With playoff elimination looming over the Knicks, it’s a good chance to reflect on a season that most would agree surpassed post-Antonio McDyess expectations.

The Knicks went into last night with four more wins than last season’s total and stayed legitimately in the race until late March. Last season they were cooked by mid-February.

A Knicks’ loss to Atlanta last night would officially place them in the lottery for the second straight year, where they likely will have the eighth seed. Last season, the Knicks were seeded seventh and wound up remaining at that spot when the ping-pong balls fell out.

So it’s a good time to reflect on some season-ending awards:

MVP: Allan Houston. Not even a close battle. He is having his career year, emerging as a legitimate star and fourth-quarter go-to guy, carrying them on his back in so many wins. He’s driving to the basket more than ever and thus getting to the foul line, where he leads the league in free-throw percentage (92 percent).

Most Improved: Shandon Anderson. He wins a close battle over Howard Eisley. After looking like a lost soul and turnover machine last season, his first in New York, Anderson turned it all around, becoming an effective sixth man.

Although still not worth his six-year, $42 million contract, Anderson is the prototype Don Chaney player who runs the break to perfection. Chaney says Anderson is the one guy on the team who is instinctively a full-court player. While he missed a lot of layups, it was amazing how often he was able to get to the hole as he emerged as the team’s most athletic player.

Most Mistreated by the Coach: Lee Nailon, hands-down. He’s been an afterthought since January after showing he can score the ball in his first two months in New York. He has been a DNP in 33 of the last 40 games before last night.

He’s a legit-sized small forward and was signed as insurance in case the Knicks were able to deal Latrell Sprewell. Unfortunately, Nailon didn’t know that. The only explanation Chaney gives is that Anderson has played too well as Sprewell’s backup. But to completely bench Nailon was a disgrace. He’ll likely look to move on as a free agent.

Most Unsung: Othella Harrington. Most NBA fans don’t even realize he’s been the starting power forward most of the season. As probably the hardest worker on the court, he quietly improved his rebounding and doesn’t get any credit for shaping a game because all his points usually come early. He gets everything out of his ability but gets no publicity, as he’s extremely shy with the media.

“Othella plays extremely hard every possession and gives everything he gives, not just games but [in] practices,” Chaney said. “He has a post-up game but he’s an undersized frontcourt man.”

Worst Interview: Clarence Weatherspoon. He doesn’t just loathe Karl Malone but has a thing for the media, too. Look for cover when asking the 6-6 Spoon any questions that may insinuate he’s undersized at power forward. That feistiness, however, serves him well in grabbing so many boards for an undersized power forward.

Calvin Klein Best Dressed: Allan Houston. This award is in honor of the famous fashion designer who was so swept away by the Knicks’ playoff race he got up from his celebrity row seat two weeks ago and tried to stick up a conversation with Latrell Sprewell as he tried to inbound the ball.

Klein, however, didn’t realize it’s Houston who is into modeling, having done a couple of photo shoots for a Manhattan agency last year. After the season’s he’s having, the modeling career could zoom.

Best Attitude: Latrell Sprewell. His offensive inconsistencies have been well-documented here and he may shoot under 40 percent for the first time in his career. But after the season began with him ripping GM Scott Layden for his track record, he’s been a saint. His criticism of management has ceased and has been very supportive as Chaney shifted the go-to status to Houston.