Hornets hoping for better health when playoffs begin

Seven players slowed by injuries as season ends tonight

Sunday, April 20, 1997

By John Delong
Journal Reporter

MILWAUKEE

The Charlotte Hornets still aren't sure who their first-round playoff opponent will be, and they won't find out until tonight.

But that's not their primary concern now.

Whether they face New York or Atlanta, the Hornets need to get healthy -- quickly -- or nothing else may really matter.

Dell Curry, Muggsy Bogues and Matt Geiger remain out for tonight's regular-season finale against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center, and virtually every player in the rotation has some sort of nagging problem or is sce back from an injury.

''The biggest thing we need to do right now is get our people back and get everyone healthy,'' guard Ricky Pierce said Friday night after the Hornets' 108-100 loss to Toronto, which effectively killed their hopes of coming away with home-court advantage in the first round. ''You have to play your best basketball in the playoffs because everybody else is turning it up a notch, and it's tough to play your best basketball if you've got people out.

''The fortunate thing is, those guys who are out know how to play, and the only question is are they going to be healthy enough to play.

''As long as those guys are healthy enough to play, they're OK. But if you can't do it, you can't do it.''

Trainer Terry Kofler said he hopes that everyone will be ready to play by Thursday, when the Hornets' first-round series will likely begin. He expects that some, if not all, will be ready to practice Tuesday, when the team begins its playoff preparations after taking off Monday.

But Kofler is making no promises for anyone at this point.

''None of the injuries are what you'd call severe,'' Kofler said. ''They're just what you'd call aggravating injuries. But the problem is, aggravating injuries are just as bad as severe injuries at this time of year.''

Here's a player-by-player look at the injury situation:

• Dell Curry -- Curry suffered a strained right calf late in the Hornets' victory over Atlanta on April 6 and has been hampered ever since. He missed the next six games, returned in a victory over Cleveland on April 14 but reinjured the calf and has not played since.

Prognosis: Curry said he will not test the calf again until the day of the playoff opener. His rehabilitation consists of running in the pool, and it is unlikely that he will practice with the team before trying to play. If any of the Hornets aren't ready for the playoffs, Curry wot likely.

• Muggsy Bogues -- Bogues suffered a strained right hamstring in a victory at New Jersey on April 3. He was in and out of the lineup for the next week, but he has sat out the last two games after playing briefly against Cleveland last Monday.

Prognosis: Bogues said that he has been playing it safe since feeling tightness in the hamstring, but he has been sitting out more as a precautionary measure for the playoffs than anything else. He expects to be ready for the playoffs.

• Matt Geiger -- Geiger has been suffering from stiffness in his back for the past week. He was limited to eight minutes in a victory at Boston on Wednesday and did not suit up Friday against Toronto.

Prognosis: Geiger had surgery to remove a herniated disk in his lower back and missed six weeks earlier in the season, and although he returned six weeks later, he continues to have occasional problems. Kofler said that there are no neurological problems, just stiffness from the pounding of playing night in and night out. Geiger said he is not overly concerned and expects to be ready for the playoffs.

• Anthony Mason -- Mason missed seven games after suffering a partially torn plantar fascia in his right foot in a victory at Toronto on March 22, returning in a victory over Boston on April 9. He also is playing with a partial tear in the tendon in the big toe on his left foot, which he suffered in January and will require surgery when the season ends.

Prognosis: Wild horses couldn't drag Mason out of the lineup at this point, but he has not been nearly the player since returning that he was most of the season. His shooting, in particular, has been off the last week. Kofler said that Mason's plantar fascia will not be 100 percent for the rest of the season.

• Tony Smith -- Smith suffered a strained hamstring in a victory over Cleveland on March 19. He missed four games, played one, then missed five more before returning again in a win over Washington last Saturday. He has seen limited action ever since.

Prognosis: Although Smith has played in the last four games, he does not appear to be near full strength and may not be throughout the playoffs. He was burned badly by Damon Stoudamire of Toronto, one of the quickest players in the league, on Friday.

• Donald Royal -- Royal, who suffered a broken finger earlier in the season while with Golden State, jammed his thumb in the victory over Atlanta on April 2 and has been in and out of the lineup since. He did not play Wednesday at Boston, then played nine minutes against Toronto on Friday.

Pro Dave Cowens needs him, but he has been told that the thumb needs a week's rest in order to improve. If he sits out tonight's game and doesn't reinjure it in practice before the playoffs open, he should be completely healthy again by Thursday.

• Vlade Divac -- Divac has been playing with a sprained wrist for more than a month, but it has not kept him out of any action.

Prognosis: Divac will have to play a vital role in the playoffs.