Time To Mail Mvp To Malone

Shaquille O’Neal is this spring’s MVP favorite, but he’s going to win several before they put in the 100-yard court and the moving basket and he retires to Hollywood or MTV.

This should be Karl Malone’s year, since he has compiled an admirable body of work but is running out of time with nary a commercial, rap record or movie in production.

Buried in Utah, he gets little exposure. The closest he came to the MVP was in 1990, when he averaged 31 points and ran a distant third to Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan.

Not that exposure would make the difference. The unspectacular Mailman was lost on the Dream Team, where everyone else was an artist capable of no-look passes or midair ballet. All Malone did was run down the floor, take a pass, knock down whoever was in his way and score.

Few players have been as rock-solid consistent at such a high level.

Malone has missed four games in 10 seasons - one in the last six. In his last seven seasons, he has never averaged fewer than 25 points or 10.6 rebounds. For his career, he has shot 53 percent.

“He’s unquestionably the best player at his position and he’s been that for years,” says Jordan Cohn, co-author of Pro Basketball Bible. “Hasn’t lost a step. Surprisingly good defensive player. This year’s team has exceeded expectations. What else do they want from the guy?”

Taking stock

Whose NBA draft status went up during the NCAA Tournament?

Nobody at UCLA has to ask twice.

Ed O’Bannon - Capping the push he started last fall, he’s a top 10 guy now, regardless of who comes out. “Best small forward in the draft,” one general manager says.

Tyus Edney - “Before the tournament, he was a high second-rounder,” a scout says. “I think he’s in the first round now. There’s still some doubt about his durability, but he’s unbelievably quick and he’s a winner.”

Ray Allen - The UConn sophomore was rated a comer before, but arrived in a limo. “I love him,” the GM says. “I know it’s heresy, I know we’ll never see another one in this century, but if anyone ever reminded you of Michael Jordan, this is him.”

Junior Burrough - The Virginia center, who’ll be a pro power forward, had a fine senior season and kept it going. “I loved him in the tournament,” the GM says. “He played like that in the ACC tournament, too. He’s much better than most people think he is.”

Antonio McDyess - The insiders were already in love with this 6-foot-10 Alabama sophomore. Now everybody knows he’s big time.

Who nosedived?

Rasheed Wallace - You’d have to take this 6-10 North Carolina sophomore high, but right now it’s all potential. Should be captain of the stay-in-school squad.

Scotty Thurman - The Arkansas junior is making sounds that he wants to come out, but might not go in the first round, even with 29 picks in a thin year. “I don’t think he’s too quick,” the scout says. “It’s not clear that he’s adept at getting his own shot. I think he’s a second-round pick.”

Around the league

Having loaded his roster with veterans to stay “competitive,” Boston Celtics boss M.L. Carr has mixed feelings while watching his team edge ahead in the race for the East’s last playoff spot.

Asked if they belong in the playoffs, Carr said: “With our record? No. If you’re going to be in the playoffs, you should have at least 40 wins. You’ve got teams here now that are still trying to get up into the 30s, and one of them is going to get into the playoffs. To me, that’s not good. It’s not good for basketball.”

Nor is it good for the Celtics, who’ll miss the lottery pick they need.

Behind the New York Knicks’ struggles: Charles Oakley is averaging fewer than eight rebounds since returning from toe surgery.

Heat interim coach Alvin Gentry became the latest to blow up at Kevin Willis, who has made 18 points and 11 rebounds a game seem irrelevant. Willis will be 33 next season and can be a free agent after it. The Heat does not want to extend him. At least, we know who got the better of that trade with Atlanta, where Grant Long has been solid and 26-year-old Steve Smith has been coming on.

Injured Celtic Rick Fox, visiting his college coach, Dean Smith, found a Celtics game on one TV in the North Carolina offices, a Bulls game on another.

“Dean would pop his head in every once in a while and say, ‘How’s Eric (Montross) doing?” Fox said.

Finally, Fox asked if he wanted to know how Michael Jordan was doing. Replied Smith: “I’m not worried about Michael. How’s Eric doing?”