All-Star Game


MULTIMEDIA

Glen Rice admits that Scottie Pippen helped him catch fire.
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Shawn Kemp says he deserves a piece of Rice's MVP.
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By Phil Green
ESPNET SportsZone

After his sizzling stretch from 3-point range, Glen Rice scores from a little closer in.

Starting at the 10:35 mark of the third quarter, Rice hit three consecutive 3-pointers to turn a one-point East advantage into a 10-point lead with 9:44 left in the period. That spurt carried the East to a 132-120 victory and sealed the MVP award for Rice.

When the 29-year-old's third consecutive trey hit nothing but net, the players on the East bench leaped to their feet in appreciation. But one player on the floor could barely believe what he had witnessed.

"It was almost like it put you in an awe position like you didn't really see it happening," Scottie Pippen said. "But it was happening right before your eyes."

And this came after Rice had shot just 1-for-7 in the first half.

"I started off a little slow today, and all of a sudden in that second half I got back into that groove," said Rice, who shot 9-for-17 in the second half. "One thing I always try to do, no matter how many shots I'm missing (is) to stay focused and always rely on my jumper and realize that eventually it's going to start falling for me."

Fall it did. At a record pace.

Rice's personal 9-0 run was part of 44-7 run by the East in less than nine minutes that turned a 56-34 second-quarter deficit into a 78-63 lead. But all anybody wanted to talk about after the game was the Hornets' 6-foot-8 swingman and how he turned the game in the East's favor.

"We had a big start to the half and he started us off and got us going." East forward Vin Baker said. "I think it was the key point of the game, and I think it was ideal because it showed how he has been playing all year."

And just like Charlotte's opponents have found this season, once Rice starts cooking, there's nothing you can do to stop him. He started with those nine points and finished the quarter with an All-Star-Game record 20 points (Hal Greer scored 19 points in a quarter in 1968).

"We made a couple of mistakes by letting him get some good looks," West forward Tom Gugliotta said. "Once he knocked a few down with some good looks, it seemed like he didn't even need to see the rim anymore. He was in a groove and was able to light us up."

Rice's torching of the nets from beyond the 3-point arc made everything easier for his star teammates, especially hometown hero Terrell Brandon who picked up an easy assist with each of Rice's three baskets.

The Cleveland point guard said watching Rice sizzle was a joy. "It made me look good, too, because he was hitting the shots I was giving him," Brandon said.

"I think that one stretch in the third quarter, seeing an exhibition like that ... was wonderful."

Rice gave partial credit for his blistering second half to words of encouragement from East coach Doug Collins and his teammates. But Rice's true inspiration came from his fiancee Christine Fernandez.

"She's my best critic," Rice said. "She gave me that look and told me I was like 1-for-5 or 1-for-6. And usually when she gives me that look, I say to myself, 'I better get busy or it's going to be a long night.' "

Just like Rice knows when Fernandez gets that look in her eyes he's as good as finished, the Western Conference All-Stars now know when he gets that look in his eyes they're finished as well. And in this case, it only took 51 seconds to change everybody's fate.