Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, April 17, 1994                   TAG: 9404170112
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

DELL CURRY CHASES SIXTH MAN AWARD, NBA PLAYOFFS

Curry has come off the bench for 269 consecutive games, but he's anything but a mad bomber for the Charlotte Hornets. The former Virginia Tech guard actually has become something of a sitting star in the league.

"Everybody wants to start," Curry said. "Everybody can't start, and some people have to sacrifice a little ego. Coming off the bench isn't as tough as it used to be, because we're a good team now. Good teams have good players off the bench, and our team just happens to be better with me coming off the bench."

The Hornets, finally healthy, are trying to catch Miami for the Eastern Conference's eighth and last playoff spot. At the same time, Curry is trying to achieve a personal honor. The NBA Sixth Man Award, selected since 1983 by writers and broadcasters who cover the league, appears to be a choice between Curry and Atlanta's Craig Ehlo.

Ehlo is on the better team, which definitely helps. Curry has better numbers and his finish has been superb. In nine April games, he's shooting 57 percent from behind the 23-foot, 9-inch 3-point arc. For the second consecutive season, the Augusta County native is the NBA's leading scorer without a start.

"I don't want to jinx myself, but I think I deserve this award this year," said Curry, who finished fourth when Portland's Cliff Robinson was the Sixth Man honoree last year. "With our inside guys [Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning] out for a good part of the season, more teams have been gearing defenses to stop us outside.

"I think my game has been respected by other teams a lot more this year. It does feel good to be recognized. I think I have a reputation of being able to come in cold and produce."

This is Curry's eighth NBA season and also his most consistent. He's been among the top free-throw marksmen all season, and his defense has improved because, although he isn't tough physically, he's quick and plays the passing lanes well. His passing ability always has been underrated because of his shot.

With as many injuries as Charlotte had, it would seem Curry could have started. Well, while Curry's fellow Tech alumnus Allan Bristow was having to start CBA players up front, the coach never lost anything at two-guard. Starter Hersey Hawkins is the only Hornet besides Curry to not miss a game.

"I'd still like to start some day," Curry said. "But I'm in the game at the end a lot, and that can be more important than starting. I've never been one to really bitch or moan. Some guys become a problem when they don't start. As long as I get my minutes, I'm fine."

He's averaging 27.5 minutes and 16.4 points per game. Only Dan Majerle of Phoenix and Dennis Scott of Orlando have more 3-pointers than Curry, who has more than the Boston Celtics - the team that first made the sixth man famous in the NBA, the only club with two Sixth Man Award winners in Kevin McHale and Bill Walton.

"Curry is the best sixth man in the league," said Kevin Loughery, the Heat's coach.

"He's a gun-slinger," said Fred Carter, Philadelphia's coach. "Curry just comes out and shoots it up. When he gets going, he's making shots with guys in his face and running at him, and the degree of difficulty of his shots is very high."

The original Hornet in his sixth year with the club - their first pick in the expansion draft - Curry is now only a soft touch when he's releasing his shot. His pride has pushed his prosperity and now he's regarded as more than simply a survivor.

"Maybe us winning last year changed things some," said Curry, who will turn 30 in June. "The role I've been put in, I've gotten better at it, too. Being a sixth man is more than a physical role. It's a mental one, too. Sitting and watching, then coming off the bench, then getting into the flow of a game is something that takes time to learn."

Maybe he hasn't started since March 15, 1991, but there is one difference for Curry this season.

"I believe I can hit any shot I can take," he said.

Now, opponents believe that, too.