs. SUPERSONICS

Minutes: 40

Rebounds: 13

Assists: 1

Points: 6

SEASON AVERAGES

Minutes: 29.3

Rebounds: 11.5

Assists: 1.4

Points: 2.2

Laker record with Rodman: 17-5

Laker record without Rodman: 8-9