PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS vs. TORONTO RAPTORS   DEC. 7, 1995

Raptors in the Garden --- The Portland Trail Blazers, (8-8),
entertain the Toronto Raptors Thursday, looking to rise above
.500 in the win column for the first time this season. It will be the
first visit to Portland for the Raptors, one of two expansion teams
that joined the NBA this season. In addition to breaking the .500
barrier, Portland will also be out to atone for its loss to
Vancouver, the other new expansion team, in the inaugural game
in the Blazers new Rose Garden in the season's opener for both
teams on Nov. 3. Portland evened its overall record at eight and
upped its home mark to 5-4 by defeating Orlando Sunday, 93-82.

Facing the expansion --- Portland has faired well against
expansion teams coming into the league in the last eight
seasons.  The Blazers have posted an overall record of 60-13
against the six newest teams going back to 1988-89. Portland is
23-2 in matchups with Minnesota, 15-1 versus Miami, 13-3
against Charlotte and 9-6 against Orlando. Vancouver is the only
expansion team to have an advantage after defeating the
Blazers, 92-80 in that franchise's first counting game ever.
Portland's home record against the expansion teams is 29-7.

Blazers board up Magic --- The Blazers overwhelmed Atlantic
Division leading Orlando on the backboards, 67-31, enroute to a
93-82 victory on Sunday, ending a six-game Magic win streak in
the series that included three straight in Portland. The Orlando
point total was the lowest ever against the Blazers. Portland's
season-high 67 rebounds was the most ever against the Magic
and just four shy of its all-time record. Chris Dudley grabbed 14
rebounds, 10 of them in the game's first 10 minutes, and Buck
Williams corralled a season-high 12 misses. Portland dominance
included a 20-6 margin on the offensive glass. Portland's bench
had a big role in the victory, outscoring their Magic counterparts,
42-16 and outrebounding them 37-5. Clifford Robinson led all
scorers in the game with 22 points and first-year guard Randolph
Childress scored a career-high 18 points, including 4 of 6 from
three-point range. The Blazers shot .397 from the floor while
holding Orlando to a .379 field goal night. The Blazers won
despite turning the ball over 23 times; Orlando committed just
eight miscues.  Portland went on a 15-0 run early in the fourth
quarter to break the game open after trailing, 67-63 to start the
period. It was the first time in seven tries Portland has come from
behind to win after trailing at the period break.

A rare November --- The loss to Milwaukee last Thursday gave
Portland a 7-8 finish for November, the first time the Blazers
have been on the negative side of the win-loss column for the
month since the 1980-81 campaign. That year they endured a 4-
12 start. Its only the seventh below-.500 November in 26 years
for Portland.  The month has traditionally been good for the
Blazers, who own a 205-171 (.545) all-time record during
November. Since the 1989-90 season, the Blazers are 62-32
(.660) in November games.

Among the leaders --- ARVYDAS SABONIS was 3 of 8 from the
field against Orlando but is still shooting .628 for the season (71-
113), the best field goal percentage in the league after Sunday's
games. He's .556 (15-27) from  from three-point range. . . ROD
STRICKLAND is averaging 8.6 assists a game, good enough for
sixth in league rankings . . . CLIFFORD ROBINSON, who leads the
Blazers in scoring with a 24.2 ppg average, was ninth in the
league's point parade after Sunday's games . . . CHRIS DUDLEY
had 14 rebounds in 22 minutes against Orlando and is averaging
a team-best 10.2 rebounds a game, ninth best in the NBA . . .
JAMES ROBINSON,  who knocked down 3 three-pointers against
the Milwaukee, is shooting .498 (22-45), from long range, ninth
best in the league.

500th game for Clifford --- Clifford Robinson played in his 500th
NBA game Thursday against Milwaukee.  All 500 of those games
have been in a Blazers uniform.  Before suffering a sprained
ankle on Feb. 24 last season and being forced to sit out seven
games (his only absences in six-plus seasons), he had played in
a team record 461 consecutive games. He currently ranks eighth
on Portland's all-time games played list.

2,000 for Rod --- Rod Strickland needs just one more assist to
become only the fifth player in Trail Blazers history to dish out
2,000 assists.  He goes into the Toronto game with 1,999,
including 138 (an 8.6 average) this season.  The other Blazers
who've topped the 2,000 plateau are Terry Porter (5,319), Clyde
Drexler (4,933), Geoff Petrie (2,057), and Jim Paxson (2,007).

By the numbers --- Five of Portland's eight losses this season
have been by 5 points or less . . . Six of the Blazers eight wins
have been by 6 points or more . . . Portland is 7-1 when leading
going into the fourth quarter and 1-7 when tied or behind . . . It is
5-2 when holding the lead at halftime and 2-6 when trailing . . .
The Blazers are 4-2 when leading after one quarter and 3-6 when
behind . . . They are 6-4 when scoring more than 100 points and
4-1 when limiting their opponents to under 100 points . . . Portland
is 5-3 against teams with .500 or better records but only 3-5 with
teams at .500 or under . . . The Blazers are averaging 101.6
points a game to 100.4 by their opponents.

From the line --- Portland improved to .658 (25-38) from the line
Sunday against Orlando after going four straight games hitting
under .593 of its free throw attempts. Eight times this season the
Blazers have been below 60 percent from the strip and 11 times
they've been below the 70 percent level.  The team's .633 free
throw percentage is 29th in the league.

Rookies coming on --- Portland's rookie contingent (guard
RANDOLPH CHILDRESS, forward GARY TRENT and center ARVYDAS
SABONIS) are making themselves felt in NBA action . . . Childress
(a point guard from Wake Forest), had a career-high 18 points in
27 minutes of action after totaling 30 points in his first 14 games.
Trent (Ohio U.) made his fourth consecutive start Sunday
against Orlando, contributing five points and seven rebounds in
20 minutes. He's averaged 8.8 points in his last six games and
6.6 rebounds in his last five outings . . . Sabonis, playing his
first season in the NBA after establishing himself as one of
Europe's all-time great centers, is leading the league in field
goal percentage (.628), and is averaging 13.4 points, 6.1 rebounds
and 2.3 assists in 22.7 minutes over 14 games. He's also shooting
.556 (15-27) three-pointers.

Warriors buried from afar --- The Trail Blazers unleashed its
long range artillery in Oakland on Wednesday, burying Golden
State under a record barrage of three-pointers enroute to a 112-
98 victory over the Warriors and their former coach Rick
Adelman. Portland swished a record 13 shots from three-point
land, including 10 of 16 in a torrid first half, both records for a
half. The Blazers shot 52 percent from the field and led by as
many as 20 points early in the fourth quarter. Golden State shot
41 percent. Rod Strickland led Portland scoring with 24 points,
including 9 of 12 from the field and 4 of 5 three-pointers. Arvydas
Sabonis turned in his second straight 23-point game on a perfect
shooting night, hitting all 8 of his field goals, 3 of them three-
pointers, and all 4 free throws. Clifford Robinson added 20
points, including 5 of 8 threes.  Portland had a 44-37 rebounding
advantage.

Bucks shot drops Blazers --- For the second straight home
game, it was an enemy volley in the closing seconds that felled
the Blazers. This time Glenn Robinson sank a tough 8-foot
jumper with 10.1 seconds remaining on Thursday to give
Milwaukee a 100-99 victory, their first in Portland in seven tries.
Three nights earlier Michael Jordan's breakaway lay-in with 7.7
seconds on the clock iced a 107-104 Chicago win. Portland,
trailing the Bucks 85-77, staged a furious fourth quarter rally to
take the lead, 89-88, with 6:50 remaining. The lead changed
hands three more times before Glenn Robinson's game-winner.
Clifford Robinson topped Portland with 21 points and Rod
Strickland just missed a triple double with 18 points, 10 assists
and 8 rebounds. The Blazers shot 43 percent from the field (37-
86)  and the Bucks were 54 percent (37-68). Portland had a
season-low 11 turnovers to Milwaukee's 14 but converted only 59
percent of its free throws (16-27).

P.J. --- P.J. Carlesimo begins his second season as head coach
of the Portland Trail Blazers.  Last year, Carlesimo guided
Portland to a 44-38 record, the first coach in 25 years to have
moved directly from college to a head coaching job in the pros
and post a winning record in his first season.  The last coach to
make the successful jump in one season was Cotton
Fitzsimmons, who went from Kansas State to Phoenix to guide
the Suns to a 48-34 in 1970-71.

North to Seattle --- After entertaining Toronto Thursday, the
Blazers head north for their first matchup of the season with arch
rival Seattle on Saturday (7 p.m., KEX Radio, KGW-TV). The
Sonics game opens a back-to-back set, with the Blazers
returning to action Sunday to host the World Champion Houston
Rockets (7 p.m., KEX Radio, BlazerVision TV).  Following the
Houston matchup, the Blazers have another back-to-back set,
playing Charlotte at home on Nov. 14 and at Vancouver Nov. 15.

CLIFFORD ROBINSON . . . . . vs. the Magic Sunday: 22 points
(8-18 Fgs, 2-7 3pt., 4-6 Fts), 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 45 minutes . . .
vs. the Bucks Thursday: 21 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2
blocks, 41 minutes . . . vs. the Warriors Wednesday: 20 points, 6
rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 39 minutes . . . Just
missed his first career triple-double with 16 points, 9 rebounds, 9
assists in the Nov. 21 win at the Lakers . . . Attempted a career
high 19 free throws in Nov. 5 win over Utah . . .Had a career-high
6 three-pointers in 7 tries at Chicago Nov. 11 . . . Has topped
Blazers in scoring nine times . . . ranked ninth in the NBA in
scoring with 24.2 average after Sunday's action . . . Has tallied 30
or more points in five games and 20 or more in 13 . . . Is
averaging 42.0 minutes in 16 starts . . . leads the NBA in three-
pointers made with 51, has connected for three or more in 11 of
the 16 games and has at least one in 15 of the 16 . . . Is tied with
Buck Williams for the longest current tenure with the Trail
Blazers, playing his seventh season in a Portland uniform . . .
Ranks 8th on Portland's all-time list in games played, points and
field goals made, 9th in field goals attempted and 3rd in three-
point field goals made and attempted.

BUCK WILLIAMS . . . . . vs. the Magic Sunday: 6 points (2-6
Fgs, 2-4 Fts), season-high 12 rebounds, season-high 36 minutes
off the bench in fourth game back in the lineup  . . . vs. the Bucks
Thursday: 3 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, 24 minutes . . .
vs. the Warriors Wednesday: 8 points, game-high 10 rebounds, 1
steal, 1 block, 25 minutes . . . vs. the Bulls Monday: 3 points, 3
rebounds, 1 block, 21 minutes in his first action of the season . . .
Was activated Nov. 27 after opening the season on the injured
list with torn tendons in his left thumb, missing the first 12 games
this season . . . In his previous 14 years in the league, he missed
only 26 of 1,148 games and only 23 of those because of injury . .
Played in one preseason matchup prior to the injury (Oct. 13 at
Vancouver), and charted 5 points and 2 rebounds in 12 minutes
of action . . . Averaged 9.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 29.5
minutes over 82 games last season, posting a .512 field goal
percentage . . . Only the eighth player in NBA history to record
12,000 career points and 15,000 rebounds.

ROD STRICKLAND . . . . . . vs. the Magic Sunday: 7 points (3-10
FG, 1-2 FT), 4 assists, 5 rebounds, 21 minutes before sitting out
last 15 minutes of the game because of a sore right shin . . . vs.
the Bucks Thursday: Just missed a triple-double with 18 points,
10 assists, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, 43 minutes . . . vs. the Warriors
Wednesday: Game-high 24 points (9-12 Fgs, 4-5 3pt., 2-5 Fts),
11 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 38 minutes.  Scored 13 points
and was 5 of 5 from the floor and 3 of 3 from three-point range in
the game's first 12 minutes . . Posted team-best eighth double-
double in Milwaukee game . . . Has scored 22 or more points in
eight games and is averaging 19.4 ppg while shooting .502
percent from the floor and 52 percent (12-23) from long range . .
Has led Blazers in assists in all 16 games, is averaging 8.6 a
game. . . Ranks 5th on Portland's all-time assists list with 1,999
and 11th in steals (426) . . . Needs one assist for his 2,000th as a
Trail Blazer (he will be only the fifth Portland player to reach that
plateau.

CHRIS DUDLEY . . . . . vs. the Magic Sunday: 0 points (0-4 Fgs,
0-2 Fts), game-high 14 rebounds, 10 in the game's first 10
minutes, 1 block, 22 minutes . . . vs. the Bucks Thursday: 5
points, game-high 9 rebounds, 31 minutes . . . vs. the Warriors
Wednesday: Scoreless with 0 rebounds in 12 minutes of foul-
plagued action before being whistled for his sixth foul with 9:01
remaining in the game . . . vs. the Lakers Nov. 21: Season-high
12 points (6-9 FGs), 15 rebounds, 4 blocked shots, 36 minutes . .
fourth double-double of the season vs. Lakers . . . Leading
Blazers rebounder in 12 of the 16 games played . . . Ranks ninth
in the NBA in rebounding with a 10.2 average . . . Last year,
averaged 5.5 points, a team-leading 9.3 rebounds and 1.54
blocks, and was one of two Blazers to play in all 82 games  . . .
Has played in 104 consecutive games for Portland, the team's
longest current streak.

ARVYDAS SABONIS . . . . . Portland's Player-of-the-Month
nomination for November . . . vs. the Magic Sunday: 10 points (3-
8 Fgs, 0-1 3pt, 4-5 Fts), 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 1 block,
22 minutes . . . vs. the Bucks Thursday: 10 points, 4 rebounds,
19 minutes . . . vs. the Warriors Wednesday: Had a perfect night
from the floor while equelling his NBA career high of 23 points
set  two nights earlier against Chicago. Finished with 8-8 Fgs, 3-3
3pt., 4-4 Fts . . . Had an NBA career-high 16 rebounds along with
17 points versus Phoenix Nov. 18 . . . Has connected on 70
percent of his field goal attempts (57-82) in his last 10 games . .
Leads the NBA in field goal accuracy at .628 (71-113) is
shooting .556 (15-27) from three-point range . . . Is averaging
13.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 22.7 minutes in 14 games . . .
Considered to be one of the best Europeans ever to play the
game  . . . Helped lead Lithuania to a silver medal in the 1995
European Championships in Athens, Greece, and a berth in the
1996 Olympic Games.

AARON McKIE . . . . . vs. the Magic Sunday: 17 points (5-12
Fgs, 7-8 Fts), 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 30 minutes . . . vs.
the Bucks Thursday: 7 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 21 minutes .
. . vs. the Warriors Wednesday: 18 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist,
1 steal, 29 minutes . . . Equalled his season high with 19 points at
Phoenix Nov. 18 . . . Is shooting .526 from the field for the year
(71-136) and has hit at a .558 (63-113) in his last 10 outings, all
starts . . . Has scored in double figures nine times and has had
17 or more in five of his last nine games . . . Returned to action
wearing a facemask to protect a broken facial bone to play 18
minutes in the Nov. 5 win over Utah. Played his first game
without the facemask against Orlando Sunday . . . Broke the
zygomatic arch under his left eye during fall camp practice on
Oct. 25 . . . Started 20 games for last season and averaged 6.5
points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists in 45 appearances.

HARVEY GRANT . . . . . Placed on the injured list Nov. 27
(sprained left mid-foot) . . . last appearance vs. Nets on Nov. 24:
11 points (5-5 Fgs, 1-1 3pt., 3 assists, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 23
minutes . . . Started nine games at small forward after beginning
the season as the starting two guard . . . Averaged 9.1 points, 3.8
rebounds and 23.6 minutes with a .461 field goal ledger in 75
games last season while starting 14 games, including five at
shooting guard.

JAMES ROBINSON . . . . . vs. the Magic Sunday: 8 points (3-7
Fgs, 2-2 Fts), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 17 minutes . . . vs. the
Bucks Thursday: 16 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 27
minutes . . . vs. the Warriors Wednesday: 8 points, 4 rebounds, 3
assists, 21 minutes . . . vs. the Lakers Nov. 21: Scored the
game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer and finished with
season-high 17 points (7-12 FGs, 3-5 3pt.), 6 assists, 0
turnovers, 27 minutes . . . Has connected on at least one three-
pointer in 12 of the 16 games and is shooting .489 from long
range (22-45) and ranks ninth among NBA leaders in this
category . . .  Missed entire preseason after suffering fracture of
fourth metacarpal in his left hand in fall camp . . . Ranks 5th all-
time in three-point field goals made with 119 and 6th in three-
point attempts with 338 . . . Averaged 9.2 points, 2.5 assists and
shot .409 from the field in 71 games during the 1994-95 season.

RANDOLPH CHILDRESS . . . . . vs. the Magic Sunday: Career-
high game of 18 points (5-8 Fgs, 4-6 3pt, 4-5 Fts), 3 assists, 3
rebounds, 1 steal, 27 minutes . . .  vs. the Bucks Thursday: 5
points, 5 minutes  . . . vs. the Warriors Wednesday: 5 points, 2
assists, 10 minutes . . . His 5 points and 5 assists in the win over
Utah Nov. 5, were the first of his professional career  . . . Before
his 18 point outburst against Orlando, had scored 30 points in his
previous 14 games while averaging 7.1 minutes per game . . .
Was acquired, along with forward Bill Curley, from the Detroit in
exchange for Otis Thorpe . . . Was the Pistons' first round draft
pick (19th overall) in 1995 draft.

GARY TRENT . . . . . vs. the Magic Sunday: 5 points (2-5 Fgs, 1-
4 Fts), 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 20 minutes in his fourth consecutive
start at small forward . . . vs. the Bucks Thursday: Career-high 14
points (6-14 Fgs, 2-2 Fts), 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 29 minutes . . .
vs. the Warriors Wednesday: 4 points, career-high 9 rebounds, 3
assists . . . Scored 12 points (6-8 FGs)---his first points as a pro,
in 23 minutes in the Nov. 5 win over Utah . . . Has averaged 9.2
points and shot .523 (23-44) from the field in his last six games .
. . Was acquired (along with a conditional 1996 first round draft
pick) from Milwaukee in exchange for the draft rights to Shawn
Respert . . . Was Milwaukee's 1st round pick (11th overall) in the
1995 Draft.

DONTONIO WINGFIELD . . . . . Did not play (coach's decision)
vs. Bucks Thursday  . . . vs. the Warriors Wednesday: 2 points, 2
rebounds, 1 assist, 5 minutes . . . Was signed as a free agent . . .
Spent last season with the Seattle SuperSonics and averaged
2.3 points and 4.0 minutes in 20 games . . . Played one year of
collegiate basketball at Cincinnati, where he averaged 16.0
points and 9.0 rebounds in 29 games.

REGGIE SLATER . . . . . Did not play (coach's decision) in last
six games . . . Spent last year with the Denver Nuggets, where
he averaged 4.8 points and 2.3 rebounds per contests in 25
appearances . . . Was not drafted by an NBA team . . . Played
with Argal Huesca in Spain in 1992-93, where he averaged 19.1
points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game . . .

ANTHONY COOK . . . . . Did not play (coach's decision) in last
two games . . . vs. the Warriors Wednesday: Scoreless with 1
rebound in 2 minutes . . . Did not play (coach's decision) vs. the
Bulls Monday . . . Played with the Denver Nuggets from 1990-91
to 92-93, and with the Orlando Magic and Milwaukee Bucks in
1993-94 . . . Averaged 3.8 points and 4.0 rebounds with a .439
field goal percentage and a .531 free throw mark in 105 career
NBA contests before joining the Blazers as a free agent

BILL CURLEY . . . . . Opened the season on the injured list, as
he recovers from left ankle surgery performed Oct. 5 . . . The
surgery removed a bone fragment . . . Was acquired from Detroit
(along with the draft rights to Randolph Childress) in exchange
for Otis Thorpe on Sept. 20 . . . Played in 53 games during his
rookie campaign at Detroit and averaged 2.7 points, 2.3
rebounds and 11.2 minutes per game.