PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS at HOUSTON ROCKETS GAME NO. 32 --- JAN. 2, 1997 STARTING THE NEW YEAR --- The Trail Blazers, 16-15, will be looking to start the New Year off right and at the same time stretch their win streak to three in a row when they invade the Summit Thursday to take on the Midwest Division-leading Houston Rockets. The Blazers, who are two wins better than last year after 31 games, go into the game with the fifth best record in the Western Conference. Portland, which lost a heartbreaker in Houston on its last visit, 102-101 in overtime, is coming off a 24-point victory Sunday over San Antonio (110-86). It was Portland's second success in a rugged three-games-in-four-nights slate that began with a 99-94 down-to-the-wire loss at Utah last Thursday and a come-from-behind 102-98 win at the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday. The win over the Spurs was the sixth of 21 or more points this season and the 10th in double digits. Portland, with nine of its 15 losses coming by six or fewer points, is seventh in the league in scoring offense with at 98.2 points a game and ranks ninth in margin of victory with a 3.9 point average. PROBABLE STARTERS --- F--No. 3 Clifford Robinson (6-10), F--No. 33 Gary Trent (6-8), C--No. 11 Arvydas Sabonis (7-3), G--No. 34 Isaiah Rider (6-5), G--No. 7 Kenny Anderson (6-1). THE BLAZERS & ROCKETS --- The Trail Blazers have lost two straight and four of the last five matchups with Houston and are behind in their all-time series with the Rockets, 64-50. The Blazers have a 19-39 record when playing on the Rockets home pad. They lost on their last visit there, a hotly contested 102-101 overtimer in November. Portland's last win in the Texas town was in March of last season, 109-94. At home in Oregon, the Blazers own a 31-25 series advantage but have lost two in a row. PORTLAND & HOUSTON THIS SEASON --- Portland is 0-2 versus the Rockets this season, losing a heartbreaker in overtime in Houston, 102-101, in November, and a 99-89 decision in the Rose Garden on Dec. 15. In The first setback, the Blazers had five more field goals and five more three pointers than the Rockets, outrebounded them, 44-36, and shot 49 percent from the floor compared with Houston's 44 percent mark, and still lost. Clyde Drexler's three-point play with 39 seconds remaining in OT iced the win for the Rockets, who were led in scoring by Charles Barkley's 30 points. Kenny Anderson tallied a season-high 32 points to top Portland. In the second matchup, Anderson was again Portland's leader with 26 points and 10 assists, but Houston got 26 points from Hakeem Olajuwon and 22 from Drexler enroute to an 99-89 win, its league-best 21st victory in 23 games. Portland shot 38 percent, Houston 52 percent and the Blazers were outrebounded, 39033, for only the fifth time all season. ON OFFENSE --- Averaging 98.2 ppg, the Blazers offense is the seventh most productive in the league . . . Portland shot a season-best .541 in Sunday's win over San Antonio and has hit at a 51 percent or better clip in nine of 31 games thus far and its field goal accuracy mark of .454 is the league's 11th highest . . . In winning 16 games, the Blazers margin of victory has been 15.4 ppg, ten times the cushion has been 11 points or more and six have been plus-20 victories . . . Nine of the Blazers 15 losses have been by six points or less and five have been by three or under . . . Portland is 10-5 in games decided by 11 points or more but 4-6 when the margin is four points or under . . . Overall, Portland's edge over its opponents of 3.8 points per game is the NBA's ninth best mark. ON THE DEFENSE . . . Portland has held opponents to .435 field goal shooting in 31 games, the 11th stingiest defense in the league . . . In winning 16 games, the Blazers have held 14 of their opponents under 100 points and have allowed only ten of 31 foes to top the century mark thus far . . . Their defensive average, 94.3, is the 11th lowest in the league and is 2.7 points per game below last year's club record of 97.0 ppg in 82 games. ON THE BOARDS --- Portland, perennially among the NBA's top teams on the backboards, leads the the league in total rebounding percentage---the share of total misses in a game a team rebounds---(.539), is second in defensive rebounding percentage (.732) and third in offensive percentage (.347). The Blazers, who grabbed a season-high 55 rebounds a week ago against Dallas, have had 50 or more boards in seven outings, and have been outrebounded in only five of 31 games. They have an overall advantage of 7.2 boards per game and a 4.5 per game margin on the defensive glass. Portland, among top five teams in the league for the past nine years, is the leader again this season despite not having an individual among the league's top 35 rebounders. (Note: Rebounding percentages on offense are based on the share of its own misses a team retrieves, and on the defense the share of opponents misses it grabs. Total rebounding percentage is an average of the offense and defense percentages.) AMONG THE NBA LEADERS ---RASHEED WALLACE, first in field goal percentage---.588 (170-289) ---ARVYDAS SABONIS, 18th in field goal percentage---.507 (136-268) and 22nd in blocked shots (1.42) --- KENNY ANDERSON , 14th in assists (6.3), is 11th in steals (1.97), and 31st in scoring (18.0) --- CHRIS DUDLEY, 18th in blocked shots (1.55) --- CLIFFORD ROBINSON, 11th in minutes played (39.7) THE LAST THREE GAMES STOPPING SAN ANTONIO --- Four minutes into the game, Portland had a 14-4 lead and the margin never was smaller as the Blazers cruised to a 110-86 victory over injury-depleted San Antonio Sunday in the Rose Garden to close out 1996. It was Portland's second straight victory and the third in a row over San Antonio, giving the Blazers their first season series win over the Spurs since 1989-90. Isaiah Rider scored a game-high 19 points to pace Portland scoring as all 12 Blazers put points on the board for the second time this season. The Trail Blazers fired at a season-best .541 from the floor (40-74) and limited the Spurs, playing without regulars David Robinson, Vinnie Del Negro, Charles Smith and Chuck Person, were limited to .391 shooting (27-69). Portland had a 38-34 rebounding edge and came up with a season-high 13 steals, forcing an opponent high 24 turnovers that cost the Spurs 27 points. CLIPPING THE CLIPPERS --- The Trail Blazers snapped a three-game losing streak by battling from behind in the second half at the L.A. Sports Arena Friday to take home a 102-98 decision over the Los Angeles Clippers. Kenny Anderson, who led the Blazers in scoring with 25 points, drove the length of the court for a layup, was fouled and made the free throw with 27.1 seconds remaining to give his team a 98-95 cushion. Free throws by Arvydas Sabonis and Isaiah Rider clinched the win, the first in the last three tries on the Clippers floor. It gave Portland an even break on back-to-back road games on the two days after Christmas. The Blazers finished shooting .410 (34-83), compared with the Clippers .482 (41-85) but converted 30 of 39 free throws compared with the host's 12 of 18, and pounded out a 49-40 rebounding advantage. Portland won the game despite setting an all-time club low for assists (9). MORE OF THAT JAZZ --- Portland led by as many as 19 points in the first quarter, had a 10-point advantage at halftime and, with 32.6 seconds remaining owned the lead, 92-91. But Karl Malone's long jumper and six straight Jazz free throws were the difference as Portland went down in the Delta Center last night, 99-94. It was the Trail Blazers' third straight loss, equalling the season's longest, and their third in a row on the road. The Blazers, who have now lost eight in a row on the Jazz floor, were paced by center Arvydas Sabonis career-high equalling 26 points, along with 13 rebounds---his team-best sixth double-double. Malone, with 24 points, and Byron Russell with 23 topped Utah scoring. The Blazers shot .479 for the game (34-71) but the Jazz answered with a Portland opponent season high .545 performance (36-66). Portland outrebounded the Jazz, 37-29. WALLACE OUT FOUR WEEKS --- Second-year forward Rasheed Wallace, who has been filling the hoop at a torrid pace most of the season and is the NBA's field goal percentage leader, has been lost to the Blazers for an minimum of four weeks with a broken left thumb. He went on the injured list Dec. 26 after undergoing surgery. Wallace's injury, the same that kept him from the last 15 games of his rookie season at Washington last year, came in the second quarter of the Dec. 23 game with the Bullets. Before he left the floor, he had made both of his field goal attempts, raising his percentage to .588 on 170 of 289. In the previous game, Rasheed scored a career-high 38 points at Sacramento while pouring in 17 of 25 field goal attempts. MORE CHANGES --- On Dec. 27, Portland placed guard Reggie Jordan on the injured list, requested waivers for guard Aleksander Djordjevic and activated first-year guard Marcus Brown. Jordan, who suffered a non-displaced oblique fracture of the third metacarpal in his left hand, had just come off the injury list (on Dec. 20). Djordjevic, who helped spark Yugoslavia to a Silver Medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics and was 1995-96 runner-up for European Player of the Year honors, had appeared in eight contests as a Blazer, averaging 3.1 points and 7.6 minutes a game. Brown, Portland's second pick (46th overall) in the 1996 NBA Draft from Murray State, has been on the injured list since the season's start with a strained groin muscle. 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. Fans worldwide also have opportunity to vote 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. YOUTH MOVEMENT --- The Blazers club is the NBA's youngest and least experienced team. At the start of the season, the team averaged 25.63 years of age, and 2.47 years NBA experience per player. Two seasons ago, Portland was the oldest in age and the most experienced (averaging 29.28 years in age and 6.93 years in experience). Not only was the team's 15-player averages lower than even the league's two newest expansion franchises, but Portland's roster included eight players performing in Blazers uniforms for the first time. Chris Dudley, in his 10th year, and Clifford Robinson, in his eighth, are the team's most experienced players. Kenny Anderson is in his sixth season but none of the others have been in the league more than three years. ANDERSON S ASSISTS COUNTING UP --- Point guard Kenny Anderso now has dished out 196 assists in 31 games. That means $3,920 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 efforts. Kids Make Miracles is a volunteer organization of hundreds of grade and high school students throughout Oregon and southwest Washington. 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), 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. DALLAS NEXT --- After Thursday's shot at the Rockets in Houston, the Blazers move on to Dallas to battle the Mavericks on Saturday (5:30 p.m., KEX Radio), concluding a two-game Texas tour. After that, its three straight at home, beginning with the Los Angeles Laker's first Rose Garden visit of the season on Monday, (7 p.m., KEX Radio, BlazerVision), followed by Miami Wednesday (7 p.m., KEX Radio, BlazerVision) and Detroit on Tuesday, Dec. 14 (7 p.m., KEX Radio, BlazerVision). THE PLAYERS KENNY ANDERSON --- Sunday vs. Spurs: 13 pts (5-6 fgs, 3-3 fts), 9 assists, 2 rbs, 3 steals, 26 minutes . . . Friday at Clippers: Tied for game-high honors with 25 pts, tied for team-high rb with 8, 1 assist, 3 steals, 38 minutes---his 14th 20-plus game of the season . . . Thursday at Utah: 10 pts, 8 assists, 2 rbs, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 36 minutes . . . The 21 pts and 11 assists Dec. 18 vs. Seattle was his fourth double-double . . . Scored a season-high 34 pts in a season-high 49 minutes Dec. 13 at the Lakers . . . Scored 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 18.0 ppg, the assists leader (6.3 avg.) and tops in steals (1.97 avg.) . . . Ranks 31st in the NBA in scoring, 14th in assists, and 11th 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 . . . vs. Houston this season: Averaged team-best 29.0 pts, 7.5 assists, 2.5 rbs, 4.0 steals, 44.5 minutes, including games of 32 and 26 points. MARCUS BROWN --- Sunday vs. Spurs: Played in his first NBA game, scoring 6 pts (2-4 fgs, 2-2 3pt) and blocked 1 shot 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 . . . Friday at Clippers: Did not play (coach's decision) . . . Activated Friday 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 . . . Two-time Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year. MITCHELL BUTLER --- Sunday vs. Spurs: 8 pts (3-4 fgs, 0-1 3pt, 2-2 fts), 5 rbs, 1 steal, 9 minutes. . . Friday at Clippers: 6 pts, 3 rbs, 1 steal, 13 minutes . . . Thursday at Utah: 0 pts, 3 assists, 7 minutes . . . Activiated Dec. 13 after spending previous five games on injured list (tendonitis, 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 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 . . . vs. Houston this season: Scored 2 pts, 1 rb, 9 minutes of Game 2. Did not play (coach's decision) in first game. RANDOLPH CHILDRESS --- Sunday vs. Spurs: Season-high 8 pts (3-6 fgs, 1-4 3pt, 1-2 fts), 1 assist, career-high 2 steals, season-high 22 minutes . . . Friday at Clippers: 0 pts, 6 minutes . . . Did not play in last previous three games (coach's decision) . . . Scored season-high 7 points vs. Vancouver Dec. 12 . . . Had career-high 6 assists, 3 steals, and a season-high 18 minutes vs. Denver Nov. 23 . . . 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 . . . vs. Houston this season: 0 pts in 5 minutes of Game 1. Did not play (coach's decision) in second game. CHRIS DUDLEY --- Sunday vs. Spurs: 2 pts (1-5 fgs), 5 rbs, 1 steal, 18 minutes . . . Friday at Clippers: 3 pts, 3 rbs, 4 blocked shots, 21 minutes . . . Thursday at Utah: 0 pts, 6 rbs, 3 blocked shots, 25 minutes . . . Blocked a season-high five shots Dec. 1 at Golden State . . . Had a season-high 13 rebounds at New Jersey Nov. 15 . . . Second on team in rebounding (7.0 rpg) and leader in blocked shots (1.55) despite starting just two games thus far . . . Ranks 18th in the league in blocks . . . Blazers leader in rebounds and blocks 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 . . . 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 . . . vs. Houston this season: Averaged 2.5 pts, 6.0 rbs, 1.5 blocks, 22.0 minutes in two games. REGGIE JORDAN --- Placed on injured list Friday with non-displaced, oblique fracture of third metacarpal in left hand . . . Injury occurred Thursday at Utah where he had 0 pts, 1 rb, 1 steal in 12 minutes, before being leaving the floor . . . Monday vs. Washington: 4 pts, 5 rbs, 2 assists, 1 block, 17 minutes . . . Scored a season-high 8 pts and tied his career high with 9 rebounds 23 minutes vs. Dallas Dec. 20 . . Activated Dec. 20 after being on injured list (injured joint, left thumb) since Nov. 26 . . . 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 1995-96 with Sioux Falls of the CBA where he averaged 19.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists in 38 games and was a starter in the 1996 CBA All-Star Game. AARON McKIE --- Sunday vs. Spurs: 2 pts (0-2 fgs, 2-2 fts), 3 steals, 17 minutes . . . Friday at Clippers: 0 pts, 5 rbs, 2 assists, 18 minutes . . . Thursday at Utah: 8 pts, 3 rbs, 1 steal, 14 minutes . . .Played a season-high 41 minutes, scoring 7 points and dishing out 5 assists vs. Orlando Dec. 10 . . . Played in his 110th consecutive game Friday, 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 . . . vs. Houston this season: Averaged 2.5 pts, 1.5 rbs, 3.0 assists, 15.0 minutes in two games. JERMAINE O NEAL --- Sunday vs. Spurs: Career-high equalling 8 pts (2-6 fgs, 4-6 fgs), 5 rbs, career-high 3 blocks, career-high 24 minutes . . . Friday at Clippers: 7 pts, career-high 6 rbs, 1 block, 19 minutes . . . Did not play (coach's decision) Thursday at Utah . . . 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 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. . . . vs. Houston this season: Did not play in either contest. ISAIAH RIDER --- Sunday vs. Spurs: Third straight strong game---Game-high 19 pts (7-10 fgs, 1-3 3pt, 4-4 fts), 3 rbs, 2 assists, 27 minutes . . . Friday at Clippers: 20 pts, 7 rbs, 2 assists, season-high 4 steals, 35 minutes . . . Thursday at Utah: 19 pts, 3 rbs, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 34 minutes . . . Equalled season-high with 23 pts, and had a game and season-high 11 rebounds vs. Seattle Dec. 18 . . . Dished out a career-high 11 assists Nov. 26 at Houston . . . Tallied a season-high 23 points at Sacramento Nov. 9 . . . Has had five 20+ games this season . . . 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 Wolves in three seasons . . . 1993-94 NBA All-Rookie First Team . . . Winner of the Gatorade Slam-Dunk Championship at the 1994 NBA All-Star Weekend . . . vs. Houston this season: Averaged 10.0 pts, 5.0 rbs, 6.0 assists, 37.0 minutes in two starts. CLIFFORD ROBINSON --- Sunday vs. Spurs: 8 pts (3-6 fgs, 2-2 fts), 1 rb, 3 assists, 1 steal, 29 minutes--the lowest minutes count since the first game of the season . . . Friday at Clippers: 19 pts, 4 rbs, 1 steal, 40 minutes . . . Thursday at Utah: 17 pts, 6 rbs, 2 assists, 3 steals, season-high 3 blocked shots, 45 minutes . . . Poured in his 400th career three-pointer Dec. 12 versus Vancouver. Robinson has least one long-ranger in 27 of 31 games . . . Scored game 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 11th in the NBA in minutes played (39.7) . . . Leading scorer the past two seasons . . . Averaged 21.1 points in 1995-96, league's 16th highest . . . Has played in all but 11 of 605 games in seven-plus years as a Blazer . . Now sixth among Portland s all-time scoring leaders with 9,686 points . . . Ranks in top ten in 16 of 17 career categories . . . Only remaining Blazer from the 1990 and 1992 Western Conference Championship teams . . vs. Houston this season: Averaged 17.5 pts, 3.0 rbs, 3.0 assists, 1.5 blocks, 1.5 steals, 44.0 minutes in two starts. ARVYDAS SABONIS --- Sunday vs. Spurs: 15 pts (5-9 fgs, 2-2 3pt, 3-5 fts), 11 rbs, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 25 minutes---his team-best seventh double-double . . . Friday at Clippers: 15 pts, 8 rbs, 3 assists, 2 steals, 29 minutes . . . Thursday at Utah: Career high-equalling 26 pts, game-high 13 rbs, 2 assists, 34 minutes . . . Played a career-high 41 minutes in the Dec. 13 overtime loss at the Lakers . . . 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 . . . Team's leading rebounder (7.9 rpg) and second in blocked shots (1.42) . . . Stands 18th in NBA field goal accuracy at .507 (136-268) and 21st in blocks . . . On 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 . . . Gained his third Olympic Games medal during the summer in helping Lithuania to the Bronze at Atlanta . . . vs. Houston this season: Averaged 12.0 pts, 8.0 rbs, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.0 blocks, 31.5 minutes in two starts. GARY TRENT --- Sunday vs. Spurs: 17 pts (7-11 fgs, 3-3 fts), 4 rbs, 2 assists, career high-equalling 2 blocked shots, 24 minutes . . . Friday at Clippers: 7 pts, 5 rbs, 1 assist, 21 minutes in his third start of the season . . . Thursday at Utah: 14 pts, 3 rbs, 33 minutes . . . Scored a game and career high 22 pts (9-12 fgs, 4-4 fts) and claimed a game and career-high 13 rbs in 25 minutes Nov. 26 at Denver . . . 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 . . . vs. Houston this season: Averaged 5.0 pts, 2.5 rbs, 11.0 minutes. RASHEED WALLACE --- Placed on injured list Thursday after surgery on his thumb; is expected to be sidelined a minimum of four weeks . . . Monday vs. Washington: 5 pts (2-2 fgs), 1 rb, 16 minutes before leaving game with a fractured left thumb in the second quarter . . Saturday at the Kings: Career and team season-high 38 pts on career-high 17 of 25 fgs plus 4-5 fts, 5 rbs, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 40 minutes---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 . . . Was No. 1 among NBA's field goal percentage shooters (.588 on 170-289) at the time of his injury . . . His 32 points at Golden State Nov. 5 was the first 30-plus game of his career . . . 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 All-American as a sophomore at North Carolina before becoming an early entry draft candidate . . . vs. Houston this season: Averaged 15.5 pts, 9.5 rbs, 1.5 steals, 2.0 blocks, 38.5 minutes in two starts. DONTONIO WINGFIELD --- Sunday vs. Spurs: 4 pts (2-5 fgs, 0-2 3pt, 0-2 fts), 2 rbs, 2 assists, 1 steal, 14 minutes . . . Did not play (coach's decision) in last two games after being activated Thursday . . . Placed on injured list Dec. 13 (sprained left thumb suffered in Dec. 12 game with Vancouver) . . . Dec. 12 vs. Vancouver: Did not mark in 2 minutes of play . . . Played 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 . . . vs. Houston this season: Did not play in either game.