Charlotte Coliseum Drags Down Sonics

The Charlotte Coliseum is becoming a burial ground for some of the NBA’s more notable accomplishments of the young season.

“This team is starting to be a special group,” first-year Charlotte coach Dave Cowens said after the Hornets snapped Seattle’s 11-game winning streak Tuesday night by turning up the defensive pressure in the second half for a 97-89 victory.

It marked the third time in as many home games that an opponent came into Charlotte with an impressive road winning streak and wilted under the defensive pressure directed by Cowens.

The New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons both had five-game road winning streaks snapped in Charlotte last week, and the SuperSonics came to town having won eight in a row away from Seattle.

“It’s nothing real complicated. Just come out and go after them and make them work hard for everything,” said Anthony Mason, who had his first triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

Glen Rice scored 24 points to help the Hornets win their fourth straight game. Charlotte has held those four rivals below 90 points.

“It seems like this is a recurring theme. Our defense is picking up, they are enjoying each other and playing well together,” Cowens said. “I feel good because the teams we’re beating are good teams.”

Seattle had nine second-half turnovers which the Hornets converted into 16 points. And the SuperSonics made just 12 of 33 field-goal attempts in the final two quarters after shooting 58 percent in the first half.

The Hornets scored 22 points off Seattle turnovers compared to just two points for the SuperSonics.

“We’ll be waiting for them in Seattle, trust me, said Shawn Kemp, who paced Seattle with 23 points and 14 rebounds.

Notes

Tuesday was Kemp’s 27th birthday… . Seattle coach George Karl needs three victories to reach 400 for his career. He is 397-282 in nineplus seasons… . Sonics forward David Wingate sat out with the flu.

Hornets 97, SuperSonics 89

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Schrempf 39 6-13 3-3 2-6 4 3 15 Kemp 41 7-16 9-9 4-14 1 4 23 McIlvaine 17 1-3 0-2 1-4 0 2 2 Hawkins 35 5-8 1-4 2-7 4 2 12 Payton 36 8-17 1-3 2-5 5 1 17 Perkins 29 6-10 0-0 0-2 0 1 14 Ehlo 20 2-5 0-0 1-2 2 0 5 Snow 14 0-1 0-0 0-0 3 0 0 Stewart 9 0-0 1-4 0-0 0 0 1 Totals 240 35-73 15-25 12-40 19 13 89 Percentages: FG .479, FT .600.

3-Point Goals: 4-14, .286 (Perkins 2-3, Ehlo 1-2, Hawkins 1-4, Kemp 0-1, Schrempf 0-2, Payton 0-2).

Team Rebounds: 6. Blocked shots: 3 (Kemp 2, McIlvaine).

Turnovers: 16 (Kemp 6, Payton 4, Schrempf 3, Ehlo, Snow, Stewart).Steals: 4 (Payton 2, Hawkins, Perkins).

Technical foul: Illegal defense, 4:23 third. Illegal defense: 1.

FG FT Reb CHARLOTTE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Rice 42 9-20 2-2 1-5 4 3 24 Mason 41 5-9 4-5 3-10 10 6 14 Divac 35 5-13 2-2 5-13 2 2 13 Curry 38 6-15 1-1 0-2 1 2 14 Bogues 36 4-7 2-2 1-2 12 3 10 Geiger 19 5-8 2-2 0-5 1 3 12 Burrell 15 2-5 0-0 0-2 2 3 4 Goldwire 12 2-4 0-0 0-0 1 0 6 Smith 2 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 Totals 240 38-81 13-14 10-39 33 22 97 Percentages: FG .469, FT .929.

3-Point Goals: 8-21, .381 (Rice 4-9, Goldwire 2-3, Divac 1-2, Curry 1-4, Geiger 0-1, Burrell 0-2).

Team Rebounds: 7. Blocked shots: 6 (Divac 4, Curry, Geiger).

Turnovers: 12 (Bogues 3, Divac 3, Mason 2, Rice, Curry, Geiger, Burrell). Steals: 12 (Bogues 4, Rice 2, Divac 2, Curry 2, Burrell 2).

Technical fouls: None. Illegal defense: None.

Seattle 28 26 13 22 - 89

Charlotte 23 25 24 25 - 97

A-24,042 (24,042). T-1:57.

Officials-Joe Crawford, Luis Grillo, Blane Reichelt.