TRAIL BLAZERS PLACE FOUR PLAYERS ON 1997 NBA ALL-STAR BALLOT

     Kenny Anderson, Isaiah Rider, Clifford Robinson and Arvydas Sabonis 
will represent the Portland Trail Blazers on the 1997 McDonald s NBA 
All-Star ballot, the league announced today.  Each team in the NBA may have 
no more than five representatives on the All-Star ballot.  Fans around the 
globe will select the starters for the 47th annual NBA All-Star Game, to be 
played at Gund Arena in Cleveland on Sunday, February 9, 1997.

     Beginning Tuesday, November 19, ballots will be distributed in the 
NBA s 29 arenas and fans worldwide also will have the chance to vote for 
their favorite all-stars via NBA.com, the official web site of the NBA. 
 McDonald s, in its first year as sponsor of NBA All-Star balloting, will 
distribute a record 50 million ballots in more than 12,000 of its 
restaurants throughout the United States, creating the largest All-Star 
balloting program in NBA history.

     A total of 100 players--50 each from the Eastern and Western 
Conference--are listed on the 1997 McDonald s NBA All-Star ballot, with 20 
guards, 20 forwards and 10 centers from each conference.  The 100 players on 
the ballots were selected by a panel of media experts who regularly cover 
the NBA.

     Voters must select two guards, two forwards and one center for each 
conference.  Voting begins at McDonald s U.S. restaurants on December 26. 
 Balloting concludes in-arena on January 10, and at McDonald s restaurants 
on January 16.  The starters for the Eastern and Western Conference All-Star 
teams will be announced on January 26.

     The 1997 NBA All-Star Game will be broadcast on NBC and CTV at 3 p.m. 
PST and on the NBA on ESPN Radio on Sunday, February 9.

John Christensen <johnc@ripcity.com>

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