Supporting Role May Not Suit Rice
Glen Rice had another almost-mute offensive day--making only two of 10 shots, the last one on a breakaway dunk with less than two seconds left in the game--after Coach Kurt Rambis acknowledged that Rice has raised concerns with him about his role in the Laker offense.
“I absolutely wholeheartedly understand his frustration,” Rambis said.
After the game, Rambis said he isn’t concerned about Rice’s declining shooting percentage--especially since Rice’s shot totals are going down as the Laker offense refocuses on Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
“I’m not going away from him because he’s missing shots,” Rambis said of Rice. “Scorers are like that. They’ll miss three or four in a row and then they’ll make five or six in a row. . . .
“He has the confidence, I have the confidence in him, that he has that capability to do that.”
Both O’Neal and Bryant went out of their way Sunday to say that Rice, acquired in a trade March 10, is a vital part of their playoff hopes.
“Glen’s going to be there for me,” O’Neal said. “Me and him, we talk every day. He knows I need him and he knows he needs me.”
Said Bryant: “‘I ain’t worried about Glen. Glen is fine. He’s going to be fine. He’s going to continue to shoot the ball, he’s going to knock them down.”
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After the game, Rambis praised point guard Derek Fisher’s efficient performance--six points on only three shot attempts, six assists, two steals, and only one turnover in 34 minutes.
“He was steady and distributing the ball to the right people,” Rambis said. “He had a really steady and heady game today.”
Rookie swingman Ruben Patterson was home in Ohio because of a family illness, the team said, but could rejoin the team as early as today.
TONIGHT
vs. Dallas
7:30, Fox Sports West
* Site--Great Western Forum.
* Radio--KLAC (570 AM).
* Records--Lakers 29-19; Mavericks 19-29.
* 1999 Record vs. Mavericks--2-0.
* Update--In the Lakers’ second-to-last game of the regular season, they face a Dallas team that has won four in a row. The Lakers have not won three in a row since beating New York, Vancouver and Phoenix from March 28-April 2.
* Tickets--Sold out.