The Bulls are pushing Scottie Pippen for NBA comeback player-of-the-year honors. Although Utah`s Darrell Griffith and Charlotte`s Kelly Tripucka seem to be the early favorites, the Bulls believe Pippen deserves consideration after offseason back surgery.

''Scottie did a great job of working out this summer,'' said General Manager Jerry Krause. ''He came back early because of the work he put in.''

Pippen had disc surgery last July after being bothered by back pain during his rookie season, when he averaged 7.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and shot 46 percent from the field and 58 percent from the line. But he returned sooner than expected-after missing the first eight games of the season-and claimed a starting position Dec. 27.

For the season, Pippen is averaging 13.9 points and 6 rebounds and shooting 49 percent from the field and 65 percent from the line.

- Houston`s Akeem Olajuwon is the only player in the NBA in the top 10 in four statistical categories: First in rebounds (13.1), third in steals (2.84), fourth in blocked shots (3.29) and 10th in scoring (24.3).

- Olajuwon played 25 minutes in the All-Star Game, the fewest of the Western starters, getting 12 points and 7 rebounds. But he was not

disappointed at not being featured at home after what happened to Michael Jordan after the 1988 All-Star Game in Chicago.

''Michael Jordan is a show player, and he put all that pressure on himself last year,'' Olajuwon said. ''He had the ball in his hands and he felt he had to do something with it all the time. That was his mistake.''

Adequately rested, Olajuwon outrebounded Patrick Ewing 25-3 even though the Knicks defeated the Rockets last week.

- Afis Olajuwon, Akeem`s youngest brother, is a 6-foot-4-inch senior at Houston`s Marian Christian High School and just led the school to the state basketball title. He averaged 24 points and 12 rebounds for the season and was named the tournament`s most valuable player. He`s leaning toward attending Arizona.

- Jordan says don`t discount Boston`s trade of Danny Ainge and Brad Lohaus to Sacramento for Joe Kleine and Ed Pinckney: ''At first I thought it was a bad deal, like a lot of other people. But those Celtics guys are smart. They don`t make too many bad trades. I`d watch out.''