Hornets Notebook

Sunday, April 27, 1997

COMPILED BY JOHN DELONG

• GUARD MUGGSY BOGUES watched the Hornets' 100-93 loss to the New York Knicks yesterday afternoon in street clothes after deciding he could not play on his injured left hamstring.

Bogues worked out before the game, but decided about an hour before tipoff to sit out. He hobbled off early in the third quarter of the Hornets' 109-99 loss to the Knicks on Thursday night when the hamstring tightened up.

''It's frustrating sitting over there on the sidelines watching when you feel like you could have made a difference out there,'' Bogues said afterward. ''I was hoping to be able to get it loose, but there was no way. I didn't have any lift at all. The other night, I at least had a little lift at the start of the game.''

Bogues said he hoped to play Monday night in Charlote in the third game of the best-of-five series.

''I've got to,'' Bogues said. ''One more loss and the season's over, so I've got to get back out there now. I've just got to hope that the time I took off today will help. That's one reason I didn't try it today. I hoped the rest would help me for Monday night.''

• PATRICK EWING had what he considered to be a sub-par performance in the Knicks' win on Thursday night, but he bounced back in big fashion yesterday.

He had 30 points, on 15 of 21 shooting from the field, to go with six rbounds and three blocks, including a key block of Anthony Mason late in the game.

''I was a little rusty the last game, but I took that game and worked the rust out,'' Ewing said. ''Today, I was back to my old self. I felt fine.''

Ewing was held to 15 points in a 109-99 win on Thursday night, giving up 27 points to the Hornets' Vlade Divac.

Yesterday, he outplayed his old teammate -- and rival -- Mason in a head-to-head matchup in the fourth quarter.

''Offensively, I tried to use my size,'' Ewing said. ''He's quicker and stronger than me so I just tried to use my size, and if I had an open shot, try to shoot it quickly and shoot over him. Defensively, I also used my size and the fact that he doesn't jump high on his jump shot. That helped me block his shot late in the game.'' >

• The Hornets have apparently earned the respect of their peers this season.

In a poll of 283 players around the league conducted by USA Today, Anthony Mason was voted the NBA's most underrated player and Glen Rice was third in most valuable player balloting.

Mason outdistanced Mitch Richmond of Sacramento in the voting, with Mookie Blaylock of Atlanta third, Loy Vaught of the LA Clippers fourth and Tim Hardaway of Miami fifth.

''It's great,'' Mason said. ''It means a lot. I take it as a compliment and I appreciate it. Do I think it's accurate? . . . Yeah.''

Rice was third in MVP voting behind Michael Jordan of Chicago and Utah's Karl Malone. Grant Hill of Detroit was fourth and Patrick Ewing of New York was fifth.

Also, Dave Cowens was seventh in the voting for coaches the players would most like to play for. Miami's Pat Riley topped that poll, with Lenny Wilkens of Atlanta second, Rudy Tomjanovich of Houston third, Phil Jackson of Chicago fourth, Utah's Jerry Sloan fifth and Seattle's George Karl sixth.

• The Hornets' first-round playoff matchup with the Knicks has been a drecome-true for the Hornets' advertising staff.

Gerry Horn, the Hornets' director of advertising sales, met with 11 nationally prominent Madison Avenue clients or potential clients in a whirlwind two days while in New York.

''It's been great for us,'' Horn said. ''All the major agencies in the world have something going on in New York, and the playoffs catch their attention. Agencies in New York definitely know who the Charlotte Hornets are this week.''

Among those Horn has dealt with: Nautica, which recently signed Glen Rice to an endorsement contract. Rice switched to Nautica shoes for the playoffs and will wear Nautica shoes and apparel next season.