SUNS-MAVS RIVALRY NOT MUCH TO LOOK AT, BUT GREAT TO LISTEN TO.

Byline: SCOTT WOLF / NBA

It's not the Lakers-Celtics, or even Bulls-Knicks, but what was once one of the most cordial relationships in the West has turned into a petty, sniping rivalry.

It all started April 16, when Dallas coach Don Nelson became upset that Phoenix coach Danny Ainge did not provide his starting lineup until seconds before pregame introductions at America West Arena.

When the two coaches met to shake hands before Tuesday's game in Dallas, ``He told me he'd never give me his lineup again,'' Ainge said. ``He had a few choice words for me. I told him I never asked for his lineup.''

Nellie wasn't any happier after the game.

``It's the second time he's done that to me, and it's unprofessional,'' Nelson said. ``He's the only guy in the league that has ever done that to me.

``The home team is supposed to submit their lineup first, and it's dishonest to do it the way he's been doing it. It's an unwritten code that all coaches go by, but he doesn't believe in it, evidently.''

Nelson's tirade is surprising because his son, Donn, was an Ainge assistant in Phoenix before becoming an assistant at Dallas. Ainge has never announced any changes in his starting lineup until right before tip-off.

San Antonio's Gregg Popovich told Ainge last season he didn't like the tactic. Ainge argues the rules do not require a lineup notification in the first place.

``I think Don is trying to use it as a way to motivate his team and to divert attention to other Mavs-Suns stories that keep coming up,'' said Ainge, referring to the first-round draft pick Dallas traded to the Suns last season.

That pick may end up being a lottery choice, and all the Suns gave up was the disappointing Steve Nash. Plus, the trade in 1996 that brought Jason Kidd to Phoenix remains a slap in the face to Dallas.

``It's a pretty good tactic, actually,'' Ainge said. ``I'd be embarrassed to admit somebody else's starting lineup bothered me. I'll put my ethics up against Don Nelson's ethics any day.''

Call them Knickerbonkers: Eight games to go, the trade deadline long past and the Knicks are barely a .500 team this late in the season for the first time since they finished 39-43 in 1990-91. So the Knicks fire GM Ernie Grunfeld.

He was going to go anyhow, but the guy who's temporarily replacing him, Madison Square Garden president and CEO David Checketts, said there was too much disagreement in the organization, everyone wasn't on the same page, and the team needed to make a playoff push.

Translation: Ernie and head coach Jeff Van Gundy weren't getting along.

Checketts never said so in so many words, Van Gundy denied it, and Grunfeld is in Germany this weekend scouting the European final four in his new job as a ``special consultant.''

But it's quite clear that was a big reason for this change. Here's Checketts on that subject:

``The organization was not on the same page in a lot of categories and I felt if we were going to make the playoffs, we all need to be on the same page. I'm not making the guy a scapegoat for the mistakes I have made. But I was not going to accept any more division, people having different agendas.

``Also, I will say that the organization has not functioned well together. Everybody is responsible.''

As for whether this saves Van Gundy's job, Checketts said, ``This is not a show of confidence in anybody.''

Bad week: The Bulls score 49 points in a game, and Michael Jordan does not call Ron Harper. Harper gets cut above his eye, requiring six stitches, and no call. But then Harper got his nose broken by Shawn Kemp and Harper hears not only from Jordan but from Scottie Pippen as well.

``Scottie said, `You got pounded,' '' said Harper. ``And M.J. said `You got cut above the eye, you got your nose torn up, you score 49 points, you are getting some rough treatment.' He killed me.''

Rookie camp: The Nike Desert Classic in Phoenix raised the stock of some players. Pepperdine guard Jelani Gardner could actually be drafted with his performance, and Cal center Francisco Elson is projected to go near the bottom of the first round.

Two small forwards - James Posey of Xavier and Quincy Lewis of Minnesota - also could be mid-first-round selections.

Lakers reunion: One of the surprise visitors in Phoenix was former Lakers coach Del Harris, who found his way over to Lakers executives Jerry West and Mitch Kupchak. The trio shook hands and talked without apparent strained feelings.

Euroball: Remember Kinder Bologna, the team Clippers center Michael Olowokandi played for earlier this year? Well, they advanced to the EuroLeague finals this weekend, losing in the championship to Zalgiris Kaunas of Lithuania. They could have clinched a berth in the 1999 McDonald's Championship in Munich, Germany, a tournament that will feature this year's NBA champion.

Kinder's players didn't exactly miss a chance to run into Olowokandi in Munich.

RANKING THE NBA: 1 TO 10 AND NO. 29

1. Utah: Jerry Sloan miffed he got passed over as 2000 Olympics coach.

2. San Antonio: Spurs are rolling, so early playoff exit must be likely.

3. Portland: Does this team have a go-to guy?

4. Miami: Heat own all tiebreakers in Eastern Conference.

5. Indiana: Reggie Miller on pace to lowest FG percentage in career (44 percent).

6. Houston: Pippen's sober, but Rockets looked intoxicated against Clippers.

7. Orlando: Nick Anderson and Penny Hardaway fighting over shooting-guard spot.

8. Lakers: Jerry West has resurfaced, let's hope Jerry Buss doesn't.

9. Atlanta: Hawks will be fine as long as Ed Gray stays on bench.

10. Milwaukee: George Karl brought in an acupuncturist to prevent late-season slump.

No. 29 Clippers: If no one cares if they lose, did they really lose?

BY THE NUMBERS

1,100

Three-pointers made by Miami's Dan Majerle, who on Wednesday became the 10th player in NBA history to make his 1,100th 3-pointer.

.619

Winning percentage for Houston Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich, the ninth-highest winning percentage in NBA history (minimum 400 games coached).

23/23

The New Jersey Nets hit all 23 attempts from the free-throw line in Wednesday's 99-87 win over the Chicago Bulls.

7-0

Larry Bird's record as a coach against his former team, the Boston Celtics.

SIGN OF THE TIMES

A New York magazine article on Latrell Sprewell noted that after one game, Larry Johnson tried to get the attention of team PR director Lori Hamamoto, then dropped his towel. Johnson insists he was only trying to get her attention to see what he shot from the foul line that night, since his goal is to shoot 80 percent.

``Larry and I have a great working relationship and it's not an issue,'' said Hamamoto, who was once a Clippers employee.

The NBA is investigating the incident, and Johnson met with vice president for security Horace Balmer on Wednesday.

RUMOR OF THE WEEK

Cleveland's Derek Anderson was placed on the injured list April 14 with a bruised right knee that he re-injured when teammate Brevin Knight blindsided him during an overzealous celebration in a game against Milwaukee.