TWO FOR THE SHOW

Through hot streaks and monthlong skids, even as support dimmed, Glen Rice has always been able to count on the embrace of one large Laker patron, 7-foot-1 and aching for a championship.

It’s a big embrace.

Shaquille O’Neal campaigned for the acquisition of Rice, celebrated his arrival--”the missing piece,” he said--and stood by the silky shooter with increasing fervor as the Lakers’ strange season wound down.

Now, in the wake of Rice’s 40-point eruption in the regular-season finale, and with the Lakers’ first-round playoff matchup against the Houston Rockets starting today at the Great Western Forum, the bond between big man and pure shooter is tighter than ever, sealed by the logic of inside-outside playoff-style basketball and a great deal of desperation.

Depending on how the postseason develops, both men could possibly become free agents at the end of this season, and both could want to leave the Lakers; or both could play so well in the playoffs that there will be no need for free agency.

Both could become Laker legends; both could be blamed for playoff failure.

This is codependency, on the highest NBA level.

“He says he needs me--I need him,” Rice said Friday of his relationship with O’Neal. “He gets his big body in the way, setting screens for me. I’ve got to feed it into the post for him and relieve that pressure from guys double-teaming him.

“It works hand in hand. We’ve got to feed off one another. That’s what basketball is all about.”

Why has O’Neal gone so far out of his way to claim and defend Rice, so much more than he ever has for Kobe Bryant?

Because O’Neal has never been able to feel comfortable working an in-and-out game with Bryant, who is much more successful breaking down his man individually.

And because O’Neal has yearned for a deadly shooter (anybody but Eddie Jones, basically) from the moment he became a Laker in 1996, and even more with each successive defeat in the playoffs when he faced triple-teams and open jump shots kept rattling off the rim.

“Every big man needs a shooter,” O’Neal said. “I had a shooter in high school. I had a shooter in college. I had a shooter in Orlando. I always wanted somebody that was a pure shooter.

“When I first came in, I had Scott Skiles, Jeff Turner and [Dennis] Scott. Nice shooters. It’s nice to have somebody you can kick it out to, you know they’re going to hit six out of 10 shots.”

Until Wednesday’s 14-of-20 display against Portland, Rice had not made anywhere near that number, ending the season with a 43.2% field-goal percentage, the worst of his 10-year career.

Rice says he made it clear before he came to the Lakers from Charlotte that he wouldn’t feel comfortable in a straight, dump-it-in, kick-it-out, shoot-standing-still offense, that he needed movement and screens to free him for the kind of shooting he preferred.

“He’s used to running off of 500 screens,” O’Neal said. “And he realizes we won’t run him off 500 screens all the time here. You know, certain times, we should run him off screens, especially when he’s got a little guy on him.

“But other than that, when they double, kick it out, move it around, if the defense is rotating the right way, he’s going to be the guy that’s open. And I hope he is.

“And I hope he’s shooting like he shot the other night.”

O’Neal laughs and talks with Rice in the locker room as much or more than any other teammate, and usually walks on and off the court with Rice nearby, in an almost unconscious need to keep him close at hand.

“It’s a close relationship,” Rice said. “A lot of people tend to think that’s not important. But friendship is definitely important. It’s going to bring you closer.

“You realize that the guy is there to cover your back at any given time. And also I’m going to be there for him.”

O’Neal does recognize that Bryant brings the team a host of positive attributes--and even praises the 20-year-old, occasionally. But it is his affinity for Rice’s game that intrigues him.

“We’ve got the best shooter, the best big man, and the best upcoming player,” O’Neal said. “We’ve got to use that to our advantage.

“You know, we’ve got a lot of options. We’ve got to use our options to our advantage.”

Oh, yes, the options.

Beyond the Lakers’ offensive triangle of alternatives, there are, appropriately for a tempestuous team about to enter the most tense time of any season, a staggering array of Laker off-the-court options these days, not all of them tempting.

O’Neal can exercise a much-discussed opt-out clause at the end of this season, which would wipe away the remaining four years and $81.47 million of the $121-million free-agent contract he signed in 1996 and allow him to sign with any team.

Because of the new labor deal, which placed a $12-million maximum salary on new contracts for players at O’Neal’s experience level, factoring in the allowed 10% yearly raise, he could make no more than $55.2 million over the next four seasons with any new team--a loss of more than $25 million from his current Laker deal.

Also, there is little likelihood that any team that could fit him under the salary cap would be in a better position to win a title than the Lakers.

O’Neal has steadfastly refused to either rule out the possibility or encourage speculation that he would like to be elsewhere, leaving the very strong impression that he honestly doesn’t know which way to go.

“Could I take less money? I don’t know,” O’Neal said. “Money has never been the issue for me.”

So he has at least thought about it?

“I’m the type of person, I don’t think about that now,” O’Neal said. “When the time comes, I’ll make the decision that’s best for me. But it wouldn’t be fair to the city or to the organization to be thinking about that now . . .

“If something happens, I’ll let you know, like I let Orlando know.”

Rice is in a similarly complicated situation: The Lakers can exercise a $7-million option for the 1999-2000 season, but may choose not to, or may negotiate a long-term deal with him after the playoffs.

Right now, there appears to be no clear consensus on what Rice is worth to the Lakers, whether he is someone they need to keep, or whether they can orchestrate a sign-and-trade scenario in order to firm themselves up at power forward or point guard.

“I’m not worried about that,” said Rice, who, before the trade, made noises about wanting a $50-million package after this season. “That’ll take care of its own.

“People realize what Glen Rice can do. They know what I’m capable of. It’s just a matter of whoever has me, uses me to my capabilities.”

Rice has made it clear that he would prefer a long-term deal after this season, if the right situation can be figured out.

“Of course, I’d be dumb to sit here and say I wouldn’t like it,” Rice said. “Yeah, it would be nice.”

Said Rice’s agent, Jeff Wexler: “Right now, we just want the Lakers to do the best they can in the playoffs, hopefully they’ll win a championship and Glen will be a big part of that and then we’ll see what happens.”

INSIDE

MARK HEISLER: Does anyone remember the lockout? Malone and Brown deserve honors in a truncated season. Page 5

AND IT BEGINS: Knicks roll over the Heat in Miami. Jazz, Trail Blazers win openers in the West. Page 6

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PLAYOFF HISTORY

How seeded teams have fared in each round of the NBA playoffs since 1983-84, when the first round went from three to five games:

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Seed 1st Rd Semis Conf. Finals NBA Finals Total #1 29-1 27-2 22-5 12-10 90-18 #2 26-4 12-14 5-7 2-3 45-28 #3 22-8 14-8 2-12 0-2 38-30 #4 12-18 0-12 0-0 0-0 12-30 #5 18-12 3-15 0-3 0-0 21-30 #6 8-22 3-5 1-2 1-0 13-29 #7 4-26 1-3 0-1 0-0 5-30 #8 1-29 0-1 0-0 0-0 1-30

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The Rice Factor

How Shaquille O’Neal fared before and after the arrival of small forward Glen Ri ce The Lakers ‘ record was 15-6 before Rice and 16-13 with Rice:

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SHAQ STATS Before After Average Points 27.0 26.3 Field Goal % .564 .576 Shots/Game 18.7 17.0 Free Throw % .544 .540 Free Throws/Game 10.75 9.4 Rebounds 11.1 10.1

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