Barkley Rejoins Rockets

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

January 25, 1999 / 11:02 PM EST / CBS Sportsline

Charles Barkley has put away his golf clubs.

It's time to join Scottie Pippen and the rest of his Houston Rockets teammates for Tuesday night's exhibition opener against the San Antonio Spurs.

Barkley missed the Rockets' first four practices while playing in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in California. But he was back at work Monday, catching barbs from teammates about his unorthodox golf game.

"I had a chance to play golf with Michael Jordan in Palm Springs or go to two-a-days," Barkley said. "That's a no-brainer. Some guy said `You're not a very good golfer,' and I told him imagine how good I'll be in two-a-days."

Barkley, who had off-season elbow and hernia operations, might not have been happy to be sweating through practice, but his teammates were happy to see him.

"It's good to have him back. There's a little more noise around here," coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "We had competitive workouts before, but when he is here it's stepped up. He's so competitive."

What happens on the golf course is another matter. And teammates Matt Bullard and Eddie Johnson let him know David Duval has no reason to worry.

"Yeah, I come in here and they've all got tired legs," Barkley said. "Me, I feel very refreshed."

With Barkley joining Pippen and Hakeem Olajuwon, the Rockets again have three players who were voted among the top 50 players in NBA history. Clyde Drexler, who retired after last season, also is on the list.

"It's great to have him here so he can get accustomed to the new players, namely myself and the other guys," Pippen said. "We have to know how Charles plays and where he likes his spacing."

Barkley, who missed 14 games with injuries last season, was done for good after tearing his right tricep after colliding with Utah's Greg Foster in a first-round playoff game.

His average of 15.2 points a game was his lowest since averaging 14 as a rookie in 1984-85.

"Last year was a nightmare with two hernias," Barkley said. "I was disappointed the way I played because I never felt good physically. Now, I've got all my physical ailments out of the way and I'm going to have a great season."

Tomjanovich didn't complain about Barkley's late arrival. Instead, he praised Barkley for signing at the $1 million minimum salary, freeing enough money to sign Pippen.

"I don't know how many players would do what he's done," Tomjanovich said. "His plan was to explore his options, which is his right. When he found out he was the pivotal guy in us getting Scottie, he scrapped that whole plan. He made a sacrifice for this team."

The Rockets didn't hold their first workouts until Saturday because of delays in getting Pippen sined. Tomjanovich wished for more time to get ready for the first of two exhibitions games.

"It (Tuesday's game) is like a practice and not a good practice because I can only work five guys at a time," Tomjanovich said. "I'd like those guys to come over and scrimmage for about 10 quarters."