PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS vs. LOS ANGELES LAKERS GAME NO. 34 --- JAN. 6, 1997 LAKERS MAKE FIRST VISIT --- The Trail Blazers, 18-15, will be looking to extend their winning streak to a season-best five games when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on their first visit to the Rose Garden Monday. The contest is a matchup of teams with the NBA's longest current winning streaks. The Pacific Division-leading Lakers have won five straight, while Portland and Detroit both have strings of four in a row going. The Blazers, fresh off a sweep of a two-game Texas invasion, dropped a 120-119 overtime squeeker to the Lakers in Los Angeles in their last meeting on Dec. 13. After downing Houston, 112-96, Thursday and Dallas, 110-104, on Saturday, Portland remained three wins ahead of last year's team after 33 games. The conquest at Dallas evened the Blazers road record at 9-9, which is a pace well ahead of a year ago when they didn t record their ninth road win until the season's 47th game on Feb. 5. The Blazers offense has had a key role in the most recent surge. Portland, ranked fifth in the league in scoring offense, has averaged 108.5 points a game in the last four games and 111.0 in the last three. 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- LAKERS SERIES --- The Blazers trail in their all-time series with the Los Angeles Lakers, 85-58, and have dropped two in a row, including the one point OT loss (120-119) at the Great Western Forum last month. Portland has lost two straight in the Rose Garden against the Lakers but still owns a 37-34 series edge in matchups at home. Before the Lakers won on both visits last year, 109-108 and 105-99, the Trail Blazers had won six in a row over the Los Angeles club at home. The Lakers win earlier this season in L.A. snapped a three-game Portland win streak in The Forum. Portland is behind, 51-21, in games played on the Lakers court. THE LAST MEETING ---Kenny Anderson scored a season-high 34 points but Laker center Shaquille O Neal, who also had 34 points, blocked Kenny's potential game-winner with 2 seconds remaining in overtime as the Blazers dropped a 120-119 heartbreaker at the Great Western Forum. Portland suffered its third loss in five overtime sessions this season and its first in the last four visits to Laker land despite shooting a season-high 53 percent from the field (42-79). The Lakers hit at a 47 percent clip (45-92). Rasheed Wallace had 29 points for the Blazers, including 9 of 10 from the field and a career high 11 free throws on 15 attempts. Portland was outrebounded for only the fourth time in 23 games, 40-38. The Blazers had an 82-77 lead going into the fourth quarter and were up by eight, 97-89, with 7:16 remaining in regulation. OFFENSE PERKING --- Averaging 98.9 points a game, the Blazers have the fifth most productive offense in the league behind Chicago, Seattle, Houston and Golden Stage . . . Portland has averaged 111.0 points in its last three outings, 108.5 in its last four, and 102.5 in its last 11 . . . In winning 18 games, the Blazers margin of victory has been 14.9 ppg, with the cushion being 11 or more points in 11 games and 20 or more six times . . . Portland's overall scoring margin over opponents of +4.2 is the league's ninth best . . . In the last three games, the Blazers have combined for a .513 field goal shooting mark (including a season-best .541 versus San Antonio a week ago) and have raised their field goal accuracy mark to .457, ninth highest in the league . . . Nine of the Blazers 15 losses have been by six points or less and five have been by three or under . . . Portland is 11-5 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 4.2 points per game is the NBA's eighth best mark. ON THE DEFENSE . . . Portland has held opponents to .434 field goal shooting in 33 games, the eighth stingiest defense in the league . . . In winning 18 games, the Blazers have held 15 opponents under 100 points and have allowed only 11 of 33 foes to top the century mark thus far . . . Their defensive average, 94.7, is the 12th lowest in the league and is 2.3 points per game below last year's club record of 97.0 ppg in 82 games. ON THE BOARDS --- Portland, a perennial NBA rebounding power, leads the NBA in total rebounding percentage---the share of total misses in a game a team rebounds---(.535), is second in defensive rebounding percentage (.725) and fourth in offensive percentage (.346). The Blazers, who grabbed 54 rebounds Saturday at Dallas---one shy of their season-best, have had 50 or more boards in eight outings, and have been outrebounded in only six of 33 games. They have an overall advantage of 6.7 boards per game and a 4.6 per game margin on the defensive glass. Portland, among top five rebounding 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. AMONG THE NBA LEADERS ---RASHEED WALLACE, first in field goal percentage---.588 (170-289) ---GARY TRENT, 10th in field goal percentage---.529 (128-242) ---ARVYDAS SABONIS, 15th in field goal percentage---.514 (50-292) and 23rd in blocked shots (1.36) --- KENNY ANDERSON , 17th in assists (6.6), is 8th in steals (1.94), and 31st in scoring (18.4) --- CHRIS DUDLEY, 18th in blocked shots (1.55) --- CLIFFORD ROBINSON, 10th in minutes played (40.0) THE LAST THREE GAMES FOUR IN A ROW --- The Trail Blazers had their biggest first quarter of the season Saturday, outscoring the Mavericks, 38-28, and then held off Dallas down the stretch at Reunion Arena to post their fourth straight victory, 110-104, equalling the club's longest streak of the season. It was the Blazers' season-best third win in a row on the road and the sixth straight over Dallas. Center Arvydas Sabonis had a huge game for Portland, scoring a career-high 33 points on 11-of-14 field goals to go along with 12 rebounds. All five starters were again in double figures and three posted double-doubles. Kenny Anderson had his sixth double with 25 points and 11 assists, and Isaiah Rider contributed 19 points and 10 rebounds. The Blazers hit the hoop on .494 of their attempts (40-81), while the host team was shooting .429 (39-91). Portland had a 54-46 rebounding cushion, one board shy of its season high. Chris Gatling came off the bench to lead Dallas with 24 points. 16-POINT WIN AT HOUSTON --- After losing by one in overtime on their last visit to Houston's Summit, the Trail Blazers blew past the Rockets, 112-96, Friday for their third straight win. Portland, with all five starters making big contributions, jumped out to a 12-point lead midway through the first quarter then held off determined Rocket challenges in each of the next three periods. After the Rockets pulled to within three, 89-86, with 6:17 remaining, Portland responded with a 10-2 run in the next 2:33 to secure the victory. It was the Blazers biggest win in Houston since the 1992-93 season. For the second straight game, Portland shot better than 50 percent (.506) while holding the host Rockets to a .419 field goal chart. Isaiah Rider led the Blazers with a season-high 31 points, including two big three-pointers in the fourth quarter rally. Kenny Anderson and Arvydas Sabonis both chipped in with double-doubles---Anderson 23 points and 10 assists, and Sabonis 18 points and 12 rebounds. Charles Barkley led the Rockets with 30 points and 14 rebounds. Houston had a 46-37 edge on the backboards. 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 Dec. 29 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, 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. 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 final 15 games of his rookie season at Washington last year, happened 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. 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 this Friday. 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 Anderson has dished out 30 assists in his last three games and now has 217 for the season. That means $4,340 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. HEAT, PISTONS AHEAD --- After tackling the Lakers Monday, the Blazers continue their three-game homestand against Miami Wednesday (7 p.m., KEX Radio, BlazerVision), the second straight divisional leader to hit town. After a five day respite, the Blazers host Detroit on Tuesday, Jan. 14 (7 p.m., KEX Radio, BlazerVision). THE PLAYERS KENNY ANDERSON --- Saturday at Dallas: 25 pts (9-14 fgs, 2-4 3pt, 5-6 fts), 11 assists, 8 rbs, 1 steal, 41 minutes---sixth double-double and second time this season he's come up just 2 rbs shy of sixth career triple-double . . . Team-best 16th 20-plus game . . . Thursday at Houston: 23 pts, 10 assists, 5 rbs, 2 steals, 1 turnover, 43 minutes. . . Sunday vs. Spurs: 13 pts, 9 assists, 2 rbs, 3 steals, 26 minutes . . . His assists/turnovers ratio of 3.8/1 is one of the league's best . . . Scored a season-high 34 pts in a season-high 49 minutes Dec. 13 at the Lakers . . . Scored 32 points vs. Houston Nov. 26 . . . . . Team's leading scorer at 18.4 ppg, the assists leader (6.6 avg.) and tops in steals (1.94 avg.) . . . Ranks 31st in the NBA in scoring, 17th in assists, and 8th 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 . . . Last game vs. Lakers: Season-high 34 pts (13-22 fgs, 3-5 3pt), 5 assists, 7 rbs, 1 steal, season-high 49 minutes. MARCUS BROWN --- Did not play (coach's decision) in last two games . . . Sunday vs. Spurs: Played in his first NBA game, scored 6 pts, 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 . . . 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 --- Saturday at Dallas: 0 pts (0-1 fgs), 4 minutes . . . Thursday at Houston: 0 pts, 1 assist, 3 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Spurs: 8 pts, 5 rbs, 1 steal, 9 minutes. . . Activated 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, 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 . . . Last game vs. Lakers: 2 pts, 4 minutes. RANDOLPH CHILDRESS --- Saturday at Dallas: 0 pts (0-1 fgs), 2 rbs, 4 minutes . . . Thursday at Houston: 0 pts, 3 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Spurs: Season-high 8 pts, 1 assist, career-high 2 steals, season-high 22 minutes . . . 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 . . . Last game vs. Lakers: 2 pts, 1 assist, 4 minutes. CHRIS DUDLEY --- Saturday at Dallas: 0 pts, 8 rbs, 3 blocked shots, 19 minutes . . . Thursday at Houston: 4 pts, 4 rbs, 15 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Spurs: 2 pts, 5 rbs, 1 steal, 18 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 (6.9 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 . . . Last game vs. Lakers: 4 pts, 2 rbs, 17 minutes. REGGIE JORDAN --- Placed on injured list Dec. 27 with non-displaced, oblique fracture of third metacarpal in left hand . . . Injury occurred Dec. 27 at Utah where he had 0 pts, 1 rb, 1 steal in 12 minutes, before being leaving the floor . . . 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 . . . Last game vs. Lakers: Did not play: Injured list. AARON McKIE --- Saturday at Dallas: 2 pts (0-2 fgs, 0-1 3pt, 2-2 fts), 5 rbs, 13 minutes . . . Thursday at Houston: 3 pts, 1 steal, 12 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Spurs: 2 pts, 3 steals, 17 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. . . 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 game vs. Lakers: 0 pts, 2 assists, 1 rb, 18 minutes. JERMAINE O'NEAL --- Saturday at Dallas: 0 pts, 2 minutes . . . Thursday at Houston: 0 pts, 1 block, 3 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Spurs: Career-high equalling 8 pts, 5 rbs, career-high 3 blocks, career-high 24 minutes . . . Grabbed a career-high 6 rbs at the Clippers Dec. 27 . . . 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. . . . Last game vs. Lakers: 2 pts, 2 rbs, 3 minutes. ISAIAH RIDER --- Saturday at Dallas: 19 pts (7-18 fgs, 1-2 3pt, 4-7 fts), 10 rbs, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 38 minutes---second double-double of the season . . . Thursday at Houston: Game and season-high 31 pts, 5 rbs, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 37 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Spurs: Game-high 19 pts, 3 rbs, 2 assists, 27 minutes . . . Scored 23 points and had 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, 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 . . . Last game vs. Lakers: 11 pts, 5 rbs, 5 assists, 35 minutes. CLIFFORD ROBINSON --- Saturday at Dallas: 19 pts (8-22 fgs, 1-6 3pt, 2-2 fts), 6 rbs, 4 assists, season-high 4 steals, 2 blocks, 45 minutes . . . Thursday at Houston: 14 pts, 3 rbs, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 44 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Spurs: 8 pts, 1 rb, 3 assists, 1 steal, 29 minutes--the lowest minutes count since the first game of the season . . . Poured in his 400th career three-pointer Dec. 12 versus Vancouver. Robinson has least one long-ranger in 29 of 33 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 10th in the NBA in minutes played (40.0) . . . Leading scorer the past two seasons . . . Averaged 21.1 points in 1995-96, league's 16th highest . . . Has played in all but 11 of 607 games in seven-plus years as a Blazer . . Now sixth among Portland's all-time scoring leaders with 9,719 points . . . Ranks in top ten in 16 of 17 career categories . . . Only remaining Blazer from the 1990 and 1992 Western Conference Championship teams . . Last game vs. Lakers: 18 pts, team-high 6 assists, 3 rbs, 2 steals, 1 block, 49 minutes. ARVYDAS SABONIS --- Saturday at Dallas: Career-high 33 points (career high-equalling 11 of 14 fgs, 3-3 3pt, 8 of career-high 14 fts) team-high 12 rbs, 3 assists, 35 minutes---team-best ninth double-double of the season . . . Previous career-high points 26 three times, most recently a week ago at Utah . . . Three 3-pointers a season high . . . In past five games has averaged 11.2 rbs per game and shot .632 (36-57) from the floor . . . Thursday at Houston: 18 pts, team-high 12 rbs, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 35 minutes. . . His 12 free throws career high. Previous high was 11 vs. San Antonio Nov. 10 . . . Sunday vs. Spurs: 15 pts, 11 rbs, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 25 minutes . . .. . . 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 season-high 17 rebounds at Minnesota Nov. 7 . . . Team's leading rebounder (8.1 rpg) and second in blocked shots (1.36) . . . Stands 15th in NBA field goal accuracy at .514 (150-292) and 23rd 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 . . . Last game vs. Lakers: 13 pts, team-high 9 rbs, 3 assists, 1 steal, 4 blocks, career-high 41 minutes. GARY TRENT --- Saturday at Dallas: 12 pts (5-9 fgs, 2-3 fts), 3 rbs, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 39 minutes in sixth start of the season . . . Thursday at Houston: 19 pts, 8 rbs, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, career-high 44 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Spurs: 17 pts, 4 rbs, 2 assists, career high-equalling 2 blocked shots, 24 minutes . . . Has shot .645 from field in last three games (20-31) and ranks 10th in the NBA in field goal accuracy (.529 on 128-242) . . . 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) 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 game vs. Lakers: 4 pts, 1 assist, 9 minutes. RASHEED WALLACE --- Placed on injured list Dec. 27 after surgery on his thumb; is expected to be sidelined a minimum of four weeks . . . Dec. 23 vs. Washington: 5 pts (2-2 fgs), 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 . . . Still No. 1 among NBA's field goal percentage shooters (.588 on 170-289) . . . 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 . . . Last game vs. Lakers: 29 pts (9-10 fgs, career-high 11-15 fts), team-high 9 rbs, 1 assist, 1 block, 36 minutes. DONTONIO WINGFIELD --- Saturday at Dallas: Did not play (coach's decision) . . . Thursday at Houston: 0 pts, 1 minute . . . Sunday vs. Spurs: 4 pts, 2 rbs, 2 assists, 1 steal, 14 minutes . . . 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 . . . Last game vs. Lakers: Did not play (Injured list).