PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS at MIAMI HEAT GAME NO. 54 --- FEBRUARY 21, 1997 Record: Overall---28-25, Home---17-9, Road---11-16 MIAMI NEXT STOP --- The Trail Blazers, 28-25, will be looking to snap its season's longest six-game road losing streak at Miami Friday on the second stop of a four-games-in-six-days Eastern trip. The trek continues Saturday in Philadelphia and concludes Monday night in Chicago. The Blazers, who lost to Heat, 84-81, in Portland back in January, have won on eight of their nine previous appearances in Miami. A victory Friday would keep the Heat from posting their first series sweep ever over the Blazers. They also need a win Friday to avoid stretching their road loss mark to seven in a row, which would equal the club's longest in the last seven seasons. Despite Wednesday's 95-84 loss at Orlando, Portland is three games above .500 and four wins better than it was a year ago after 53 games. The 84 points Wednesday marked only the sixth time in the last 16 games the Blazers have failed to top the century mark. Portland's offense is the 10th most productive in the league with a 98.3 ppg average. PROBABLE STARTERS --- F-- No. 3 Clifford Robinson (6-10), F--No. 33 Gary Trent (6-8), C--No. 30 Rasheed Wallace (6-10), G--No. 34 Isaiah Rider (6-5), G--No. 7 Kenny Anderson (6-1). INJURY REPORT --- Rasheed Wallace, strained ligaments, left thumb (in Feb. 19 Orlando game). Probable for Friday. RECENT TRANSACTIONS --- On Feb. 19, center Arvydas Sabonis was activated after missing 11 games with a deeply bruised left calf. Portland also announced it has released guard Ruben Nembhard, who had been signed to a second 10-day contract on Feb. 7. Stacey Augmon, a 6-foot-8 forward-guard in his sixth NBA season, was acquired by the Trail Blazers Jan. 24 from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for guards Randolph Childress, Aaron McKie and Reggie Jordan. THE BLAZERS-HEAT SERIES --- Portland's 85-81 loss to the Heat in the Rose Garden on Jan. 8 was only the second Blazers setback in the 19 matchups between the two teams since Miami came into the league as an expansion franchise in 1988. Before the loss last month, the Trail Blazers had won all nine previous meetings in Portland and had a six-game series win streak going. In Miami, the Blazers have lost only once in nine games and were victorious on their last stop there, winning 102-88, on March 1, last season. The Heat's only series win on their own floor was by a 102-91 score on Feb. 24, 1993. THE LAST TIME THEY MET --- Portland suffered its first homecourt loss ever to Miami in a physical struggle in the Rose Garden, 85-81, on Jan. 8. The loss, only the second in 19 games with the Heat and the first in 10 matchups in Portland, snapped a five-game Blazers winning streak, their longest of the season. Arvydas Sabonis and Isaiah Rider each scored 17 points to lead Portland and Sabonis grabbed 15 rebounds for his 10th double-double of the season. Miami's Tim Hardaway took game scoring honors with 28 points, 21 of them in the second half. Both teams shot 37 percent from the field, the Blazers 29-of-78 and the Heat 26-of-70, but Miami had the edge at the free throw line, making 24 of 34 compared with 17 of 22 by Portland. The Blazers equalled their season high with 32 personal fouls and had a one-rebound advantage in the game, 39-38. ON OFFENSE --- The Blazers have the tenth most productive offense in the league, averaging 98.3 points a contest . . . In winning 28 games, the Blazers margin of victory has been 12.4 ppg, with the cushion being 10 or more points in 14 games and 20 or more six times . . . Portland's overall point margin of +2.3 is the league's 11th best . . . The Blazers field goal accuracy mark of .457 is the 14th highest in the league . . . They have topped 50 percent field goal shooting 13 times and are 10-3 when they have done so . . . Of the Blazers 25 losses, 15 have been by six points or less, eight have been by three or under, and five have been one-pointers . . . Portland is 14-9 in games decided by 10 points or more but 8-11 when the margin is four points or under and 2-7 when its two or under. ON DEFENSE --- Portland has the NBA's ninth toughest defense to shoot against, holding foes to .439 field goal accuracy in 53 games . . . It has kept opponents below the 40 percent mark 12 times and 28 times below 45 percent . . . In winning 28 games, the Blazers have held 21 opponents under 100 points and overall have allowed only 19 of 53 to top the century mark . . . Their defensive average, 96.0, is the league's 13th lowest. ON THE BOARDS --- Portland has outrebounded 41 of 53 opponents this season and nine times has claimed 50 or more misses in a game . . . The Blazers lead the NBA in total rebounding percentage---the share of total misses in a game a team rebounds---(.529), are third in defensive rebounding percentage (.724) and fourth in offensive percentage (.335) . . . The Blazers have an overall advantage of 5.6 rebounds per game and a 3.8 per game margin on the defensive glass . . . Among the top five rebounding teams in the league for the past nine years, Portland again is the leader despite not having an individual among the league's top 30. AMONG THE NBA LEADERS ---RASHEED WALLACE, 3rd in field goal percentage, .579 (205-354) ---GARY TRENT, 6th in field goal percentage, .546 (241-441) ---ARVYDAS SABONIS, 37th in field goal percentage, .489 (198-405) ---KENNY ANDERSON , 16th in assists (6.8), is 12th in steals (1.91), 29th in scoring (18.1), 29th in 3-point accuracy, .381 (88-231), 29th in minutes played (37.9) ---ISAIAH RIDER, 39th in 3-pt percentage, .368 (68-185) ---CHRIS DUDLEY, 23rd in blocked shots (1.35), 38th in rebounding (7.3) ---CLIFFORD ROBINSON, 26th in minutes played (38.4), 37th in blocked shots (0.88) THE LAST THREE GAMES MAGIC ACT PREVAILS --- After falling behind by as many as 14 points midway through the third quarter, Portland rallied to within three, 82-79, with 5 minutes remaining before a 14-2 Magic run closed the door and the Blazers fell, 95-84 in Orlando Wednesday in the opener of a four-game Eastern road trip. It was the Blazers sixth straight road loss, their longest stretch this season. Rasheed Wallace led Portland with 20 points; Penny Hardaway and Horace Grant led Orlando with 21 and 20 points respectively. The Blazers, who shot 42% (35-83) for the game, committed an all-time franchise low 10 personal fouls. Orlando converted 46% from the field (38-83). Wallace and Chris Dudley each claimed 10 rebounds as Portland won the boards battle, 46.36. BEATING BOSTON --- Isaiah Rider stepped up big time to lead Portland past Boston Sunday in the Rose Garden, 118-106. Rider, who converted 13 of 19 field goals, both of his treys and 12 of 13 free throws, tallied 40 points---just two off his career high and the most points by a Trail Blazer in 101 games. Rasheed Wallace, starting at center for the first time, contributed 22 points as all five Portland starters finished in double figures. Antoine Walker led the Celtics with 28 points. The Blazers shot 54% from the floor (43-80), the 13th time this season they had topped the 50% mark. Boston converted 45% of its field goal attempts (34-76) and made a Blazers opponent season-high 35-of-49 free throws. Portland, led by Kenny Anderson's five steals, swiped the ball 13 times, tieing the club's season high. The Blazers were outrebounded, 44-38, for only the 12th time this season. The victory gave Portland a 1-1 season series split with the Celtics. A HUGE COMEBACK --- The Trail Blazers staged their second biggest comeback in history last night in the Rose Garden, recovering from a 26-point deficit with 7:08 remaining in the second quarter (23-49), to race past the Houston Rockets, 109-105. Portland's biggest comeback ever happened on Dec. 15, 1974, a 27-point reversal against the Lakers that produced a 100-97 victory. Kenny Anderson fired the Blazers effort this time with a season's-best 35 points, including 16 in the third quarter when Portland outscored the Rockets, 38-22, to take an 80-77 lead into the final period. Isaiah Rider added 26 points as the Blazers won thier second straight meeting with Houston and earned a season's split with the Midwest Division powerhouse. Portland finished shooting 49% from the field (41-83), including 11-of-20 from three-point land. Houston turned in a 47% field goal night (35-73) and were led in scoring by Kevin Willis 31 points. The Blazers had a 43-35 rebounding edge, thanks in part to a career high-equalling 14 boards by Rasheed Wallace. A BALANCED ACT --- Portland is tenth in the league in scoring and first in rebounding percentages, yet no Trail Blazer shows up in the top 25 in either category . . . However, six Blazers, led by Kenny Anderson's 18.1 ppg, are averaging in double figures and all six have led the team in scoring at least four times . . . The Blazers balance on the glass is even more pronounced: Arvydas Sabonis (8.1 rpg) and Chris Dudley (7.3 rpg) top the club in rebounding but are no higher than 35th and 38th respectively among the NBA's top boardsmen . . . One reason for Portland's continued position as one of the league's rebounding elite is balance. No fewer than 10 different Blazers have grabbed game rebounding honors this season and both starting guards--- Anderson and Isaiah Rider---are averaging nearly 5 retrieves a game. BLAZERS MILESTONES --- Clifford Robinson has moved past Geoff Petrie as Portland's fifth all-time leading scorer and now, with 9,974 points, needs 26 more to become only the fifth Trail Blazer to reach the 10,000 mark. The others are Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter, Jerome Kersey and Jim Paxson . . . Robinson has moved ahead of Larry Steele for fifth place on Portland's all-time games played list. He now has played in 615 of a possible 627 games during his seven-plus years as a Blazer. . . Kenny Anderson's season-high 15 assists at Phoenix on Jan. 24 allowed him to reach the 3,000 plateau in his career. GOING BACK-TO-BACK --- Friday's game with the Heat opens the 15th of 21 sets of back-to-back games (contests played on consecutive nights) on the Trail Blazers 1996-97 schedule. Portland moves on to Philadelphia for a Saturday game with the Sixers. The Blazers, now 15-13 in back-to-back encounters, swept their last two-night combination, defeating Houston and Boston on consecutive nights at home. Portland is 8-6 in first games of back-to-backs but 4-5 when the set opener occurs on the road. COMMUNITY CORNER DUDLEY HONORED BY USA WEEKEND . . . --- Blazers center Chris Dudley has been named one of five recipients of USA Weekend magazine's fourth annual Most Caring Athlete Awards. Other 1997 honorees recognized by the magazine for humanitarian efforts off the field are 49er quarterback Steve Young, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Curt Schilling, LPGA golfer Val Skinner and tennis star Chanda Rubin. Dudley, 1996 winner of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award presented by the Professional Basketball Writers Association, was recognized by USA Weekend for work among children and young adults. Diagnosed as a diabetic when he was 16, Dudley's charitable work includes a $100,000 gift to Oregon's Gales Creek Camp for diabetic youth; $300,000 to the I Have a Dream Foundation to sponsor college scholarships for 76 at-risk pupils at Portland's Vernon Elementary School when they finish high school, and last summer sponsoring Oregon's first basketball camp for diabetics. ANDERSON'S ASSISTS COUNTING UP --- Kenny Anderson has now dished out 359 assists for the season (6.8 per game, 16th best in the league). That means $7,180 so far for the Kids Making Miracles $1 million drive to fund a state-of-the-art health care facility at Portland's Doernbecher Children's Hospital. Anderson, honorary chairman of Kids Making Miracles, has pledged $20 for every assist he makes during the season. As part of the NBA's major youth initiative TeamUp, the Trail Blazers made a three-year commitment to help build public awareness of Kids Making Miracles, a volunteer organization of grade and high school students throughout Oregon and southwest Washington. ATTENDANCE IN TOP THREE --- The Trail Blazers, despite playing in the league's fourth smallest market area, rank behind only Charlotte and Chicago in home game attendance this season point. All 26 Blazers home games thus far have been in the 20,000-plus category, including four sellouts with a total attendance 533,325 and the average through the Feb. 16 game versus Boston 20,513. ROSE GARDEN RANKS NO. 2 --- In its first year, the Blazers Rose Garden finished as the North America's second-highest money-making concert venue behind only Detroit's Palace at Auburn Hills. The rating, done by Performance Magazine based on arenas with 20,000 or more seats, showed the Rose Garden staged 47 shows with a total attendance of 510,275 and gross revenue of $12.5 million. Other arenas in the top 10 included New Jersey's Continental Airlines Arena (No. 3), Target Center in Minneapolis (No. 5), General Motors Place in Vancouver (No. 6), Boston's Fleet Center (No. 9) and Chicago's United Center (No. 10). P.J. CARLESIMO --- Head coach P.J. Carlesimo posted his 100th NBA career success Dec. 6 as his Blazers stopped Charlotte, 97-93. In his third season at the Portland helm, he became the fourth coach in franchise history to reach the century mark. The others are his three predecessors, Jack Ramsay (453-367, 55.2%), Mike Schuler (127-84, 60.2%) and Rick Adelman (291-154, 65.4%). P.J. currently is 116-101, 53.5%. Last season, Carlesimo guided Portland to a 44-38 record for the second year in a row. ROAD TRIP CONTINUES --- After Friday's matchup in Orlando, the Blazers move on to Philadelphia tomorrow night (4:30 p.m., KEX Radio) for Game 3 of thier second Eastern road swing in four weeks. They finish off the road trip Monday at Chicago (5:30 p.m., KEX Radio, KGW-TV), then open a four-game homestand on Wednesday against the New York Knicks (7 p.m., KEX Radio, BlazerVision). THE PLAYERS KENNY ANDERSON --- Wednesday at Orlando: 13 pts (6-17 fgs, 1-4 3pt, 0-1 fts), 4 assists, 4 rbs, 3 steals, 36 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Boston: 13 pts, 6 rbs, game-high 9 assists and 5 steals, 2 blocks, 43 minutes . . . Saturday vs. Houston: Season-high 35 points, team-high 4 assists, 2 rbs, 3 steals, 36 minutes---his fourth +30 game and his 21st +20 . . . Dished out a season-high 15 assists, scored 22 pts and had only 1 TO in 43 minutes at Phoenix Jan. 24 Friday ---his ninth double-double, his 10th double-figure assist game . . . Scored a season-high 34 pts in a season-high 49 minutes Dec. 13 at the Lakers . . . Scored 32 points vs. Houston Nov. 26 . . . Has led team in scoring 16 times and in assists 33 times . . . Team's leading scorer at 18.1 ppg, the assists leader (6.8 avg.) and tops in steals (1.91 avg.) . . . Ranks 29th in the NBA in scoring, 16th in assists, 12th in steals, 29th in minutes played (37.9), and 29th in 3-point shooting (.381 on 88-231) . . . Kenny is one of 25 players in the league averaging at least 4 assists and 4 rebounds a game (6.8 and 4.5) . . . Signed as a free agent July 23 . . . Played last season with New Jersey and Charlotte, averaging 15.2 points and 8.3 assists in 69 games . . . Played the previous four years with New Jersey . . . Nets 1st round draft choice (2nd overall) in 1991 . . . Starting East guard in the 1994 NBA All-Star Game . . . New Jersey's all-time assists leader . . . Last game vs. Miami: 12 pts, 7 assists, 2 steals, 37 minutes. STACEY AUGMON --- Wednesday at Orlando: 4 pts (2-5 fgs), 3 rbs, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 16 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Boston: 4 pts, 1 assist, 2 steals, 11 minutes . . . Saturday vs. Houston: 4 pts, 2 rb, 1 assist, 19 minutes . . . For second game in a row tied season-high with 12 pts vs. Utah Feb. 13 . . . Acquired Jan. 24 from Detroit in exchange for guards Randolph Childress, Reggie Jordan and Aaron McKie . . . In 20 games with the Pistons, averaged 4.5 pts, 2.5 rbs and 14.6 minutes . . . Played his first five NBA seasons with Atlanta before being traded to Detroit last summer along with Grant Long for a conditional 1998 1st round draft pick, and second round picks in 1997 and 1998 . . . In five seasons with Atlanta, played 390 games, starting 355, and averaged 13.7 pts, 4.5 rbs, 2.3 assists, 1.46 steals and 30.5 minutes . . . Has registered 100 or more steals in four of his first five seasons . . . A 1992 All-NBA Rookie first team selection . . . Scored the NBA's 6 millionth point March 23, 1992 against Golden State . . . Had a career-high 36 points versus the Blazers on Jan. 3, 1995 . . . The youngest member of the bronze medal-winning U.S. team at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul . . . Played on two NCAA Final Four teams at UNLV, including the Runnin Rebels 1990 NCAA championship club. MARCUS BROWN --- Wednesday at Orlando: 4 pts (2-3 fgs), 4 rbs, 2 assists, 12 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Boston: 3 pts, 8 minutes . . . Saturday vs. Houston: 7 pts, 1 assist, 13 minutes . . . Scored a career-high 13 pts in a career-high 16 minutes Jan. 29 at Detroit . . . Played in his first NBA game against San Antonio Dec. 29, scoring 6 pts in 5 minutes---his first pro points came at 2:40 of 4th quarter on a three-pointer (his first attempt) from the left side . . . Activated Dec. 27 after spending the first 29 games of the season on th injured list (strained right groin) sustained in practice Oct. 29 . . . Portland's 2nd round draft pick (46th overall) in the 1996 NBA Draft . . . Second leading collegiate scorer in the nation last year at Murray State with a 26.4 average . . . Last game vs. Miami: Did not play (coach's decision). MITCHELL BUTLER --- Wednesday at Orlando: Did not play (coach's decision) . . . Sunday vs. Boston: 0 pts, 1 minute . . . Did not play Saturday vs. Houston (coach's decision) . . . Had season highs of 13 points, 8 rebounds, 33 minutes Jan. 14 vs. Detroit . . . Activated Dec. 13 after spending five games on injured list (tendenitis, both knees) . . . Obtained in trade, along with Rasheed Wallace, with Washington for Rod Strickland and Harvey Grant on July 15 . . . Averaged 6.4 points in 212 games over three seasons with the Bullets . . . Not drafted, he was signed as a free agent by the Bullets in 1993 after playing in more games than any player in UCLA history . . . Last game vs. Miami: 0 pts, 2 rbs, 1 assist, 8 minutes. CHRIS DUDLEY --- Wednesday at Orlando: 10 pts (5-8 fgs, 0-2 fts), 10 rb (tied for game-high), 1 block, 23 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Boston: Did not dress (sore back) --- Sat out after playing in 72 consecutive games, , which was the Blazers longest current consecutive streak . . . Has missed only three if Portland's last 221 games . . . Saturday vs. Houston: 2 pts, 3 rbs, 1 assist, 22 minutes . . . Grabbed a season and game-high 15 rebounds in a season-high 43 minutes Feb. 4 vs. Chicago . . . Scored season-high 12 pts Jan. 28 at Toronto . . . Blocked a season-high five shots Dec. 1 at Golden State . . . Second on team in rebounding (7.3 rpg) and leader in blocked shots (1.35) despite starting just 12 games . . . Ranks 23rd in the league in blocks and 38th in rebounding . . . Blazers leader in rebounds and blocks last two seasons . . . 10th year in the league, the team's longest tenured player . . . Named 1996 winner of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award presented annually by the Professional Basketball Writers Association in recognition of outstanding community service and charitable work . . . Last game vs. Miami: 4 pts, 7 rbs, 1 steal, 1 block, 21 minutes. JERMAINE O'NEAL --- Wednesday at Orlando: Did not play (coach's decision) . . . Sunday vs. Boston: 5 pts, 6 rbs, 1 block, 19 minutes . . . Saturday vs. Houston: 0 pts, 2 minutes . . . Grabbed a career-high 8 rbs at Utah Feb. 13 . . . Scored career-high 20 in career-high 25 minutes Jan. 22 at Seattle . . . Scored 10 pts in 11 minutes vs. Detroit Jan. 14. . . Had a career-high 3 blocks vs. San Antonio, Dec. 29 . . . Became the youngest player ever to participate in an NBA regular season game Dec. 5 at Denver, entering the contest at 7:24 of the second period. He was 1-of-1 from the floor in three minutes of action . . . At 18 years, 1 month and 21 days, he was younger than the Lakers Kobe Bryant, who was 18 years, 2 months, 11 days when he appeared in his first game on Nov. 3 . . . Spent season's first 17 games on the injured list . . . Scored the first points as a pro on his 18th birthday on Oct. 13 against Sacramento . . . Portland's first round pick (17th overall) in the 1996 NBA Draft out of Eau Claire H.S. in Columbia, S.C. . . Last game vs. Miami: 0 pts, 3 minutes. ISAIAH RIDER --- Wednesday at Orlando: 10 pts (4-13 fgs, 0-5 3pt, 2-2 fts), 4 rbs, 4 assists, 35 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Boston: Personal and team season-high 40 pts (13-19 fgs, 2-2 3pt, 12-13 fts), 3 rbs, 2 assists, 1 steal, 43 minutes --- Two points off his career high . . . only second Blazer to top 40-point mark in last 214 games . . . Saturday vs. Houston: 26 pts, 3 assists, 5 rbs, 44 minutes . . . Made 15 of 18 free throws, both career highs, while scoring 30 points in Jan. 16 win at Lakers (the free throw makes and attempts were the most ever by a Blazer vs. L.A.) . . . Grabbed a game and season-high 11 rebounds vs. Seattle Dec. 18 . . . Dished out a career-high 11 assists Nov. 26 at Houston . . . Came to Portland from Minnesota in a July 23 trade for James Robinson and Bill Curley and a conditional 1st round draft choice . . . Minnesota's 1993 first round draft choice (5th overall) from UNLV . . . Averaged 18.8 points in 229 games for the Wolves in three seasons . . . 1993-94 NBA All-Rookie First Team . . . Winner of the Gatorade Slam-Dunk title at the 1994 NBA All-Star Weekend . . . Last game vs. Miami: 17 pts, 1 rb, 2 assists, 1 steal, 29 minutes. CLIFFORD ROBINSON --- Wednesday at Orlando: 11 pts (4-14 fgs, 0-5 3pt, 3-4 fts), 3 rbs, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 43 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Boston: 10 pts, 3 rbs, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 36 minutes . . . Saturday vs. Houston: 11 pts, 7 rbs, 2 assists, 1 steal, 39 minutes before fouling out with 53.8 seconds remaining, his fifth DQ of the season . . . Registered a season and team-high 10 rbs, a team-high 6 assists, plus 15 points and 4 steals 41 minutes Feb. 2 at Minnesota . . . Has been team leader in assists 10 times this season, two more than his total for the previous three seasons combined . . . Matched his career high with 9 assists Jan. 25 vs. Minnesota . . . Poured in his 400th career three-pointer Dec. 12 versus Vancouver . . . Robinson has at least one trey in 41 of 47 games this season and with 437 stands third all-time among Blazers long-range shooters behind only Terry Porter and Clyde Drexler. . . Scored season-high 33 pts Dec. 10 vs. Orlando . . . Played a season-high 51 minutes (just two shy of his career high) vs. Indiana Nov. 3 . . . Ranks 26th in the NBA in minutes played (38.4) . . . Leading scorer the past two seasons . . . Averaged 21.1 points in 1995-96, league's 16th highest . . . Participated in his 600th game as a Blazer Jan. 17 against Toronto . . . Now fifth among Portland's all-time scoring leaders with 9,974 points . . . Ranks in top ten in 16 of 17 career categories . . . Last game vs. Miami: 11 pts, 2 rbs, 1 block, 33 minutes. ARVYDAS SABONIS --- Wednesday at Orlando: 8 pts (3-8 fgs, 2-2 fts), 5 rbs, 1 block, 21 minutes in his first action since Jan. 22 . . . Placed on the injured list Jan. 24 because a hemotoma (deeply bruised) left calf sustained in a fourth quarter collision in Jan. 22 game at Seattle . . . Tallied 22 pts in a career high-equalling 41 minutes Jan. 19 vs. Utah. . . Has led Blazers in scoring on 8 occasions, in rebounding 21 times, and assists 3 times . . . Leads team in double-doubles with 11 . . . Scored career-high 33 points and had career high-equalling 11 field goals (on 14 attempts) and 8 free throws on a career-high 14 fts, plus a team-high 12 In the Jan. 4 win at Dallas . . . Equalled his career high with 26 points and had a game-high 13 rebounds Dec. 26 at Utah . . . Played a career-high 41 minutes in the Dec. 13 overtime loss at the Lakers . . Grabbed career-high 17 rebounds at Minnesota Nov. 7 . . . Team's leading rebounder (8.0 rpg) and second in blocked shots (1.33) . . . On the NBA's All-Rookie first team last season, the first Blazer to make it since Sam Bowie in 1985 . . . Runner-up for 1996 Schick Rookie of the Year and NBA Sixth Man honors . . . Was the first Blazers rookie in 15 years to score more than 1,000 points in a season . . . Gained his third Olympic Games medal during the summer in helping Lithuania to the Bronze at Atlanta . . . Last game vs. Miami: 17 pts, 15 rbs, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 37 minutes. GARY TRENT --- Wednesday at Orlando: 4 pts (2-3 fgs, 3 rbs, 2 assists, 1 steal, 16 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Boston: 19 pts, team-high 10 rbs, 5 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks, 38 minutes before fouling out with 50.3 seconds remaining, his second DQ of the season . . . Saturday vs. Houston: 6 pts, 10 rbs, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 30 minutes . . . For fourth time in seven games equalled career high with 24 pts Feb. 2 at Minnesota . . . Jan. 24 at Suns: Matched career high with game-high 24 pts (10-14 fgs), and tied career high with 13 rbs in 36 minutes --- 10 field goals also a career high . . . Scored career-high 24 pts (9-11 fgs, 6-6 fts) in 32 minutes at Seattle Jan. 22 . . . Played a career-high 44 minutes and scored 19 points Jan. 2 at Houston . . . Claimed a game and career-high 13 rbs in 25 minutes Nov. 26 at Denver . . . Is firing at a .546 clip from the field (241-441), the NBA's sixth best mark . . . Averaged 7.5 points (14th highest for an NBA rookie) in 69 games as a Blazer last season . . . First round draft pick (11th overall) by Milwaukee in 1995 . . . Portland acquired his draft rights in an exchange involving Shawn Respert's draft rights . . . Last game vs. Miami: 14 pts, 4 rbs, 2 steals, 1 block, 34 minutes as a starter. RASHEED WALLACE --- Wednesday at Orlando: Team-high 20 pts (7-12 fgs, 1-1 3pt, 5-6 fts), tied for game-high 10 rbs, 1 block, 38 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Boston: 22 pts, 9 rbs, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 33 minutes while starting at center for the first time this season . . . Saturday vs. Houston: 16 pts, tied career high with 14 rbs, 2 steals, 3 blocks, 33 minutes---the 15 free throw attempts is a career high . . . Activated after missing 19 games Feb. 4 vs. Chicago after missing 19 games and scored 2 pts and had 4 rbs in 14 minutes . . . Placed on injured list Dec. 27 after surgery on his thumb . . . Dec. 23 vs. Washington: 5 pts, 1 rb, 16 minutes before leaving game with a fractured left thumb in the second quarter . . Tallied a career and team season-high 38 pts on career-high 17 of 25 fgs in 40 minutes at Sacramento Dec. 21---previous highs of 32 pts, 15-20 fgs, came Nov. 5 at Golden State . . . Converted a career-high 11 free throws (in 15 tries) while scoring 29 points in the Dec. 13 OT loss at the Lakers . . . Grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds vs. Vancouver Dec. 12 . . . His 32 points at Golden State Nov. 5 was the first 30-plus game of his career . . . No. 3 among NBA's field goal percentage shooters (.579 on 205-354) . . . Acquired by Portland, along with Mitchell Butler, from Washington in exchange for Rod Strickland and Harvey Grant on July 15 . . . 1996 NBA All-Rookie second team selection . . . Started 51 of 65 games he appeared in as a rookie and averaged 10.1 points a game . . . Selected in the first round (4th pick overall) by the Bullets in the 1995 NBA Draft . . . Second team sophomore All-American at North Carolina before becoming an early entry draft candidate . . . Last game vs. Miami: Did not dress (injured list, fractured left thumb). DONTONIO WINGFIELD --- Wednesday at Orlando: Did not play (coach's decision) . . . Sunday vs. Boston: 2 pts, 1 rb, 8 minutes . . . Did not play Saturday vs. Houston (coach's decision) . . . Not with team (flu) the previous two games . . . Feb. 4 vs. Chicago: 0 pts, 3 minutes . . . Grabbed a career-high 12 rbs and scored 14 points at Boston Jan. 31 . . . Scored season-high 16 points at Phoenix Jan. 24 . . . Played season-high 27 minutes vs. the Lakers Jan. 6 . . . Placed on injured list Dec. 13 (sprained left thumb suffered in Dec. 12 game with Vancouver) . . . Averaged 3.8 points and 2.4 rebounds in 44 games with Portland last season . . . Signed as a free agent in 1995 after playing the 1994-95 season with Seattle . . . Second round draft choice (37th overall) by Seattle in 1994 . . . Became an early entry draft candidate after one year of collegiate basketball at the University of Cincinnati . . . Last game vs. Miami: 4 pts, 1 steal, 16 minutes. John Christensen Chuck Charnquist ************************************************************ Send subscribe/unsubscribe messages to majordomo@ripcity.com ************************************************************