THE NBA / MARK HEISLER : Olajuwon, Karl Get Prestigious Votes

I hate awards.

Any issue that has to be settled by a poll of sportswriters is a small one, indeed. On the other hand, I need an easy column as much as the next man.

To maintain my usual high moral tone, I’ll disagree with the consensus as often as possible.

MVP

Is there anything more boring than debating the relative merits of Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Shaquille O’Neal and Scottie Pippen?

These are four great players who are thisclose.

Robinson was No. 2 in scoring, No. 3 in blocks, was the only center among the steals leaders and led his team in assists.

Shaq went No. 1-1-2-6 in scoring, shooting percentage, rebounding and blocks, respectively.

Pippen is in the top 10 in scoring and steals, the top 30 in rebounds and just missed the top 30 in assists.

The winner is Olajuwon, who had two monster seasons in a row, leading his team to two division titles.

COACH OF THE YEAR

It’s hard to pass up Atlanta’s Lenny Wilkens, who pulled off a minor miracle, but we’ll ignore the usual criterion--who pulled the most unexpected turnaround?--to vote for George Karl, who performed a larger miracle over three seasons, taking the Seattle SuperSonics, who had gone 99-101 in their previous 200 games, to 140-60 in their next 200.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Dennis Rodman.

The award usually goes to the leader in shots blocked and Dikembe Mutombo has promised to go home mad if he doesn’t win.

Some say Rodman doesn’t play defense the way he did before he discovered rebounds. Even if true, it wouldn’t disqualify him because he used to be, pound for pound, the greatest defender who ever lived and remains great.

Against the Rockets, they had him--at 6-8, 210, an average-size small forward--guarding Olajuwon and doing a nice job of it. Throw in Worm’s 11 defensive rebounds a night, two more than the next-best player, and it’s an easy choice. I’d rather watch Rodman play without the ball than 99% of the players in the game with it.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

Don MacLean, who was tougher than his child-of-the-suburbs game suggested and will be an NBA starter for years.

SIXTH MAN

Deadeye Del Curry, a charter Charlotte Hornet who averaged 16 points in 27 minutes.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Anfernee Hardaway, the point guard of the ‘90s (pre-Jason Kidd, anyway), nips Chris Webber, the power forward of the ‘90s who should get more than nine rebounds a game.

YOUR FINALISTS: NOT SO SWEET 16

OK, so it wasn’t a great regular season but these guys made the playoffs, in whatever condition.

In the (snicker) East:

ATLANTA HAWKS--They kept it going after trading Dominique Wilkins for Danny Manning, who tiptoed around his new teammates, averaging 16 points as a Hawk, eight fewer than he had as a Clipper.

Wilkens cut their defensive average 11 points from the 108 they gave up last season under Bob Weiss.

NEW YORK KNICKS--They won 15 in a row, then folded down the stretch.

After an embarrassing loss to the Alonzo Mourning-less Charlotte Hornets, Coach Pat Riley said his players hadn’t stepped up and he, himself, had “failed miserably” and needed to “go home, turn the lights off and think about it.”

The Knick press corps, used to his mind games, decided it was less a heartfelt admission than a ploy.

The New York Times’ George Vecsey consulted Riley’s latest book, “The Winner Within, and found a chapter called “The Temporary Insanity Textbook.”

Wrote Riley: “A leader’s aggrieved outburst is not an explosion nor is it a regular or predictable event. It is the art of being angry at the right time, to the right degree, with the right people. T.I. requires plenty of advanced thought--a real, focused mental plan, not emotion-driven monologue. A dose of T.I. demands a rapid follow-up of compassion.”

If ploy it was, it failed miserably. The Knicks lost a key game to the Atlanta Hawks two nights later, blowing a nine-point fourth-quarter lead at home.

Then Riley suspended Anthony Mason for complaining about playing time. This could cost Mason $30,000 if the players’ association sits still for it.

Mason can expect his “rapid follow-up of compassion” in the playoffs.

CHICAGO BULLS--Until Friday when they gagged in double overtime against the Celtics, they had a chance to win the East and tie last season’s record when they still had Michael Jordan. Call it one game short of a miracle.

ORLANDO MAGIC--While building for the future, picking up three No. 1 picks plus Hardaway, the Magic jumped from 41 victories to 49 with a chance at 50 today.

Horace Grant says he’ll take less money to sign, which would make Orlando the favorite for years to come.

INDIANA PACERS--In four seasons before Larry Brown, they ran the gamut of mediocrity, from fair (42-40) to OK (41-41 twice) to disappointing (40-42).

He taught them a strange new art, defense, and they posted their best record since entering the NBA in 1977.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS--If someone had told you Brad Daugherty would miss 32 games and Larry Nance would miss 49, you wouldn’t have thought they’d do as well.

If someone had told Mike Fratello, he wouldn’t have taken the coaching job.

NEW JERSEY NETS--Chuck Daly, longest-suffering coach in hoops with the scars to prove it, has more after surviving a 6-13 start and creating some chemistry on a team that lost Drazen Petrovic but retained Derrick Coleman, Benoit Benjamin and Chris Morris.

MIAMI HEAT--It hit the franchise high point at 38-28 but went 4-12 down the stretch. Coach Kevin Loughery is a goner unless the Heat wins a playoff series or two.

And in the West:

SEATTLE SUPERSONICS--With their pressure defense and fast-paced offense, they posted the league’s best point differential, 9.2 a game. The No. 2 Knicks, at 6.1, were 33% behind.

HOUSTON ROCKETS--They play great defense and smarter offense but still set an NBA record for three-point shots and makes. When the treys don’t drop, they’re beatable.

PHOENIX SUNS--Like a grizzly waking from a season’s hibernation, Charles Barkley is growling about the unprintables in the press who remarked on their drop from 62 victories. Kevin Johnson averaged 20 points and nine assists. Nobody else has two unstoppable players, so watch out.

SAN ANTONIO SPURS--They streaked to 40-16 but then flattened out when the Admiral ran out of scoring help.

UTAH JAZZ--Karl Malone said he wanted out. They won 10 in a row, then went 8-10. They’re still a night’s work but not what they were when Mark Eaton filled the lane.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS--They closed fast, going 9-2 and averaging 114 points with Don Nelson’s newest toy, the “point spree” lineup with Latrell Sprewell, Webber, Chris Mullin and Billy Owens sharing point guard.

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS--In three seasons, their victory totals had gone 63-59-51. This season they’ll miss 50.

DENVER NUGGETS--They’re coming but need a star. Rodney Rogers can be the next Barkley if he plays hard two games out of three, but so far it looks like one in three.

FAREWELL TO A GREAT LAKER

The Lakers are considering buying out the last two years of James Worthy’s contract, so today’s game could be his last.

He was more than a fine player. In the early ‘80s, Jamaal Wilkes was the nicest Laker. In the late ‘80s, it was Worthy.

If this is farewell, it’s a shame he has to go out on bad wheels with a team of children, but nothing can dim the memories of what he did and who he was.

FAREWELL TO A GREAT CLIPPER?

Dominique Wilkins, upset at the pace of negotiations, said last week he didn’t think he’d return.

He wants $21 million for three years. The Clippers offered two at $6 million and a third at the club’s option--a guaranteed $12 million--putting them a mere $9 million apart.

Wilkins has little leverage unless another bidder steps up unexpectedly.

The Clippers have their own problems.

They have to prove they can keep someone so even a holdout would be embarrassing. They knew his asking price. He has been warmly received and promises to be the spokesman they never had.

Why a team going nowhere chose a 34-year-old is another question. He remains a marvel, still bounding around the lot, basketball’s version of Nolan Ryan throwing 90 m.p.h. in his 40s

So guarantee him $16.5 million and let’s get on with it.

FACES AND FIGURES

Still Gonzo after all these years: No one indulges their young like the Hornets, but there was no covering for Mourning, who eighty-sixed their playoff drive, picking a fight with the Bulls’ Luc Longley and getting himself thrown out of a game the Hornets lost. “How stupid is that?” a teammate told the Gaston, N.C., Gazette. “(Mourning) has to prove he’s a he-man.” Said club President Spencer Stolpen after Mourning refused to answer questions, “There’s no question what Alonzo did was childish. I’d love for him to talk about it. I’d love for him to tell Charlotte how he feels. It’s just not his personality. But when your teammates remind you about it, management reminds you about it and you see it all over the papers, then you probably don’t want to talk about it.”

Robert Parish, probably playing in his last home game as a Celtic, got a two-minute standing ovation Thursday. There is speculation he’ll come back next season as a Warrior. . . . Philadelphia owner Harold Katz hired body builder Lee Haney to bulk up Shawn Bradley, who dipped 25 pounds to 220 in half a season. “We can’t live with (Bradley),” Katz said. “I’m hopeful with Lee, there will be no more excuses.” Unimpressed, Bradley replied that he’s summering in Utah.