Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, May 17, 1993 TAG: 9305170070
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Jack Bogaczyk
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
Actually, the sting was taken out of the Hornets much closer to the hoop.
New York is taking home a 3-1 lead that's even more imposing in its Eastern Conference semifinal with the Hornets because of the difference between two Georgetown graduates.
Alonzo Mourning is Charlotte's rookie center, for which he certainly need not apologize. However, his friendly foe in the pivot in this series has more than just two inches on the 6-10 Mourning.
Before Blackman's only field goal in the two frenzied Charlotte Coliseum contests in the series - with 5.4 seconds left - gave the Knicks a 94-92 victory, it was Patrick Ewing who slammed a Hornets' rally that seemed to be promising overtime for the third straight game.
It isn't anything the Hornets haven't seen before. Ewing finished with 28 points and 10 rebounds despite sitting out seven minutes following a first-quarter technical foul, and taught a frustrated Mourning just how valuable eight seasons of NBA experience can be.
Ewing has spent part of recent summers working out with Mourning, and this year, he's getting an early start on what might be called a tanning. Their rivalry certainly has brought out the best in Ewing this season.
With Game 5 on Tuesday in Madison Square Garden looking much like the last date of Charlotte's fifth NBA season, Ewing is averaging 30.3 points and 11.3 rebounds in the series.
Those numbers are actually slightly down from his regular-season norms against Charlotte. Mourning posted 34 points and 10 rebounds in the Hornets' double-OT victory in Friday's Game 3, then remarked in Sunday's hometown newspaper how he managed to push Ewing farther from the hoop.
Ewing obviously spent $1.25 to read about how he scored only 26 in the Game 3 loss. Then he went out and all but assured that Charlotte will not have another $1.6 million economic impact night with a Game 6 return.
"We have the same type of moves, but he's more developed at this point," Mourning said of Ewing. "He's a more skillful player than I am, so I have to outthink him."
Theirs is a battle of arms, legs, knees, elbows, torsos, words and straight faces, too. In Boston Celtics practices years ago, Bill Russell taught some valuable lessons to another pivotman. Now, that center-turned-coach is reminded of those days in this series.
"Center is not a very pretty position," Georgetown coach John Thompson said in a coliseum runway during halftime of Game 4. "People say, `Why doesn't Patrick smile? Why doesn't 'Zo smile?' You smile much there, and you'll quickly be unemployed."
Thompson recalled how Russell used to invite his rival, Wilt Chamberlain, to dinner before they played, in something of a psychological ploy. Ewing and Mourning have been dining together during this series, and apparently talking their way toward tipoff.
"The other night," Thompson recounted, "Patrick finally had to tell 'Zo, `Shut up so I can eat.' "
Ewing had Mourning for Sunday lunch. The rookie was only 4-of-16 with eight rebounds, and his 12-point afternoon lowered his scoring average in the series to 24.3. His offensive slippage is something the Hornets couldn't afford, even though shooting guards Kendall Gill and Dell Curry finally produced something more than rim shots.
New York's defense dug a 15-point hole for the Hornets early in the third quarter. It took all of the emotion in the hive and the Hornets to bring Charlotte back, before a couple of Ewing dunks made the Knicks offense less defensive.
"It still has to be classified, for us, as the great escape," said Knicks coach Pat Riley. "We can't be pleased at how we handled pressure down the stretch. We dribbled the ball too much. Patrick made some big plays attacking the basket, when we didn't have anyone else doing that."
So, after Charlotte tied it at 92, it figured that the Knicks' game-winning possession would be designed with clock management and Ewing in mind. The Hornets knew who they weren't going to let beat them.
Blackman was the open man and hit the shot, but only after Ewing occupied extra attention.
"I haven't shot this well this whole series," Ewing said. "Our defense set the tone. Defense won this game."
No team has come back from a 3-1 deficit in a best-of-seven NBA series since the Celtics rallied to beat Philadelphia in the Eastern finals 12 years ago.
"We want to end this Tuesday in New York," Ewing said.
Can you say it ain't so, 'Zo?
Keywords:
BASKETBALL
by CNB