THE NBA / MARK HEISLER : Motta Brought On Own Firing Line

This game can humble you, all right.

In his 22nd season, Sacramento’s Dick Motta had coached more games than anyone in NBA history.

He was proudest of one thing: In a business in which termination is the only certainty, he’d never been fired.

He thought he’d made a clean getaway, too, when he dropped the news during his pregame show last week that he was retiring at the end of the season.

Faster than you can say “They can’t fire him now,” the Kings did, two days before Christmas.

Of course, you might wonder what a crusty old guy who runs a pattern offense is doing with a young, frisky team in the first place and if management wasn’t just looking for the excuse he provided?

“He went on the radio and said he was going to retire,” said King General Manager Jerry Reynolds from Sacramento.

“Our ownership didn’t think that was very appropriate without consulting anybody. If he was going to retire, bam, why not do it now?

“I said I certainly couldn’t disagree. It really was an untenable situation. It wasn’t exactly a happy team to begin with.”

The coach for the rest of the season is former assistant Rex Hughes.

The Kings face the future, unafraid.

“We’re 7-18,” Reynolds said. “It’s not likely to get a lot worse.”

COMEDY HIT OF THE YEAR

No, not “Hot Shots” or “Naked Gun 2 1/2.”

It’s “New Jersey Nets!”

In our last installment, Coach Bill Fitch is about to get canned by co-owner Joe Taub, who strikes a deal with Jim Valvano, which is then struck down by majority owner Alan Aufzien.

Valvano reportedly makes another deal to take over when he’s done unwrapping his Christmas presents.

Valvano must be tired of Nintendo. We’re almost to New Year’s and he’s still just a TV commentator.

The Nets are no longer as worried about who’s going to coach as who’s going to own.

Taub wants to buy Aufzien out, or have Aufzien buy him out.

Other minority owners are selling their stakes, lest they be recognized in public and embarrassed.

Meanwhile, Fitch dangles, Kenny Anderson gets short minutes and another season ebbs away.

Gathering straight lines while he may, Fitch perseveres.

“Our players have been told all through this two things,” he said.

“One, play hard.

“Two, if I’m out there hanging, cut me down before you go back out to play the second half.”

ROOKIE WATCH

The first thing any general manager learns to say is: “It takes three years to evaluate rookies.”

But you’re in a hurry so here’s an early look at this class, in order of selection:

1. Larry Johnson, Charlotte--You know all those guys worried that he was only 6-5 1/2? You can’t find them anymore. He’s a monster rebounder with an all-around game and a chance to overhaul Dikembe Mutombo for top rookie honors.

2. Kenny Anderson, New Jersey--It takes three years to evaluate rookies.

In this case, it’s really too early. He was the last No. 1 pick to sign and Fitch, who didn’t want him, keeps him on a short leash. He’s shooting 33% and looking awful.

3. Billy Owens, Sacramento--Traded to Golden State for no less than Mitch Richmond, he’s coming but not as fast as . . .

4. Dikembe Mutombo, Denver--The only question if they draft again tomorrow is, does it start Mutombo-Johnson or Johnson-Mutombo?

“Everybody’s saying they knew he’d be this good,” says a scout of Mutombo “Of course, they didn’t.”

5. Steve Smith, Miami--He’s 6-6 1/2, not 6-8 as they list him, invoking the memory of another tall Michigan State point guard, but he’s started since opening day and has been a big part of the Heat’s surge.

6. Doug Smith, Dallas--No fancy numbers but a good-looking player.

7. Luc Longley, Minnesota--Like every other recent decision by the Timberwolves, a disaster. Just what a team with an ungainly young center needs--a younger, more ungainly center.

8. Mark Macon, Denver--Good spot for him. The Nuggets can give him the two seasons he’ll need to get his shooting percentage above 40%.

9. Stacey Augmon, Atlanta--Starts. Has a lot to learn but he’s such a hard worker, he might.

10. Brian Williams, Orlando--Erudite and outspoken, last seen reading Friedrich Nietszche’s “Also Sprach Zarathustra.” (I know. I haven’t read it, either.) On size--6-9 1/2 and 240--speed and ability, he’d have been the seventh pick but as one general manager said last spring, “He’s a different guy.” The Magic is going nowhere but he still isn’t playing much.

11. Terrell Brandon, Cleveland--Not yet 21 but looks like a comer. A surprise pick here but the Cavaliers needed a point guard with Mark Price out till December. It wasn’t a pleasant surprise for Jerry West, who had a deal with Golden State if Brandon lasted until No. 16.

12. Greg Anthony, New York--Shooting blanks but can play. Already splits time with Mark Jackson.

13. Dale Davis, Indianapolis--They wanted a rebounder and got one good enough to move out LaSalle Thompson, despite a late start.

14. Rich King, Seattle--Another seven-foot project.

15. Anthony Avent, Atlanta--Instant journeyman. Traded to Milwaukee, playing in Europe.

16. Chris Gatling, Golden State--General managers say he has as much talent as anyone in the draft but a problem head. Starting to get a little playing time.

17. Victor Alexander, Golden State--Fat guy but a low-post scoring machine. Seattle thought about taking him and should have. Don Nelson’s bringing him along slowly but he’s shooting 59%.

18. Kevin Brooks, Denver--Not playing, even in their humble situation.

19. LaBradford Smith, Washington--Hurt most of the season.

20. John Turner, Houston--Not playing.

21. Erick Murdock, Utah--Not playing, passed up by free agent Corey Crowder.

22. LeRon Ellis, Clippers--Not playing.

23. Stanley Roberts, Orlando--They’ve got him below 300 pounds, anyway.

24. Rick Fox, Boston--Big surprise. He’s playing a lot for a veteran team that’s hard on rookies.

25. Shaun Vandiver, Golden State--In Europe.

26. Mark Randall, Chicago--Throwaway pick.

27. Pete Chilcutt, Sacramento--Not playing.

FACES AND FIGURES

It’s good to have a clue but this is the wrong clue: The Houston Rockets have lost almost as many games, five, at home as on the road and have identified the problem--their fans. Says guard Kenny Smith: “My New Year’s resolution is to challenge our players and our fans to be more enthusiastic at the Summit.” Says Vernon Maxwell: “Personally, I’d rather play on the road than at home.” Comment: If I was a Rocket fan, I’d rather Max played on the road, too.

David Stern Invitational: Four NBA teams, among them the Lakers and Clippers, weren’t enchanted to play on Christmas so NBC could have a doubleheader. “I’m really excited,” said Boston’s Kevin McHale. “I’d rather be in Chicago, keeping David Stern happy than in western Massachusetts, keeping my wife and kids happy.” . . . Compassion: The league allowed the Celtics to charter to Chicago the day of the game. . . . Wry comment: As in-flight entertainment, the Celtics chose the movie “Scrooged.”

Stinker: After their two-hour flight, they were taken apart piecemeal by the Bulls, producing a ratings nose-dive for NBC. . . . Embarrassment: Otherwise-reputable Bob Costas used the telecast to hype the Olympics (televised by, who else, NBC). Just think of Scottie Pippen guarding Brazil’s Oscar Schmidt, Costas enthused. Schmidt, who failed a tryout with the Nets long ago, has never in his life run up against anything like Pippen.

Celtic fans are hoping for a Celtics-Bulls playoff, but after taking a 132-113 thumping in Boston Garden and their 121-99 Christmas hammering, Celtic players aren’t. Said Reggie Lewis: “We’re not ready for that right now.” . . . For actual Christmas spirit, there’s Detroit’s Dennis Rodman who visited a center for the homeless in Pontiac, Mich., for the third consecutive Christmas Eve. “I just want them to know I care,” he said. Rodman also is donating $500 for every 15-rebound game to the center. At his current average--16.6--that could be the better part of $40,000.

New Jersey’s Kenny Anderson, after another bad game against the Hawks that was televised back to Atlanta where he played college ball: “They know what they saw. That’s not Kenny Anderson out there. I hope they understand what’s going on. At Georgia Tech, I always played 40 minutes and now I hardly play at all.”

You-know-who section: A Milwaukee district attorney says he’ll wait to hear Charles Barkley’s side before deciding whether to charge him for breaking the nose of James McCarthy, 25, an ex-Army Ranger. Barkley claimed McCarthy followed him and his woman companion out of a bar at 2:30 a.m. after a 76ers-Bucks game and provoked him. Barkley said the woman was a friend who is married and has two children and bristled at inferences of a tryst. Repentant? Charles? “I’m not always a Philadelphia 76er,” he said. “When I take my uniform off, I have a right to do whatever I want to do.”

Miami quipster Rony Seikaly fought Orlando pug Greg Kite but last week’s rematch in Miami was peaceful. Kite was booed but he and Seikaly went about their jobs without conversation. “What were we supposed to talk about,” Seikaly asked. “Boris Yeltsin?” Said Kite: “I’ve been booed worse at home.”