Published Thursday, February 19, 1998

Warriors knock off Hornets

Bogues: Game against my old team is special

By LEONARD LAYE
Sports Editor

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Finally, Muggsy Bogues admitted before the game there was something special about this reunion with the Hornets, the first since he was traded from Charlotte to Golden State early in the season. Neither Bogues nor anyone else could have believed it would be this special.

In the worst conceivable version of Charlotte's nightmare comes true, Bogues and former Hornet guard Tony Delk started and played key roles Wednesday night as the struggling Golden State Warriors rolled to an 88-77 victory over the Hornets in the New Arena.

The two, traded to Golden State for B.J. Armstrong on Nov. 7, helped the Warriors win for only the 10th time in 51 games. The Hornets (30-22) have lost two in a row to open a six-game road trip.

``I'd be lying, saying it's not a special game because I spent so many years there,'' Bogues said. ``As far as basketball or anything else goes though, it's still just another game.''

Bogues, a fixture in Charlotte's backcourt for the first nine years of the franchise, made his first start of the season.

Bogues had six points, nine assists; Delk had 20 points. Glen Rice led the Hornets with 31. Warriors forward Todd Fuller of Charlotte had 14 rebounds.

``It took me a couple weeks to get used to the idea of the trade,'' Bogues said. ``Maybe if (Wednesday's game) had happened sooner it would have been different. But I've had time to settle in.

``It will be different, a little more special, when we go back to Charlotte (March 2) because so much of my career was spent there.''

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