THE NBA / MARK HEISLER : Sacking of Moe Didn’t Make Sense--Except to 76ers

For most franchises, firing the coach 56 games into his three-year contract would be surprising. But it was the Philadelphia 76ers who pulled the plug on Doug Moe, so it’s “What else is new?”

Said Moe, consoled by this early retirement plan, which will pay him $2.1 million: “Whether they were impatient or not is a judgment for someone else to make.”

OK.

They were impatient.

Impatient is a nice word for the 76er administration. Others include impetuous, foolhardy and moronic.

General Manager Jimmy Lynam is claiming sole responsibility for this one. If that’s the case, it means he hired Moe and six months later canned him, even though the team is hopeless beyond argument and who the coach is or what style he plays won’t even begin to matter for years.

It would also mean that Lynam, previously considered lucid, has become as hot-blooded as owner Harold Katz, the retired diet-plan magnate who is living in Florida and swears he isn’t calling the shots anymore.

Not that Moe was doing any crackerjack job. A 76er veteran accused him of “packing it in.” Practices had become shoot-arounds, shoot-arounds had become H-O-R-S-E games. They lost to the Lakers when, with a foul to give, they let James Worthy take a three-pointer at the end of regulation time. They lost the next night at Seattle by 56 points--for the second time this season.

Moe is refreshing because he tells the truth and the truth was they stunk. He didn’t worry about low morale in the dressing room since he intended to empty it at season’s end.

You’ll have to look elsewhere for the real culprit in this decade-long destructo. How did the 76ers go from Julius Erving and Moses Malone to Armon Gilliam and Eddie Lee Wilkins?

Check this highlight film:

--June 16, 1986: Traded the No. 1 pick that became Brad Daugherty to Cleveland for Roy Hinson; traded Moses Malone and Terry Catledge to Washington for Jeff Ruland and Cliff Robinson.

--Dec. 31, 1986: Traded Sedale Threatt to Chicago for Steve Colter.

--Jan 16, 1988: Traded Hinson and Tim McCormick to New Jersey for Mike Gminski.

--June 25, 1989: Drafted Kenny Payne with the 19th pick in the draft and Vlade Divac on the board.

--Aug. 28, 1989: Traded Maurice Cheeks to San Antonio for Johnny Dawkins.

--Oct. 27, 1989: Traded 1990 No. 1 pick to Minnesota for Rick Mahorn.

--Aug. 1, 1990: Traded 1991 No. 1 draft choice to Golden State for Manute Bol.

--Oct. 29, 1990: Traded 1993 No. 1 pick to Phoenix for Jayson Williams.

--Jan 4, 1991: Traded Gminski to Charlotte for Gilliam.

--June 17, 1992: Traded Charles Barkley to Phoenix for Jeff Hornacek, Tim Perry and Andrew Lang.

The 76ers have five players--Hornacek, Dawkins, Perry, Hersey Hawkins and Clarence Weatherspoon--under contract for next season.

Get your bids in now for Gilliam, Wilkins, Bol, Greg Grant, Ron Anderson, Charles Shackleford and Andrew Lang.

VALLEYS DEEP, MOUNTAINS HIGH

For most teams with a superstar center, big-time power forward and quick guards with downtown range, success wouldn’t be a surprise. But these are the Houston Rockets, whose whole has always been less than the sum of their parts, so their 13-game winning streak is a stunner.

Check this highlight film:

--1989: Traded Ralph Sampson to Sacramento for Otis Thorpe, who combines with Hakeem Olajuwon to form one of the game’s most menacing tandems.

Eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Seattle, 3-1.

--1990: Acquired a long-sought shooting guard, Vern Maxwell, from the San Antonio Spurs for cash.

Eliminated in the first round by the Lakers, 3-1.

--1991: Stole a decent point guard, Kenny Smith, from Atlanta for McCormick and John Lucas, relegating Sleepy Floyd to No. 3 guard.

Eliminated in the first round by the Lakers, 3-0.

--1992: Fired nice-guy Coach Don Chaney, promoted no-nonsense Rudy Tomjanovich.

Missed the playoffs altogether, losing four of five down the stretch, including two to the Dallas Mavericks, to let the Lakers in. Then there was the little matter of that Olajuwon-Charlie Thomas feud, with the sides trading charges of lying and malingering and threatening legal action. So Rocket hopes weren’t sky-high when the season opened.

But they’re feeling better now.

Olajuwon is first in the NBA in blocked shots, fourth in rebounding, sixth in scoring, averaging a career-high 3.2 assists and about to sign an extension through 1999 that will bump him near $6 million.

The Rockets have risen from 14-16 to seize first place in the Midwest Division. Thomas, who shopped them as late as December when an Arkansas group signed a letter of intent to buy them, has pulled them off the market.

Says Thomas, a man of experience: “I’ll probably have the club forever or until the next guy hands me a cashier’s check.”

BIG D--AS IN DESERTED

Why did Maverick owner Don Carter, a man of principle, cave in and offer Jim Jackson that six-year deal?

Said Carter, “I don’t know if we’ll ever have a logical answer to that question.”

Try this:

The Mavericks, who cut off season tickets at 14,000 for six seasons, fell to 12,500 last season.

This season they’re at 9,800.

An internal study indicated to them that they might fall below 7,000 next season.

Two other studies showed that the new NHL Lone Stars would open with a season-ticket base of 12,500.

Meanwhile, even with his late start, Jackson is suggesting that he may be as good as he’s supposed to be. Said Kevin Johnson after Jackson scored 19 points against Phoenix in his second game: “Awesome. Awesome. An unbelievable talent. He’s the real deal.”

FACES AND FIGURES

Latest MJ controversy: Michael Jordan missed two games with a bad case of athlete’s foot, returned prematurely, limped painfully--and scored 38 points in a victory over Seattle. Jordan said to reporters: “You guys make it sound like I don’t wash my feet.” . . . The Bulls, 0-5 without Jordan since his long absence because of a broken foot in 1985, finally won without him, beating the Mavericks, but blew a 21-point lead over the Spurs despite Scottie Pippen’s 39 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists. Pippen, bristling that Coach Phil Jackson hadn’t called his play at the end of the game, left a note on his stall: “No comment. Peace.”

New Jersey Coach Chuck Daly, on his lack of a backup for Kenny Anderson, who is sidelined for the season: “I had another guard. He’s in Atlanta.” That’s Mookie Blaylock, traded for lightly regarded, shoot-first Rumeal Robinson for financial considerations. . . . A child had better lead them: Seattle’s George Karl, burning up after his supposed championship express derailed at Indiana and Chicago: “What the players don’t seem to understand is to be considered one of the elite teams is not just a matter of being there to play. There’s a commitment to excellence.” Karl says he wants Shawn Kemp, newly signed to a big-money extension, to become the team leader. Kemp, 23, is the youngest SuperSonic.

As the Worm turns: The Detroit Pistons suspended Dennis Rodman for another game--$28,658 worth--for missing practice. Originally, General Manager Billy McKinney said he would miss two games--$57,317 worth--but backed off when someone pointed out that the second game was today’s NBC matchup with Charlotte. Said McKinney: “Dennis has made it very clear to me he doesn’t want to be here. When we get a deal that’s right for us, we’ll move him. If we don’t, Dennis can stay here and rot.”

Anyway, they’re consistent: The Mavericks, 2-27 under Richie Adubato, started 2-27 under Gar Heard, with an average margin of defeat of 18 points under each. . . . Get real: Players Assn. head Charles Grantham says the union will oppose the salary cap, which runs out after next season. Better the players should fight to adjust their 53% slice. The owners will fight to keep the cap. The public’s interest is getting this thing settled as quietly as possible. With a median salary of about $850,000, no one is being exploited.

Thinking the unthinkable in Portland: The Trail Blazers say Clyde Drexler may not be back from his hamstring pull until the end of the month--and they’re not rushing him. So far, they note, they’re 26-16 with him, 9-6 without him. The latter figure includes a 3-0 mark against the Mavericks, but look for the Trail Blazers to shop Clyde again this summer. . . . Thinking the thinkable in Atlanta: Dominique Wilkins, 32, playing on a team going nowhere, has only next season left on his contract, but the Hawks shopped him half-heartedly. Instead, they have their hearts set on the feel-good alternative, firing Coach Bob Weiss. Says team president Stan Kasten: “We’re not happy with what we see.”

Good taste: The Hawks have sold out the Omni once this season. The Atlanta Knights, a minor league hockey team, have had three sellouts. . . . Bob Knight can show you how to do it: Indiana’s Bob Hill, who has tried closing practices, opening practices and ripping his team publicly, announced a curfew to the press. But it made little impression. Said Reggie Miller: “Curfew? No, we don’t have one.” Said Detlef Schrempf: “We imposed one on ourselves last Saturday, but that’s the only one I know of.” . . . Shaquille O’Neal on Chris Morris’ broken backboard: “He breaks backboards. I shatter them. He faked the funk on a nasty dunk.”