A Case of Many Happy Returns for Horry

By SCOTT HOWARD COOPER

May 13, 2000 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

PHOENIX —

C’mon, what’s one little mutiny among friends?

Robert Horry threw a towel in the face of then-Sun Coach Danny Ainge, got traded to the Lakers in January 1997 in exchange for their problem child of the moment, Cedric Ceballos, and has been booed in every trip back to America West Arena since. As if they won’t let you forget a measly insurrection.

Friday night was no different. He entered Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals, off the bench, and the Phoenix fans were on his case. Then he threw something else in the Suns’ face.

An 18-footer from the left side on the first possession of the second quarter.

A 24-foot three-point basket from the right side on the second trip.

A 24-foot three-point basket from the left side on the third.

The Laker deficit, at 12 late in the opening period, had been cut to four. When another reserve forward, Rick Fox, made a three-point shot, the game was tied. When Fox struck again from behind the arc moments later, he and Horry had combined for 14 points in the 20-7 run that generated a 38-35 lead. When the Lakers claimed a 105-99 victory, and a 3-0 series lead, the they officially had become key contributors.

The ultimate in-your-face move.

“It’s just good to have that game, period, in the playoffs,” Horry said, dismissing any bonus because it came here, in front of all those who remember him so well. “The fans, even though they still boo me, I like them.”

It wasn’t just the shooting. Horry had the three baskets before missing from behind the arc later in the second quarter, but also two assists and two rebounds in the period. One of the assists was on a three-point basket by Glen Rice, and, in the greatest indication of his contribution to the early comeback, Horry opened the quarter in place of A.C. Green at power forward and didn’t leave the floor, though Coach Phil Jackson still went back to Green at the start of the third.

It wasn’t just this game, either. Horry had 12 points--and two three-point baskets in three attempts--three steals, three rebounds and three assists in Game 2, a huge contribution since it came in a last-second 97-96 victory. He only had two points in the series opener, but also four steals, five rebounds and three assists.

And, it wasn’t even just this series. Horry shot 57.1% in the four regular-season games against the Suns, all Laker victories, and averaged 6.8 rebounds and 6.5 points. That compared to his overall numbers, against the league, of 43.8%, 4.8 and 5.7, respectively, despite playing just a minute more versus Phoenix.

He finished with 15 points, five rebounds and four assists in 39 minutes Friday, his biggest scoring output since the season-high 20 on Feb. 23 at Cleveland. That also was the most he has played in at least two seasons, and he said it may have been the most since his days as a Houston Rocket, before ever playing for the Suns or the Lakers.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Scoring Breakdown: Lakers 97, Phoenix 96

Starters vs. Bench

Lakers

Bench: 14

Starters: 91

Suns

Bench: 23

Starters: 76

Team Breakdown

Lakers

Rest of team: 43