THE NBA : In Charlotte, Reality Has Set In--Hornet Fans Now Want Wins

The honeymoon would appear to be over.

They still sell out every game at the Charlotte Coliseum, where the Hornets drew the second-most fans in NBA history last season, and long ago proved that concerns of this being strictly college basketball country were unfounded.

But in the second season, people now want wins, not just the novelty of the NBA in their city.

In other words, the fans have gotten sophisticated.

“Last year was fantastic,” Carl Scheer, the Hornets’ president and general manager, said Monday. “They were so for anything we did. They cheered out-of-bounds plays. But it was so unrealistic.”

Right. Kelly Tripucka, one of the most popular Hornets a year ago but in a shooting slump now, recently went to the grocery store and got booed by a fan. Tripucka has been hearing that, multiplied, at games.

“Nobody feels worse about it than us,” Tripucka said. “All of the boo birds and knuckleheads go home feeling disappointed about the way we played, but they won’t feel anymore disappointed than us.”

The Hornets, who will play host to the Clippers tonight, come into the game with seven wins and in sixth place in the Midwest Division. Last season at this point, they had nine victories, a minor difference that couldn’t account for any cooling trend by the paying customers.

“I don’t know if it’s that the novelty has warn off,” Scheer said. “Our fans are every bit as passionate as before.”

But something is different.

“They are more critical,” he said. “The expectations are much higher because they got a dose of success last season. Maybe I’d like them to be a little more patient, and the players and coaches would, too. But nothing has surprised me.”

Has the change surprised players, though?

“It may have,” Scheer said. “Kelly certainly. I think it took him back. But his ego is really on the fringe.”

The Hornets gave up Mike Brown, acquired in the expansion draft, to get Tripucka from the Utah Jazz, and he responded by averaging 22.6 points, second best in his eight-year career.

The boos he has been hearing this season serve as the most dramatic indication of the changing climate. Tripucka had been hearing scattered boos for a while when he was benched for the first time in his Charlotte career Dec. 28. But after getting a season-high 25 points, including 14 of the Hornets’ 18 points in the fourth quarter of that game against Cleveland, it was cheers.

He was asked to come to center court for a postgame radio show that is also broadcast in the arena on the public-address system, and at first refused. Tripucka finally consented, then broke down from the frustration, and cried on the air.

“This has been very difficult for me,” he said, choking out the words during the broadcast. “You people have a right to boo us, but don’t ever accuse us players, or myself, of not trying to bust our butts. Some nights we deserve to be booed, but this is going to take time.

“When I came here last year, I thought it was the greatest thing that ever happened to me. I wanted to end my career here. Now, I have to go home and think about it.”

Tripucka then got up and left the court.

Take that, you knuckleheads.

General Manager Ray Patterson has given his vote of confidence, but rumors persist that Houston’s Don Chaney will be the next coach fired, with Tom Nissalke, a former coach and now a television analyst for the Rockets, coming back.

“What we’ve been going through is not a reflection on Don,” Patterson said.

Indeed, the Rockets have labored with a backcourt firing blanks, which allows defenses to pack in on center Akeem Olajuwon. Mitchell Wiggins, who is expected to miss another two weeks with a sprained knee ligament, is the only guard shooting better than 50%.

Something has to give, though. Should any team with Olajuwon have gone 3-12 in December, the second-worst record for the month, behind only the 2-13 by expansion Orlando?

The New York Knicks will retire Dick Barnett’s jersey, No. 12, during ceremonies March 10. He is the last member of the 1969-70 championship team to be so honored.

“I was beginning to wonder,” he said.

Most-ly recovered: Announcer Johnny Most, who is to the Celtics what Chick Hearn is to the Lakers, made his first appearance of the season on Wednesday after triple-bypass surgery and was greeted by a standing ovation at Boston Garden.

The Boston Herald said that Most sounded weak, but had “a touch of that old-time fire at the enemy” that has helped make the 38-year, gravel-voiced broadcaster famous.

Just a touch?

Most said that Washington’s Ledell Eackles threw “his first pass since last December” and that Mel Turpin of the Bullets looked “like a big tub of lard” and “committed about 14 personal fouls, but they only called four.”

That about answered any questions as to whether heart surgery would change his approach.

“I feel great,” he said. “I’m like a kid with a new toy. When I walked in here tonight, I thought the Garden is the most beautiful building in the world.”

Never mind the heart. Better check those eyes.

The surprise selection of Dick Motta as Sacramento coach rekindled an old story, back from when he was at Dallas and a reporter accused him of hating every Maverick except Brad Davis.

“What are you talking about?” Motta shot back. “I don’t like Brad Davis.”

John MacLeod, himself a former Dallas coach, was the front-runner for the King job, but team officials were turned off when he showed up to interview and ticked off what he considered problems with the organization.

“MacLeod is just too slick,” one Sacramento official said.

NBA Notes

The Seattle SuperSonics have finally given up on Nate McMillan, who was last among all starting point guards in shooting percentage and scoring for 1988-89. Avery Johnson is the new starter. “I don’t know if Avery can do it,” Coach Bernie Bickerstaff said. “But we need to give him the opportunity. We’ve got to find someone who can create offensive opportunities for other players.” . . . Detroit Coach Chuck Daly, on Golden State’s Chris Mullin: “I’ve got to be honest with you. I never thought Chris would have this much impact in the NBA. I mean, I knew he’d be a good player in this league, but like this? No. Everyone knew he could shoot, but I don’t think anyone thought he could pass, rebound and run the show like he does.”

It didn’t take 5-year-old Danny Grunfeld long to catch on while watching his father, New York assistant Coach Ernie Grunfeld, play in a recent old-timers’ game at Madison Square Garden. “Daddy doesn’t pass very much, does he?” Danny said to his mom. . . . After Dallas’ Adrian Dantley completed the first scoreless game of his career, playing only 13 minutes in the process, Coach Richie Adubato approached him in the locker room to explain the shortage of playing time. Dantley waved him off. “Don’t worry about it,” he told Adubato. “I’m not Mark Aguirre.”