LAKERS UPDATE: FOX ALREADY MAKING HIS POINT.Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer Yes, Rick Fox admits, this has been a most unusual October for him. Shots are falling, his defense is outstanding, and so far just a couple crazy passes into the scorer's table. ``That's strange,'' Fox said, ``because I'm notorious, I've had 10 years of lousy lous·y adj. lous·i·er, lous·i·est 1. Infested with lice. 2. Extremely contemptible; nasty: a lousy trick. 3. Octobers. I'm surprised I'm still in the league - if it was for Octobers, I'd be shot.'' This month, Fox has been in more of a June state of mind, playing exhibition games with the same tenacity he brought to the court last spring. Heading into Friday, Fox was averaging 8.9 points on 48 percent shooting and had made 10 of 19 3-pointers. That all stands in contrast to the state of Fox's game a year ago at this time. He'd come to camp 15 pounds lighter and was trying to secure a starting job after the departure of Glen Rice Glen Anthony Rice (born May 28 1967, in Flint where he played for Flint Northwestern High School, Michigan) is a retired American NBA basketball player. Rice was a three-time NBA All-Star small forward well known for his pinpoint shooting accuracy, ranking 4th in NBA history with . It all made for a shaky training camp and even shakier start to the regular season as Fox claimed the starting job, lost it, then got it back. This year, he's secure in his role, and enjoying the comfort that comes with it. ``I put a lot of things that I think I was dealing with mentally last year aside,'' he said. ``I'm not analyzing my play as much, I'm not looking to assess where I can improve. I know where I need to improve, and I knew that based on what I did last year. And now it's just a focus of staying healthy and doing the things I do well. ... So it's very clear for me. And when it's clear, you just go out and try and do the things you know you're capable of doing and not worry about fighting for survival.'' After the All-Star break, Fox settled into a rhythm and consistently scored in double figure for the rest of the season. Now he's primed for perhaps his best scoring season in years - but he's trying not to think about it that way. ``As soon as I have four or five scoring games where I really play well and shoot the ball well and score 15 or 16 points, I start to think I've got to score. And that's when I have my worst game offensively. ``I told myself from day one, I'm coming in this year and I'm going to do what I can control, which was play really good defense, look to take care of the ball and execute the offense. When I've done that, things have exploded ex·plode v. ex·plod·ed, ex·plod·ing, ex·plodes v.intr. 1. To release mechanical, chemical, or nuclear energy by the sudden production of gases in a confined space: for me.'' The Lakers See Lake poets defeated Phoenix 90-71 in their exhibitioin finale For the music notation program, see . A finale (italian word) is a closing part, act or movement of a dramatic or musical composition, or more generally any event or procedure with a dramatically concluding effect. Friday night. Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal (pronounced "shak-KEEL") (born March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey), frequently referred to simply as Shaq, is an American professional basketball player, generally regarded as one of the most dominant in the National Basketball Association (NBA). and Devean George Devean Jamar George (born August 29 1977 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA. He typically plays small forward but because of his athleticism and defensive activity, can defend many shooting guards as well. each had 15 points apiece a·piece adv. To or for each one; each: There is enough bread for everyone to have two slices apiece. [Middle English a pece : a, a; see a to lead L.A. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Rick Fox has had an unusually good exhibition season for the Lakers, who begin regular-season play Tuesday night. Edna T. Simpson/Staff Photographer |
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