Playoffs 2000:Rice, Harper step up after Bryant goes out

Rice, Harper step up after Bryant goes out
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Lakers' third option suddenly became No. 2, and not by choice.

Glen Rice, much maligned throughout the playoffs for his inconsistent play on offense, was up to the challenge.

And so were Ron Harper, Derek Fisher and Robert Horry, who also moved up in the pecking order.

Known as one of the NBA's top outside shooters but often a disappointment this season, Rice came through after Kobe Bryant sprained his ankle in the first quarter, scoring 21 points as the Lakers beat Indiana 111-104 Friday night to take a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals.

"A lot of people say I'm the third option," said Rice, averaging 20.2 points in his 11-year NBA career.

"It was a matter of getting good looks. Once I hit a couple, the confidence went up."

Rice, who went 1-for-8 from the field and scored three points in the Lakers' 104-87 victory in Game 1, bounced back with a 7-of-15 performance, including 5-of-6 from 3-point range.

His point total equaled his high in this year's playoffs.

"When you lose a key player, one of the things you have to do is come together collectively, offensively and defensively, step up your game," Rice said. "We may very well be short again. Guys have to step up again."

And Rice?

"It's pretty much going to put me as the second option again," he said. "That's fine with me. I'm ready to accept the challenge."

Bryant's status for Game 3 at Conseco Fieldhouse on Sunday night is unclear. The Lakers said Bryant, who scored 14 points in Game 1, is day-to-day.

Rice's biggest shot was a 3-pointer from the top of the key with a little less than five minutes left, ending a 6-0 Indiana run and giving the Lakers an 89-84 lead.

The Pacers weren't closer than three points after that.

The Lakers took the lead for good on a foul shot by Shaquille O'Neal with 2:53 left in the third quarter, and Rice followed with his fourth 3-pointer in as many tries at that stage to give the Lakers a 71-67 lead.

Harper, forced to play more minutes than usual and become more of a scorer as well because of Bryant's injury, also scored 21 points, including four free throws in the final 32.5 seconds to clinch the victory.

"Ron Harper, old guy, that's all I can say," Harper said with a wide grin. "He's just an old guy trying to hold on."

Harper, 36, played on championship teams in Chicago from 1996-98 under current Lakers coach Phil Jackson.

"We're a good team, I think," Harper said. "Guys did a fine, big job tonight."

Harper's running bank shot with a little more than eight minutes left made it 82-78, and Fisher followed with a 3-pointer to give the Lakers the game's biggest lead to that point.

Bryant, a second-team All-NBA selection as well as first-team all-defensive pick, was injured while making his only shot of the game, a 17-foot jumper with 3:26 left in the first quarter.

Bryant, who sprained his right foot in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals against Portland but didn't miss any playing time, landed on Jalen Rose's foot after releasing the shot and went down.

It was obvious immediately the injury was significant, as he arose hobbling. Shortly thereafter, Bryant left the court for good.

Bryant missed 15 games at the start of the season because of a broken right hand.

"We learned to play without him, we learned how to win without him," said Lakers guard Brian Shaw, who figures to start in Bryant's place if he can't play Sunday. "We gained confidence early in the second we could win without him. I don't think there was a dropoff when he went out."

O'Neal, meanwhile, set an NBA record by attempting 39 free throws, making 18. He was fouled intentionally several times in the late going, and was 5-for-10 in those situations.

With the Lakers leading 99-96, the ball went to O'Neal, but he dropped it to Horry before the Pacers could foul the big center, and Horry's three-point play gave Los Angeles a six-point lead.

Horry finished with seven points and Fisher scored six.