By Bill Nichols

Bill Fitch got his first look at Cleveland fans Sunday night when the Cavaliers were nipped, 105-104, by Milwaukee and the coach liked what he saw and heard.

"I was pleased with the crowd reaction," he said yesterday. "They're my kind of people.

"They got on us a little early in the game because we weren't shooting enough to suit them. But later on they saw what we were doing and pleaded for us not to shoot. I thought that reaction was very interesting."

Fitch alluded to his "slowdown" offense, whereby his club worked for every shot, normally using nearly all of the time on the 24-second clock.

"WE DON'T HAVE the luxury of bringing the ball down to a big man who can score every six seconds," added the coach. "With our talent we have to work for every shot.

"We may be the Mets of the league this year. We're going to have to build our own stars for the years ahead."

Fitch and the Cavaliers saw the biggest, and when he wants to be, the best of the stars in Milwaukee's 7-2 Lew Alcindor in the pair of weekend exhibitions. Cleveland dropped a 103-95 decision to the Bucks Saturday night in Madison, Wis.

Although he played 42 of the 48 minutes Sunday, Alcindor appeared to be going only half speed most of the time. After a flareup with Cleveland's McCoy McLemore late in the game, Lew was devastating. He finished with 35 points after making just 11 in the first half.

THE CAVS will meet Alcindor and the Bucks next Sunday at Bowling Green State University in the windup of the 11- game pre-season schedule. The regular season opener is Oct. 14 at Buffalo.

Before the next confrontation with Lew and friends, however, the Cavs have two games with the Cincinnati Royals, tonight in Columbus and Thursday in Lorain.

Cavaliers' guard Jonny Egan, who pulled a groin muscle Sunday, will be used sparingly, if at all, in the Cincinnati contests.

ALTHOUGH an announced 8,129 fans left the Arena, Sunday happy over the performance of the Cavaliers, Fitch wasn't all that elated over the near-miss.

"There are no moral victories," he declared. "We pointed toward that game and didn't get it. Now, this week, we'll go back and take a long look at some of our people. We've got to cut down soon and we don't want to make any mistakes that will haunt us all winter."

Fitch hopes to trim his squad to 12 before the regular season begins. There are now 15 players on the roster.