Mason Receives Rude Awakening

Around the NBA

Anthony Mason’s homecoming featured a warm reception from the crowd and a rude awakening from his former team as the New York Knicks opened a 26-point lead in the first quarter and trounced visiting Charlotte 113-86 Sunday night.

Mason, traded to the Hornets during the summer for Larry Johnson, was a non-factor in the early going as New York opened a 27-6 lead 8-1/2 minutes into the game.

It was 37-11 at the end of one quarter, and by the middle of the second period, Johnson was talking trash to the Hornets’ stone-faced bench.

Reserve Ricky Pierce scored 11 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter and the visiting Denver Nuggets beat the depleted San Antonio Spurs 88-79.

Playing without injured regulars David Robinson, Will Perdue and Chuck Person, the Spurs went more than 11 minutes without a basket.

Bulls hoist banner

They celebrated one more time their historic season of a year ago by slipping on rings and hoisting a banner. Now the Chicago Bulls will concentrate on staying on top in the NBA.

Who can challenge them?

“I can say four or five teams,” Michael Jordan said mentioning the Lakers, Knicks, Magic, Rockets and SuperSonics. “But when we look in the mirror, I don’t see why we should think anybody but us would win.

“We’ve got to be ready to play solid basketball starting this week. We’ve got four games in five nights, a couple on the road, a couple at home. It’s not going to be easy,” Jordan said. “We really can’t take anything away from two games. The season’s so long.”

Around the league

The Hornets’ Dell Curry set a club record by making 11 consecutive field-goal attempts during the second and third quarters in Charlotte’s 109-98 victory over the Toronto Raptors.

The crowd of 24,042 marked the 318th consecutive home sellout for Charlotte. Only Chicago and Sacramento have longer streaks.

Utah’s Karl Malone played in his 800th game Saturday night in Utah’s 95-90 win over the Clippers.