Heat's Mourning Gets Defensive

May 19, 1999 / 1:53 PM EDT / AP

For Alonzo Mourning, being chosen NBA Defensive Player of the Year isn't much of a consolation prize.

"That's great," he said. "Can I trade it in to be playing Atlanta?"

The Miami Heat center was a lopsided choice for the honor on Wednesday, three days after his team's season ended against the New York Knicks.

Now, it's the Knicks against Atlanta, while Mourning settles for the most prestigious trophy of his seven-year NBA career.

"Those individual awards just sit on my mantelpiece and collect dust," he said. "I'd trade all that to be playing now."

Mourning received 89 of a possible 118 votes in balloting by a panel of sports writers and broadcasters from the United States and Canada.

Atlanta's Dikembe Mutombo, winner of the defensive award three of the previous four seasons, was second with 10 votes. Seattle's Gary Payton, who won it in 1995-96, was third with six votes.

"It's a tremendous honor, and one that I feel is deserved," Mourning said.

He had the best year in his career, anchoring a defense that allowed 84 points per game, second-lowest in the league. The 6-foot-10 center led the NBA in blocked shots with 3.9 per game, blocking at least six shots 10 times.

Mourning also averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds while shooting .511 from the field.

Against New York, Mourning had by far the best series of any Miami player, averaging 21 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots.

Just as important, he kept his notorious temper in check during the rugged series, but the Heat lost the series against their bitter rivals 3-2 on Allan Houston's last-second basket in Game 5.

"We shot ourselves in the foot," Mourning said. "By far we're a better team than they are. It's not like they annihilated us."

The 29-year-old center has been endorsed for the league's most valuable player award by teammates and opponents, including coaches Jeff Van Gundy, Chuck Daly, Alvin Gentry and Tim Floyd, and such players as Patrick Ewing, Penny Hardaway and Charles Barkley.

"If he doesn't get it, there's something wrong with you all who vote," Ewing said last week.

The MVP award will be announced during the NBA conference finals.