Kenyon Martin, Jason Kidd and coach Byron Scott have led the resurgent New Jersey Nets this year. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        The New Jersey Nets have been the laughingstock of the Eastern Conference pretty much since the summer they joined the NBA and immediately sold Julius Erving to the 76ers.

        They played in Piscataway before moving to East Rutherford, practiced at a trucking warehouse, piped in phony crowd noise and made it a yearly habit to miss the playoffs.

        In just one season, Jason Kidd has changed all that.

        The Nets have been atop the Eastern Conference all season, reaching 50 wins for the first time in the franchise's NBA history while playing an uptempo, exciting brand of basketball that has allowed the Meadowlands to surpass Madison Square Garden as the current mecca of basketball in the New York metropolitan area.

        A lack of injuries has plenty to do with New Jersey's success, but the main reason has been the play of Kidd.

        Ballots have already been sent out to NBA writers and broadcasters who vote on the Most Valuable Player and other awards. Although the Associated Press does not participate in official balloting, here are some choices for several awards.

        • MVP: Kidd, New Jersey Nets. Turned a team that won 26 games last season into one that had 51 victories entering this weekend. Won Player of the Week honors three times, posted eight triple-doubles and repeatedly hit clutch shots in the fourth quarters of tight games. Runners-up: Tim Duncan, San Antonio; Tracy McGrady, Orlando; Gary Payton, Seattle; Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers.

        • COACH OF THE YEAR: Rick Adelman, Sacramento Kings. Guided a team that was without Chris Webber for 26 games and Peja Stojakovic for 11 games to the NBA's best record, including a recent 6-0 road trip that ended much of the talk about the Kings being merely mediocre on the road. Runner-up: Rick Carlisle, Detroit.

        • ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Pau Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies. Leads all rookies in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage and blocks, all while showing surprising durability for a skinny player who appeared physically overmatched early in the season. A dunk he threw down over Kevin Garnett was one of the best in the league all season. Runner-up: Richard Jefferson, New Jersey.

        • EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR: Joe Dumars, Detroit Pistons. It's hard to give anyone the nod over New Jersey's Rod Thorn, who dealt Stephon Marbury for Kidd, but Dumars gets it anyway by virtue of making not one, but two trades that vastly improved his team. The deal bringing Clifford Robinson from Phoenix for Jud Buechler and John Wallace qualifies as larceny. Getting Jon Barry from Sacramento for Mateen Cleaves was a steal, too. Runner-up: Thorn.

        • DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Ben Wallace, Detroit Pistons. Has blossomed into the most valuable big man in the East. If he holds off Tim Duncan for the rebounding title, he will become the first player shorter than 6-foot-10 to lead the league in blocked shots and rebounds. He also has more steals than every other forward except Karl Malone and Shawn Marion. Runner-up: Ron Artest, Indiana.

        • SIXTH MAN: Troy Hudson, Orlando Magic. Scored in double figures 44 times, including 11 games of 20 or more points after reaching double digits only eight times last season. Improved his numbers steadily throughout the season, going from an average of 5.9 points in November to 15.3 in March. Runner-up: Corliss Williamson, Detroit.

        • MOST IMPROVED: Brent Barry, Seattle SuperSonics. Plenty of competition in this category from players such as Jermaine O'Neal, Steve Nash, Wally Szczerbiak and Kenyon Martin, but the nod here goes to the often overlooked Barry, who averages 14.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists — about a 40 percent improvement in each category over last season's numbers. Runner-up: O'Neal, Indiana.

        • ALL-NBA: First team: Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady, Jason Kidd. Second Team: Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Webber, Paul Pierce, Kobe Bryant, Gary Payton. Third Team: Ben Wallace, Antoine Walker, Peja Stojakovic, Allen Iverson, Steve Nash.

        • ALL-ROOKIE: Paul Gasol, Shane Battier, Richard Jefferson, Andrei Kirilenko, Jamaal Tinsley.

        • ALL-INTERVIEW: Vlade Divac, Jason Kidd, Michael Olowokandi, Jon Barry, Antonio Davis. Coach: Doc Rivers, Orlando.

        • ALL-HAIR: Moochie Norris, Steve Nash, Ben Wallace, Eddy Curry, Travis Knight. Note: Dirk Nowitzki and Vladimir Radmanovic would have made the cut had they not cut their hair.

        HORNETS: There is a very distinct possibility the Hornets will know their relocation fate before they know their postseason fate, which means the league could have a lame-duck team playing in a lame-duck city in the playoffs.

        “It obviously has occurred to us that it wouldn't be the most comfortable situation, but the fact is that we going to try and move this along and get it done as soon as we can,” deputy commissioner Russ Granik said. “If the end result is that the relocation is approved, then so be it.”

        Last season, the Grizzlies' move from Vancouver to Memphis was not approved until July 3, creating scheduling and logistical difficulties.

        The NBA would like to speed up the process this time, and Granik said the league wants the Hornets' status settled by the end of this month.

        “It's important for the Hornets that if they are going to be allowed to relocate, they would need to know that as soon as possible and just start getting to work for the future. I'm sure we would do what is best for the long run even if it did make things a little uncomfortable for the next few weeks,” Granik said.

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