PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS vs. MIAMI HEAT GAME NO. 35 --- JAN. 8, 1997 HEAT IN THE GARDEN --- The Trail Blazers, 19-15, will be looking to move five games above .500 for the first time this season when they entertain the Miami Heat in the Rose Garden Wednesday. Portland made it a season-best five in a row Monday with an 88-84 victory over the division-leading Los Angeles Lakers. The five straight wins is the longest current streak in the NBA. At 19-15, the Blazers are three games better than they were a year ago after 34 games and pack the fifth best record in the Western Conference. Monday's victory was the second success in five days over a conference power. Last Thursday, the Blazers ran to a 112-96 win at Houston. The Portland offense has had a big role in the five-game run. Now ranked fifth in the NBA in scoring offense, the Blazers have averaged 104.5 points in the five wins and outscored their opponents by an average of 10.9 points a game. For the season, their margin in winning 19 games is 14.4 points a contest. PROBABLE STARTERS --- F--No. 3 Clifford Robinson (6-10) (flu, gametime decision) or No. 24 Chris Dudley (6-11), 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 PORTLAND-MIAMI SERIES --- The Blazers have won 17 of their 18 games with Miami all time and are 9-0 at home against the Heat. Portland's only loss the series came on Feb. 24, 1993, by the score of 102-91 in Miami. Since then, the Blazers have taken six in a row, including 90-89 and 102-88 victories last season. LAST SEASON --- Portland pulled out a hard-fought 90-89 victory in the Rose Garden on Jan. 10 last year to preserve its perfect homecourt record against the Heat. Arvydas Sabonis tipin with 5 seconds remaining tied the game then Rod Strickland hit one of two free throws with 2.2 seconds on the clock for the game-winner. In the rematch in Miami on March 1, the Blazers turned in a solid team effort in a wire-to-wire 102-88 success. Rumeal Robinson's 20 points topped five Portland scorers in double figures. The Blazers outscored the Heat, 96.0-88.5 in the the two games, had a huge 54.0-34.0 rebounding advantage and shot .412 from the field while holding the Atlantic Division club to a .399 field goal mark. OFFENSE PERKING --- Averaging 98.6 points a game, the Blazers have the fifth most productive offense in the league behind Chicago, Seattle, Houston and Golden Stage . . . In winning its last five contests, Portland has averaged 104.5 ppg and outscored its opponents by 10.9 ppg . . . In winning 19 games, the Blazers margin of victory has been 14.4 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 +4.3 is the league's ninth best . . . The Blazers shot just .384 from the field in Monday's win over the Lakers but in the Previous three games, the Blazers 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 .455, 11th 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 5-6 when the margin is four points or under. ON THE DEFENSE . . . Portland has held opponents to .436 field goal shooting in 34 games, the eighth stingiest defense in the league . . . In winning 19 games, the Blazers have held 16 opponents under 100 points and have allowed only 11 of 34 foes to top the century mark thus far . . . Their defensive average, 94.4, is the 11th lowest in the league and is 2.6 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---(.536), is second in defensive rebounding percentage (.727) and fourth in offensive percentage (.345). 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 34 games. They have an overall advantage of 6.8 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 30. (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) ---GARY TRENT, 11th in field goal percentage---.526 (132-251) ---ARVYDAS SABONIS, 14th in field goal percentage---.510 (158-310) and 25th in blocked shots (1.32) --- KENNY ANDERSON , 17th in assists (6.5), is 8th in steals (2.00), and 32nd in scoring (18.3) --- CHRIS DUDLEY, 18th in blocked shots (1.56) --- CLIFFORD ROBINSON, 18th in minutes played (38.9) THE LAST THREE GAMES A BIG ONE OVER THE LAKERS --- The Trail Blazers, playing without starting forwards Rasheed Wallace and Clifford Robinson, won their season-best fifth straight game Monday, downing the Pacific Division-leading Los Angeles Lakers in the Rose Garden, 88-84. The win snapped the Lakers' six-game streak and ended a string of 14 consecutive L.A. victories in the Pacific Division dating back to last season. Arvydas Sabonis, who topped Portland scoring with 24 points, helped stake the Blazers to an early lead by scoring 13 of his points in the first quarter. Kenny Anderson made the big plays down the stretch for Portland, tallying all six of his club's points in the last 2:38 of the game, including a three-pointer that broke an 84-84 tie with 51.4 seconds remaining. With Wallace on the injured list (broken thumb) and Robinson sent to the locker room after the first minute because of the flu, Chris Dudley and Dontonio Wingfield made big contributions off the bench. Dudley grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds and Wingfield put 11 points on the scoreboard and tied his career high with 9 rebounds as Portland battled to a 46-35 edge on the backboards. Portland shot just 38 percent for the game (28-73) compared with the Lakers 47 percent (35-74) but made good on 28-of-40 free throws (70 percent) while the Lakers were converting a Blazers opponent season low 11-of-24 (46 percent). Shaquille O Neal paced the Lakers with 34 points but Portland's starting guards---Anderson and Isaiah Rider outscored their L.A. counterparts Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel, 32-14. 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 road win in a row and the sixth straight over Dallas. Center Arvydas Sabonis scored 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. In addition to Sabonis, 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 edge on the boards. 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. 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 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. SABONIS STEPS UP --- The Blazers big second-year center Arvydas Sabonis, in the running for NBA Player-of-the-Week for the last two weeks, had 24 points in his head-to-head matchup with the Lakers Shaquille O Neal Monday, continuing an impressive run of games that has raised his season averages to 13.6 points and 8.0 rebounds a game. In the last seven games (Portland is 5-2 in the stretch) the 7-3 international star from Lithuania has averaged 22.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, shot 54 percent from the field (50-93) 61 percent (11-18) from three-point range and twice has been the team's assists leader, while averaging 32.0 minutes a game. WALLACE OUT FOUR WEEKS --- Second-year forward Rasheed Wallace, who had been filling the hoop at a torrid pace most of the season and still is the NBA's field goal percentage leader, has been lost to the Blazers for a 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 --- Balloting for the 1997 NBA All-Star team concludes in the league's arenas Friday. 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 also available at the 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. 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 in Cleveland 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 now dished out 221 assists for the season (6.5 per game, 17th best in the league). That means $4,420 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, 55.2%), Mike Schuler (127-84, 60.2%) and Rick Adelman (291-154, 65.4%). P.J. currently is 107-91, 54.0%. 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 --- Monday vs. Lakers: 15 pts (5-13 fgs, 2-4 3pt, 3-4 fts), 4 assists, 4 rbs, 4 steals, 40 minutes---Scored team's final 8 points including three-pointer with 51.4 remaining that broke an 84-84 tie . . . Saturday at Dallas: 25 pts, 11 assists, 8 rbs, 1 steal, 41 minutes---sixth double-double and the second time this season he s come up just 2 rbs shy of his 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. . . 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 18.3 ppg, the assists leader (6.5 avg.) and tops in steals (2.0 avg.) . . . Ranks 32nd 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. MARCUS BROWN --- Did not play (coach's decision) in last three games . . . Sunday vs. Spurs: Played in his first NBA game against San Antonio Dec. 29, scoring 6 pts, and blocking 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. MITCHELL BUTLER --- Monday vs. Lakers: 2 pts (1-1 fgs), 1 rb, 7 minutes . . . Saturday at Dallas: 0 pts, 4 minutes . . . Thursday at Houston: 0 pts, 1 assist, 3 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. RANDOLPH CHILDRESS --- Did not play (coach's decision) Monday vs. Lakers . . . Saturday at Dallas: 0 pts, 2 rbs, 4 minutes . . . Thursday at Houston: 0 pts, 3 minutes . . . Scored a season-high 8 points in a season-high 22 minutes Dec. 29 versus San Antonio . . . Had career-high 6 assists 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 season vs. Heat: Did not play in either game (Injured list). CHRIS DUDLEY --- Monday vs. Lakers: 6 pts (2-7 fgs, 2-4 fts), tied season-high with game-high 13 rbs, 2 assists, 2 blocked shots, 38 minutes off the bench . . . Saturday at Dallas: 0 pts, 8 rbs, 3 blocked shots, 19 minutes . . . Thursday at Houston: 4 pts, 4 rbs, 15 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 (7.1 rpg) and leader in blocked shots (1.56) 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 season vs. Heat: Averaged 6.0 pts, 8.5 rbs, 1.5 blocks, 18.0 minutes in two starts. 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. AARON McKIE --- Monday vs. Lakers: 0 pts (0-3 fgs, 0-1 3pt), 1 rb, 1 block, 14 minutes . . . Saturday at Dallas: 2 pts, 5 rbs, 13 minutes . . . Thursday at Houston: 3 pts, 1 steal, 12 minutes . . . Played a season-high 41 minutes, scoring 7 points and dishing out 5 assists vs. Orlando Dec. 10 . . . Played in his 114th consecutive game Saturday, 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 season vs. Heat: Averaged 8.0 pts, 4.0 assists, 3.0 rbs, 32.0 minutes in two starts. JERMAINE O NEAL --- Monday vs. Lakers: 1 pt (1-4 fts), 2 rbs, 1 assist, 1 block, 5 minutes . . . Saturday at Dallas: 0 pts, 2 minutes . . . Thursday at Houston: 0 pts, 1 block, 3 minutes . . . Scored a career-high equalling 8 pts, had a career-high 3 blocks in a career-high 24 minutes vs. San Antonio, Dec. 29 . . . 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. ISAIAH RIDER --- Monday vs. Lakers: 17 pts (3-13 fgs, 11-14 fts), 9 rbs, team-high 5 assists, 42 minutes . . . 11-14 from the line both season highs . . . Saturday at Dallas: 19 pts, 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 . . . Averaging 20.8 ppg in his last six outings . . . 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. CLIFFORD ROBINSON --- Monday vs. Lakers: 0 pts (0-2 fgs, 0-1 3pt), 1 rb, 1 minute before leaving game with case of stomach flu . . . Status for Wednesday will be a game-time decision . . . Saturday at Dallas: 19 pts, 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 . . . 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 18th in the NBA in minutes played (38.9) . . . Leading scorer the past two seasons . . . Averaged 21.1 points in 1995-96, league's 16th highest . . . Has played in all but 11 of 608 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 season vs. Heat: Averaged 16.0 pts, 7.5 rbs, 1.5 assists, 1.5 blocked shots, 35.0 minutes in two starts. ARVYDAS SABONIS --- Monday vs. Lakers: Team-high 24 pts (8-18 fgs, 1-4 3pt, 7-7 fts), 3 rbs, team-high 5 assists, 1 steal, 37 minutes---scored 13 of his points in the first quarter . . . Saturday at Dallas: Career-high 33 points, career high-equalling 11 field goals (on 14 attempts) and 8 free throws on a career-high 14 fts, team-high 12 rbs in 35 minutes---team-best ninth double-double of the season . . . Previous career-high points 26 three times, most recently a week ago at Utah . . . In past six games has averaged 9.8 rbs per game and shot .533 (40-75) 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 14th in NBA field goal accuracy at .514 (150-292) and 24th 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 season vs. Heat: Averaged 14.0 pts, 5.5 rbs. 2.0 blocked sthows, 22.5 minutes in two games. GARY TRENT --- Monday vs. Lakers: 12 pts (4-9 fgs, 4-5 fts), 3 rbs, 1 assist, 1 steal, 29 minutes . . . Saturday at Dallas: 12 pts, 3 rbs, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 39 minutes . . . Portland 5-1 since he moved into the starting lineup in place of the injured Rasheed Wallace . . . 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 . . . Shooting .600 from field in last four games (24-40) and ranks 11th in the NBA in field goal accuracy (.526 on 132-251) . . . 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 season vs. Heat: Averaged 7.0 pts, 5.5 rbs, 20.5 minutes in two games. 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 sophomore All-American 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 --- Monday vs. Lakers: Season-high 11 pts (5-7 fgs, 1-3 3pt, 0-2 fts), tied career-high with 9 rbs, 1 assist, 1 steal, season-high 27 minutes . . . Saturday at Dallas: Did not play (coach's decision) . . . Thursday at Houston: 0 pts, 1 minute . . . 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 season vs. Heat: 1 pt in 7 minutes of Game 2. John Christensen Chuck Charnquist ************************************************************ Send subscribe/unsubscribe messages to majordomo@blazers.com ************************************************************