Rockets forward Glen Rice is expected to play his first preseason game on Monday in Corvallis, Ore., against the Trail Blazers. But as pleased as he was with that decision, he had to be overjoyed to finally be out from the whip of "Pat Riley."

Rice has been training with assistant trainer Anthony "Mac" McNair, who has become so demanding that Rice and Rockets trainer Keith Jones have begun calling him Pat Riley.

"He's been doing a great job making sure I stay focused," Rice said. "He's putting it on me pretty good."