PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS at LOS ANGELES LAKERS GAME NO. 23 --- DEC. 13, 1996 LAKERS NEXT --- The Trail Blazers, 13-9, have little time to savor last night's 99-78 victory over Vancouver. They take to the court in the Great Western Forum tonight against the Pacific Division-leading Lakers, looking for a win that would move them five games above .500 for the first time this season. Portland, two games up on where it was after 22 games last season, is 6-6 on the road thus far and is 10-5 overall against Western Conference opposition. The young Blazers club, which held the Vancouver club to 78 points last night, has limited 16 of its 22 opponents to under-100 scoring and ranks eighth in the NBA in point differential (+4.7). The Laker clash opens a rugged six-day stretch for Portland. On Sunday the Blazers host Midwest Division leader Houston then take on the Seattle SuperSonics in the Rose Garden on Wednesday. PROBABLE STARTERS --- F--No. 3 Clifford Robinson (6-10), F--No. 30 Rasheed Wallace (6-10), C--No. 11 Arvydas Sabonis (7-3), G--No. 34 Isaiah Rider (6-5), G--No. 7 Kenny Anderson (6-1). THE ALL-TIME LAKERS SERIES --- The Blazers are behind in their all-time matchup with the Lakers, 84-58, but have won 12 of the last 16 games between the two teams. Portland has taken three in a row and six of its last eight in the Great Western Forum where its record over 26 seasons reads 21-50. At home, the Blazers have lost two in a row to the Los Angeles club after putting together a six-game homecourt win streak, and hold an all-time mark of 37-34 on their own court. LAST YEAR --- Neither the Lakers or Blazers could hold serve on their home floor in the four meetings between the two teams. Portland posted 109-108 and 105-99 victories in Los Angeles and the Lakers reversed the situation by winning twice in the Rose Garden, 102-99 and 92-88. In the first meeting in Los Angeles, James Robinson's three-pointer from the deep left corner as the game clock expired gave the Blazers a dramatic 109-108 win. When the Lakers came to the new Rose Garden for the first time in December, they used a 25-16 third quarter to break open a close game then held on for the victory. Arvydas Sabonis and Rod Strickland paced the Blazers' successful second visit to Inglewood with 25 and 23 points respectively. In the final meeting of the season in Portland, the Blazers turned the ball over 22 times for 30 Laker points and saw an 11-game home win streak evaporate. ON OFFENSE --- The Blazers offense is averaging 97.1 ppg, is the Seventh most productive in the league . . . Portland has hit at a 51 percent or better clip in six of 22 games thus far and its 22-game field goal accuracy mark of .450 is the league's 13th highest . . . In winning 13 games, the Blazers margin of victory has been 14.5 ppg and eight times the cushion has been 11 points or more and four have been plus-20. . . Four of the Blazers nine losses have been by five points or less . . . Overall, Portland's edge over its opponents of 4.5 points per game is the NBA's eighth best mark. ON THE DEFENSE . . . Portland has held opponents to .424 field goal shooting in 22 games, the fifth most stingy in the league . . . In winning 13 games, the Blazers have held 11 of their opponents under 100 points and have allowed only five of 22 foes to top the century mark thus far . . . Their defensive average, 92.4, is the 10th lowest in the league and is 4.6 points below last year's club record of 97.0 ppg in 82 games. REBOUNDING AGAIN --- Portland, perennially among the NBA's top teams on the backboards, is the league-leader in total rebounding percentage---the share of total misses in a game a team rebounds---(.545), is third in defensive rebounding percentage (.727) and second in offensive percentage (.362). The Blazers have outrebounded 18 of their 22 opponents thus far and have had 50 or more rebounds in six outings. They have an overall advantage of 8.4 boards per game and a 5.5 per game margin on the defensive glass. Portland, among top five teams in the league for the past nine years, is their again this season despite not having an individual among the league's top 20 rebounders. JOHN WHITE DIES IN PORTLAND --- John White, the Portland Trail Blazers first publicity director and the father of Seattle SuperSonics P.R. director Cheri White, died Thursday in a Portland hospital. He was 70 years old. Born in Great Falls, Mont., and a graduate of Northwestern University's School of Journalism, White was a daily newspaper reporter and editor in Oregon before taking over as publicity director for the Portland Buckaroos of the old Western Hockey League in the early 1960s. When Portland was granted an NBA franchise in 1970, he assumed additional duties as P.R. director for the basketball team, a position he held until 1986. For 16 years he served as a correspondent for Sports Illustrated and Time and Fortune magazines. Later, he worked for the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame before failing health forced his retirement. At his request, there will be no funeral service. Plans for a memorial service are pending. AMONG THE NBA LEADERS --- RASHEED WALLACE is third in field goal percentage---.576 (124-223) --- GARY TRENT is 11th in field goal percentage--- .529 (83-159) ---ARVYDAS SABONIS is 12th in field goal percentage--- .517 (90-174) --- KENNY ANDERSON has moved up to 17th in assists (5.8), is 19th in steals (1.77), and 29th in scoring (18.1) --- CHRIS DUDLEY is 31st in rebounding (8.0), and 16th in blocked shots (1.59) --- ARVYDAS SABONIS is 36th in rebounding (7.5 avg.) and 23rd in blocked shots (1.36) --- CLIFFORD ROBINSON is 12th in minutes played (39.3) GROUNDING THE GRIZZLIES --- The Trail Blazers outscored Vancouver in every quarter, held the visiting Grizzlies to a .353 field goal night and pounded the boards for a 51-41 advantage in posting a 99-78 victory last night in the Rose Garden. The win, Portland's fourth straight over the second-year expansion club, raised its record to 13-9 overall and 7-3 at home. Kenny Anderson paced the Blazers attack with 22 points as Portland converted .456 of its shots from the field (36-79). Rasheed Wallace corralled 13 rebounds, one off his career high, to lead the Blazers board dominance. Pete Chilcutt came off the bench to lead the Grizzlies with 13 points and 10 rebounds, both season-high performances. MAGIC RALLY STOPS BLAZERS --- Clifford Robinson's team season-high 33-point performance wasn't enough as the Orlando Magic outscored the Blazers, 32-24, in the fourth period to post a come-from-behind 99-93 victory in the Rose Garden, snapping a two-game Portland win streak. After a 50-50 tie at halftime, the Blazers entered the final stanza up 69-67. The Blazers shot 46 percent from the field (37-80) but saw the Magic hit at a 50 percent clip (35-70), only their third opponent to reach the .500 plateau this season. Dennis Scott and Gerald Wilkins, with 18 points each, topped Orlando scoring. Led by Rasheed Wallace's 10 rebounds, Portland had a 41-32 advantage on the boards. It was the 17th time in 21 games the Blazers had come out on top in the rebound battle. The loss was the Blazers seventh in eight games with the Magic. A FOURTH QUARTER COMEBACK --- The Trail Blazers came from behind in the fourth quarter to down Charlotte, 97-93, in the Rose Garden on Friday. The victory, Portland's second in a row and its eighth in 11 games, snapped a three-game series win streak by the Hornets. It was the first time in seven tries the Blazers were able to bounce back after trailing going into the final period. Arvydas Sabonis, who posted his second straight 22-point game and fifth double-double of the season, scored eight of his points in the final period. Kenny Anderson contributed 18 points, nine assists and seven rebounds and all five Blazers starters finished in double figures for the second straight game. Both teams shot 46 percent from the field for the game but Portland had their best long-range game so far, hitting 7 of 12 three-pointers while limiting the Hornets, one of the league's most dangerous from beyond the arc, to a 2-for-9 evening. Vlade Divac, with a season-high 29 points, and Anthony Mason, with 23 points and 17 rebounds paced the Hornets. BACK-TO-BACKS --- Tonight's clash with the Lakers closes out the seventh of 20 back-to-back sets of games on the Blazers 1996-97 schedule. Portland's victory over Vancouver last night raised its count in back-to-backs (games played on consecutive nights) to 7-6. Going into the Laker tiff, the Blazers are 4-2 in second games of the two-night combos and are 2-2 when the second game occurs on the road. CLIFFORD S 400th TREY --- Clifford Robinson poured in his 400th career three-pointer last night versus Vancouver. Robinson has made at least one long-ranger in 21 of 22 games this season and in 92 of 100 including last year. The 6-10 forward had only 51 three-pointers in his first five seasons but has connected on 349 in his last two-plus seasons and now ranks third all-time among Blazers three-point shooters, behind Terry Porter (773) and Clyde Drexler (464). YOUTH MOVEMENT --- Portland, with an average age of 25.63 years, is the NBA's youngest team ahead of Vancouver (25.80) and Golden State (25.87). The 29-team league average is 27.74. Last year, the Blazers ranked as the NBA's 18th youngest team with an average age of 26.92. Portland not only is young, but the roster, which includes eight players in Blazers uniforms for the first time, is the least experienced of any team in the league, averaging 2.47 years of NBA action per player. The number is lower than the two second-year expansion teams Vancouver (2.57) and Toronto (2.85), and the overall NBA average of 4.63. Chris Dudley, in his 10th year, and Clifford Robinson, in his eighth, are the club's two most experienced players. O'NEAL LEAGUE'S YOUNGEST --- When 18-year-old Blazers forward Jermaine O'Neal reported into game at the 7:24 mark of the second quarter of the Dec. 5 game at Denver, he became the youngest player ever to appear in a regular season NBA game. The honor of being the league's youngest previously belonged to Laker guard Kobe Bryant who made his debut on Nov. 3 against Minnesota at the age of 18 years, 2 months, 11 days. O Neal was 18 years, 1 month and 22 days old when he stepped onto the court. He celebrated his 18th birthday on Oct. 13 by scoring two points in a preseason game at Sacramento. Jermaine was the Trail Blazers 1st Round choice in the 1996 NBA Draft (17th pick overall), coming straight into the NBA out of Eau Claire High School in Columbia, S.C. He missed the first 17 games of the season on the injured list after suffering a bone contusion in his left knee in the next-to-last preseason game on Oct. 25. He was activated Dec. 3. P.J. GETS 100th WIN --- Head coach P.J. Carlesimo posted his 100th NBA career success last Friday 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), Mike Schuler (127-84) and Rick Adelman (291-154). Last season, Carlesimo guided Portland to a 44-38 record for the second year in a row. In 1994-95, he became only the second coach since Cotton Fitzsimmons in 1970-71 to move directly from the college to an NBA head coaching job and have a winning record in his first season. FOUR BLAZERS ON ALL-STAR BALLOT --- Guards Kenny Anderson and Isaiah Rider, forward Clifford Robinson and center Arvydas Sabonis are the Blazers on the 1997 McDonald s NBA All-Star Ballot. Ballots are being distributed to fans in the league's 29 arenas and to more than 12,000 McDonald's restaurants throughout the United States. Voting is now underway in arenas and will start Dec. 26 at McDonalds. Fans worldwide also have opportunity to vote for their favorite players via NBA.com, the league's official web site. In-arena balloting concludes Jan. 10. Starters for the Eastern and Western Conference All-Star teams will be announced Jan. 26. The 47th annual NBA All-Star Game is scheduled for Cleveland's Gund Arena Feb. 9. ANDERSON S ASSISTS COUNTING UP --- Point guard Kenny Anderson, has dished out 33 assists in his last four games and now has 128 in 22 games. That means $2,560 so far for the Kids Making Miracles $1 million drive to fund a state-of-the-art health care facility at the Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland. Anderson, honorary chairman of Kids Making Miracles, pledged $20 for every assist he makes during the season. As part of the NBA's major youth initiative TeamUp, the Trail Blazers have made a three-year commitment to help build public awareness of Kids Making Miracles efforts. Kids Make Miracles is a volunteer organization of hundreds of grade and high school students throughout Oregon and southwest Washington. ROCKETS IN TOWN --- The Blazers return home after tonight s test in the Great Western Forum to face the Midwest Division-leading Houston Rockets Sunday (7 p.m., KEX Radio, BlazerVision) in the opener of a three-game homestand. After the Rockets, the Blazers have their second shot at the Seattle SuperSonics on Wednesday (7 p.m., KEX Radio, KGW-TV), then host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday (7 p.m., KEX Radio). They finish off the four-game week with a road outing at Sacramento Saturday (7:30 p.m., KEX Radio). THE PLAYERS KENNY ANDERSON --- Thursday vs. Vancouver: Game-high 22 points (8-15 fgs, 1-5 3pt, 5-6 fts), season-high 9 rbs, 3 assists, 2 steals, 37 minutes---his team-best tenth 20+ game and his seventh in the last 11 games . . . Tuesday vs. Orlando: 11 pts, tied season-high with 12 assists, 6 rbs, 1 steal, 35 minutes before fouling out (first DQ of the season) with 18.5 seconds remaining . . . Friday vs. Charlotte: 16 pts, 9 assists, 7 rbs, 36 minutes . . . Has distributed 33 assists in his last four games . . . Scored a season high 32 points vs. Houston Nov. 26 . . . Had his first double-double of the season---11 pts, season-high 12 assists (and just two rebounds shy of his sixth career triple-double) Nov. 17 at Indiana. . . Team's leading scorer at 18.1 ppg, the assists leader (5.8 avg.) and tops in steals (1.8 avg.) . . . Ranks 29th in the league in scoring, 17th in assists, and 19th in steals . . . 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 with 2,363 . . . Packs five-season career averages of 15.3 points and 7.9 assists. MARCUS BROWN --- On 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 . . . Two-time Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year . . . All-time Murray State leader in steals, second in scoring and in the top 10 in seven other categories. MITCHELL BUTLER --- Placed on injured list Tuesday (tendonitis, both knees) . . . Sunday at the Warriors: 0 pts, 1 assist, 9 minutes . . . 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 by an NBA team, he was signed as a free agent by the Bullets in 1993 after playing in more games than any player in UCLA history . . . Captain of the 1992-93 Bruins. RANDOLPH CHILDRESS --- Thursday vs. Vancouver: Season-high 7 pts (2-6 fgs, 1-3 3pt, 2-2 fts), 1 assist, 16 minutes . . . Did not play (coach's decision) in previous two games . . . Nov. 23 vs. Denver: 5 pts, career-high 6 assists, career-high 3 steals, season-high 18 minutes . . . Averaged 3.0 points in 28 games as a Blazers rookie last season before undergoing surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule and labrum in his left shoulder suffered in a Dec. 30 game at Cleveland . . . He missed the last 52 games of the season after averaging 3.0 points and 1.3 assists in his first 28 games . . . An All-American at Wake Forest, he was drafted by Detroit in the 1st round (19th) overall in 1995 and acquired in a trade involving Otis Thorpe on Sept. 20, 1995 . . . . Last season vs. the Lakers: Averaged 0.5 pts, 0.5 assists, 6.5 minutes in two games. ALEKSANDAR DJORDJEVIC --- Thursday vs. Vancouver: Tied season-high with 8 pts (3-3 fgs, 2-2 3pt, 0-1 fts), 1 rb, 14 minutes . . . Tuesday vs. Orlando: 0 pts, 5 minutes . . . Friday vs. Charlotte: 7 pts, 2 assists, 12 minutes . . . Has downed 5 of 6 three-pointers in seven games . . . Played in first regular season NBA game Nov. 29 versus Golden State, with his first field goal at the 3:17 mark of the final period on a driving layup. Finished with 2 pts, 1 rb in 5 minutes . . . Activated Nov. 26 after spraining his right ankle in the Oct. 25 preseason game with Vancouver and being on the injured list from the start of the season . . . Missed first four preseason games with strained groin and sore neck. . . Acquired by Portland as a free agent Sept. 24 . . . Helped lead Yugoslavia take the Silver Medal at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta . . . Yugoslavia's second leading scorer with an 11.3 ppg average and team leader in assists with 5.6 a game . . . Averaged 22.5 points as a point guard in four years in the Italian League. CHRIS DUDLEY --- Thursday vs. Vancouver: 0 pts (0-5 fgs, 0-2 fts), 9 rbs, 22 minutes . . . Tuesday vs. Orlando: 1 pt, 7 rbs, 3 blocks, 1 assist, 28 minutes . . . Friday vs. Charlotte: 3 pts, 7 rbs, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 20 minutes . . . Blocked a season-high five shots Dec. 1 at Golden State . . . Had a season-high 13 rebounds at New Jersey Nov. 15 . . . Tops team in rebounding (8.0 rpg) and in blocked shots (1.59) despite starting just one game thus far . . . Ranks 31st in the league in rebounding and 16th in blocks . . . Blazers leader in rebounds and blocked shots last two seasons . . . Averaged 9.0 boards (21st highest in the NBA) and 1.25 blocks (25th in the league) last season . . . 10th year in the league, the team's longest tenured player . . . Has career average of 4.8 points and 7.1 rebounds in 562 games . . . 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 season vs. the Lakers: Averaged 7.3 pts, 13.2 rbs, 2.0 blocks, 1.0 steals, 27.5 minutes in four games, including three starts. He grabbed 15 rebounds in the first matchup and 16 in the final game in April. REGGIE JORDAN --- Placed on injured list (injured joint, left thumb) Nov. 26 . . . Scored 2 pts and had 2 rbs and an assist, in 7 minutes before injuring his left thumb in the Nov. 26 Denver game . . . Signed as a free agent by Portland Aug. 30 . . . Previously played in the NBA with the Lakers and Hawks . . . In 47 previous NBA games averaged 4.7 points and 1.2 assists . . . Started the 1995-96 season with Sioux Falls of the CBA where he averaged 19.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists in 38 games and was named a starter in the 1996 CBA All-Star Game. AARON McKIE --- Thursday vs. Vancouver: 3 pts (1-3 fgs, 0-1 3pt, 1-1 fts), 5 assists, 3 rbs, 2 steals, 29 minutes in his fifth start of the season . . . Tuesday vs. Orlando: 7 pts, 5 assists, 3 rbs, 2 steals, season-high 41 minutes in his fifth start of the season . . . Friday vs. Charlotte: Scoreless with 1 steal in 8 minutes . . . Leads Blazers regulars in three-point accuracy at .500 (18-36) . . . Played in his 103rd consecutive game Thursday, the Blazers longest current run . . . Blazers fourth leading scorer last season (10.7 ppg) . . . Started 75 games last year at the two guard . . . Averaged 9.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists in his first 126 games as a Trail Blazer . . . First round draft choice (17th overall) by Portland in 1994 . . . Last season vs. the Lakers: Averaged 6.0 pts, 2.3 rbs, 3.8 assists, 0.8 steals, 23.2 minutes in four games, three of them starts. JERMAINE O'NEAL --- Thursday vs. Vancouver: Career-high 5 pts (2-3 fgs, 1-2 fts), 2 rbs, 3 minutes . . . Did not play Tuesday (coach s decision) . . . Friday vs. Charlotte: 2 pts, 4 rbs, 9 minutes . . . 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 is the youngest since the Lakers Kobe Bryant, who was 18 years, 2 months, 11 days when he appeared in his first game on Nov. 3 . . . Activated Dec. 3 after spending first 17 games of the season on the injured list (bone contusion, left knee) suffered in the Oct. 25 preseason game vs. Vancouver game . . . Scored the first points as a professional player 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 High School in Columbia, S.C. ISAIAH RIDER --- Not with team (suspended) Thursday vs. Grizzlies . . . Tuesday vs. Orlando: 2 pts, 2 rbs, 1 steal, 15 minutes . . . Friday vs. Charlotte: 18 pts, 2 rbs, 3 assists, 1 steal, 40 minutes . . . Thursday at Denver: 21 pts (15 pts in the fourth quarter), 3 rbs, 1 assist, 1 steal, 27 minutes . . . Scored 8 points and dished out a career-high 11 assists Nov. 26 at Houston---his previous high assists was 9 at Minnesota vs. the Warriors Feb. 7, 1995 . . . 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, 3.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists in 229 games for the Timberwolves in three seasons . . . Named to the 1993-94 NBA All-Rookie First Team . . . Winner of the Gatorade Slam-Dunk Championship at the 1994 NBA All-Star Weekend. CLIFFORD ROBINSON --- Thursday vs. Vancouver: 17 pts (5-8 fgs, 1-2 3pt, 6-9 fts), 2 rbs, team-high 6 assists, 1 steal, 38 minutes---fourth time this season he s led team in assists; he did it only six times in the previous two campaigns . . . Tuesday vs. Orlando: Game and team season-high 33 pts, 4 rbs, 2 assists, 1 steal, 46 minutes---his seventh 20-point-plus game of the season and his fifth in the last eight games . . . Friday vs. Charlotte: 11 pts, 2 rbs, 4 assists---hit clutch 19-footer with 35.9 seconds remaining to give Blazers 96-91 lead . . . Thursday at Denver: 21 pts, 3 rbs, 4 assists, 2 steals, 44 minutes. . . Scored 23 points in a season-high 51 minutes (just two shy of his career high) vs. Indiana Nov. 3 . . . Has averaged 21.0 ppg in his last five outings and shot .60 percent (21-35) in his last three games . . . Team's second leading scorer with a 16.5 ppg average . . . Leading scorer the past two seasons . . . Averaged 21.1 points in 1995-96, league's 16th highest . . . Has played in all but 11 of 596 games seven-plus years as a Blazer . . Now sixth among Portland's all-time scoring leaders with 9,545 points . . . Ranks in Portland's top ten in 16 of 17 career categories . . . Only remaining Blazer from the 1990 and 1992 Western Conference Championship teams . . Last season vs. the Lakers: Averaged 17.5 pts, 7.3 rbs, 4.8 assists, 1.0 blocks, 40.8 minutes in four games. ARVYDAS SABONIS --- Thursday vs. Vancouver: 13 pts (6-11 fgs, 1-4 3pt, 0-1 fts), 6 rbs, season-high 4 blocks, 22 minutes . . . Tuesday vs. Orlando: 11 pts, 5 rbs, 2 assists, in foul-limiting 20 minutes. . . Friday vs. Charlotte: Second straight 22-point game, a team-high, plus team-high 10 rbs, 1 assist, 1 steal, 24 minutes--- fifth double-double of the season . . . Is shooting .571 from field in last six games (32-56), and has moved into NBA's top-20 field goal shooters (12th at .517 (90-174) . . . Scored season-high 23 points Nov. 27 at San Antonio . . . Converted a career-high 11 free throws (in 12 attempts) Nov. 9 vs. Sacramento, while registering a team-high 21 pts and a game-high 13 rebounds . . . Grabbed season-high 17 rebounds at Minnesota Nov. 7 . . . Named to the NBA's All-Rookie first team last season, the first Trail Blazer to gain such an honor since Sam Bowie in 1985 . . . Runner-up for the 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 . . . Averaged 14.5 points and 8.1 rebounds in 73 games last season . . . Gained his third Olympic Games medal during the summer in helping Lithuania to the Bronze at Atlanta . . . Last season vs. the Lakers: Averaged 13.3 pts, 4.0 rbs, 1.3 assists, 1.0 blocks, 18.7 minutes in three games. GARY TRENT --- Thursday vs. Vancouver: 10 pts (3-7 fgs, 4-6 fts), 6 rbs, 1 assist, 26 minutes . . . Tuesday vs. Orlando: 8 pts, 4 rbs, 1 assist, 16 minutes . . . Friday vs. Charlotte: 3 pts, 8 rbs, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 19 minutes . . . Nov. 26 vs. Denver: Game and career high 22 pts (9-12 fgs, 4-4 fts) and game and career-high 13 rbs in 25 minutes . . .11th overall in the NBA in field goal shooting (.529 on 83-159) . . . Averaged 7.5 points (14th highest for an NBA rookie) and 3.4 rebounds 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 . . . All-American and Mid-American Conference's leading scorer for three years in a row at Ohio University . . . Last season vs. the Lakers: Averaged 9.5 pts, 3.8 rbs, 2.0 assists, 18.3 minutes in four games, including one start. RASHEED WALLACE --- Thursday vs. Vancouver: 14 pts (6-18 fgs, 2-3 fts), game and season-high 13 rbs (one off his career best), 3 blocks, 31 minutes . . . Tuesday vs. Orlando: 20 pts, 10 rbs, 33 minutes . . . Friday vs. Charlotte: 15 pts, 5 rbs, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 33 minutes . . . Third to Shaquille O Neal and Chris Mullin among NBA's top field goal percentage shooters (.556 on 124-223) . . . Had career highs of 32 points and 15 field goals in 20 attempts at Golden State Nov. 5, his first 30-plus game . . . 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 with the Bullets as a rookie and averaged 10.1 points a game, sixth best on the team . . . Selected in the first round (4th pick overall) by the Bullets in the 1995 NBA Draft . . . Second team All-American as a sophomore at North Carolina before becoming an early entry draft candidate. DONTONIO WINGFIELD --- Thursday vs. Vancouver: Did not mark in 2 minutes of play . . . Not with team Tuesday (stomach virus) . . . Did not play (coach's decision) in previous three games . . . Posted a career-high 4 steals and 8 points in a season-high 26 minutes at New Jersey Nov. 15. . . 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 season vs. the Lakers: Scored 6 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in 15 minutes in his only appearance. John Christensen Chuck Charnquist ************************************************************ Send subscribe/unsubscribe messages to majordomo@blazers.com ************************************************************