Jackson Delivers Blunt Response to Rice’s Complaints

SAN ANTONIO â€”  Coach Phil Jackson had a smile on his face but there was bite in his words.

Asked about Glen Rice’s postgame comments Sunday that he hadn’t touched the ball enough in the second half of the Lakers’ loss to Houston--Rice made one of seven shots in the game and missed his only shot in the second half--Jackson shrugged, grinned and said:

“Maybe he didn’t deserve any more shots.

“He was having trouble putting it in, anyway. But I didn’t find anything that was sitting there for him, now that I think about watching that second half.�

Jackson said the Laker offense at the start of the game was designed to get Rice shots against Rocket forward Walt Williams.

“He had what we consider an easy defensive man playing him and it was a point of weakness on the Houston team,� Jackson said. “But we couldn’t take advantage of it. And that hurt us yesterday.�

The Lakers have lost five of eight since their 16-game winning streak ended and Jackson said the slide is mostly due to a lack of teamwide energy. How can the Lakers solve the problem?

“I don’t know,� Jackson said, again breaking into a coy smile. “Maybe it’s time for us to start thinking about moving personnel on, you know? Maybe we can’t get anybody to play together. . . .

“We’re just going to have to do it, . . . we’re going to fix it somehow.�

*

A fire forced the Lakers to evacuate their hotel Monday. Firefighters put out a small fire that started in the basement of La Mansion Del Rio Hotel, along the San Antonio Riverwalk. The fire was mainly an inconvenience, and no injuries were reported.

TONIGHT

at San Antonio

5 PST, Channel 9, TNT.

* Site--Alamodome.

* Radio--KLAC (570).

* Records--Lakers 34-10, Spurs 28-16.

* Record vs. Spurs--1-0.

* Update--After absorbing two dispiriting losses to Portland, two to Seattle and one to Sacramento this month, the Spurs could use a win against a conference power. So could the Lakers, who were 9-5 in January after a 14-1 December.