PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS vs. TORONTO RAPTORS GAME NO. 38 --- JAN. 17, 1997 KEEPING IT GOING --- The Trail Blazers, 21-16, and winners of seven of their last eight games, will be looking to keep things rolling Friday when they host Toronto in the first of two meetings between the two clubs. The Blazers, five games above .500 for the first time this season, will be shooting for their third straight victory after stopping the division leading Los Angeles Lakers last night at the Great Western Forum, 102-98. The victory kept Portland three wins ahead of last year at the 37-game mark. The success at Los Angeles also was Portland's season-best fourth road win in a row and upped the travel record to 10-9, well ahead of last year's pace when it took 26 road stops to get the 10th win. In capturing seven of their last eight contests, the Blazers have held their opponents to a combined .420 field goal percentage, a 92.1 points per game average, and have outscored their foes by an average of 7.9 ppg. The Blazers offense, averaging 98.1 points for the season, is the NBA sixth most productive, and the defense, averaging 94.0 ppg, ranks 11th. 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-RAPTORS SERIES --- Portland is 2-0 versus the Raptors after winning both matchups in Toronto's first NBA go-round last year. The Trail Blazers used a stifling defense to take the first meeting ever between the two teams, 96-88, in the Rose Garden in December, then James Robinson swished a long three-pointer with less than a second to go in the SkyDome in February to give Portland a dramatic come-from-behind 90-87 victory. In the first clash, the Blazers limited Toronto to just 10 points in the second quarter and 59 in the final three. In the rematch in Toronto, Portland had to rally from nine points back in the fourth quarter to get the victory. Clifford Robinson and Rod Strickland led Blazers scorers in the two games, averaging 24.5 and 23.0 points a game respectively. Tracy Murray topped the Raptors with a 22.0 average in the two contests. Both teams shot 45 percent in the series while Toronto claimed a 46.0-41.5 rebounding advantage. SCHEDULE GETS HECTIC --- Tonight's game is the second in a hectic stretch of seven in 10 days for the Blazers, who finish off January by taking the court 11 times in 18 nights. The Trail Blazers are off Saturday then host Utah Sunday, opening a week in which they play five times in seven days, including three times at home. Tonight's Toronto game is the closer on the first of four back-to-back combinations the Blazers have in a two-week period. 600 GAMES FOR ROBINSON, DUDLEY --- Clifford Robinson and Chris Dudley will both be playing their 600th NBA game when they step on the court against Toronto tonight. Robinson, in his eighth season, has missed only 12 regular season games since his rookie year with the Blazers in 1989-90. He holds the club's consecutive games mark of 461 games that was stopped by a sprained ankle in February of 1994. Counting the playoffs, he has played in 673 of a possible 685 games before tonight's contest. Dudley, in his fourth year wearing Blazers colors, has played in all but two of 198 games over the last three seasons. He had seen action in 394 games with Cleveland and New Jersey before coming to Portland at the start of the 1993 season. ROBINSON PASSES PETRIE --- Clifford Robinson scored 18 points (13 of them in the first quarter) in last night's win at Los Angeles, and in the process moved ahead of Geoff Petrie as Portland's fifth highest career scorer. Clifford, who now has 9,748 career points, needs just 252 more to become only the fifth Blazer to reach the 10,000 point plateau. Currently ahead of him are Clyde Drexler (18,040), Terry Porter (11,330), Jerome Kersey (10,067), and Jim Paxson (10,003). ON OFFENSE --- The Blazers have the sixth most productive offense in the league (behind Chicago, Seattle, Golden State, Houston and Phoenix), averaging 98.0 points a contest . . . In winning 21 games, the Blazers margin of victory has been 13.6 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 . . . The Blazers field goal accuracy mark of .453 is the 13th highest in the league . . . Ten of the Blazers 16 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 6-7 when the margin is four points or under. ON DEFENSE . . . Portland has the sixth toughest defense in the league to shoot against, holding foes to .431 field goal accuracy in 37 games . . . In winning 21 games, the Blazers have held 18 opponents under 100 points and overall have allowed only 11 of 37 to top the century mark . . . Their defensive average, 94.0, is the league's 11th lowest and is 3.0 per game below last year's club record of 97.0 in 82 games. ON THE BOARDS --- Portland, a perennial NBA rebounding power, outrebounded the Lakers Thursday, 40-37, and Detroit Tuesday, 51-36, for its ninth 50-plus boards game of the season . . . It was the 31st and 32nd times in games the Blazers have been on the long end of the rebound count . . . Portland 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 (.345) . . . They have an overall advantage of 6.8 boards per game and a 4.8 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. AMONG THE NBA LEADERS ---RASHEED WALLACE, first in field goal percentage---.588 (170-289) ---GARY TRENT, 11th in field goal percentage---.523 (149-285) ---ARVYDAS SABONIS, 24th in field goal percentage---.491 (170-346) and 24th in blocked shots (1.38) --- KENNY ANDERSON , 16th in assists (6.6), is 10th in steals (1.89), and 32nd in scoring (17.9) --- CHRIS DUDLEY, 21st in blocked shots (1.51) --- CLIFFORD ROBINSON, 21st in minutes played (38.8) THE LAST THREE GAMES BIG WIN AT THE FORUM --- The Trail Blazers, posting their seventh win in eight games, stopped the Los Angeles Lakers for the second time in a row, this time by a 102-98 score last night at the Forum. Ten days earlier, it was 88-84 in Portland. The division-leading Lakers are now 10-2 in their last 12 games with both losses coming at the hands of the Blazers. In the first meeting between the two teams this season, Portland lost, 120-119, in overtime at the Forum. The fourth meeting is scheduled in the Rose Garden on April 20, the final game of the season. The Blazers jumped to a 34-25 first quarter lead, were up 60-44 at halftime then had to hold off a determined Laker rally down the stretch to claim the victory. L.A. never led in the game after the first three minutes. Isaiah Rider tallied a team-high 30 points as all five Portland starters scored in double figures in the physical contest. Rider made 15 of 18 free throws, both career highs and the most makes and attempts from the line ever by a Blazer against the Lakers. Portland shot 49 percent (33-67) and the Los Angeles 43 percent (33-76). The Blazers had a 40-37 rebounding edge. Shaquille O Neal led the Lakers with 33 points. PORTLAND DOWNS DETROIT --- The Blazers, playing without starting forwards Rasheed Wallace and Clifford Robinson, used a solid defense and a strong all-around team effort to overcome Detroit, 95-86, Tuesday in the Rose Garden. The victory was over a Piston team that led the league in defense and boasted the NBA's second best win-loss record. In playing what Coach P.J. Carlesimo called, Probably our best game of the year, the Blazers got strong efforts from their reserves and double-digit scoring from six players, led by Isaiah Rider's 22 points. Mitchell Butler came off the bench to post season highs of 13 points and 8 rebounds and helped slow Detroit ace Grant Hill to 20 points. The Blazers shot 44 percent from the floor and limited the Pistons to a 33 percent field goal night. Behind Arvydas Sabonis 13 rebounds (plus 16 points), Portland whipped Detroit on the boards, 51-36. HEAT BURNS BLAZER STREAK --- Portland suffered its first homecourt loss ever to the Miami Heat in a physical struggle, 85-81, last Wednesday in the Rose Garden. The loss, only the second in 19 games against Miami and the first in 10 at home, snapped a five-game Blazers win streak, its longest of the season. Arvydas Sabonis and Isaiah Rider each scored 17 for Portland and Sabonis grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds for his 10th double-double of the season. Miami's Tim Hardaway took game scoring honors with 28 points, 21 of them in the second half. Both teams shot 37 percent from the floor, Portland, 29-78, and Miami, 26-70, but the Heat had the better of it in free throws, making 24 of 34, compared with 17 of 22 by the Blazers. The 32 fouls by Portland equalled its season high. The Blazers had a 39-38 rebounding edge. BACK-TO-BACKS --- Tonight's game closes out the 10th of 21 back-to-back sets of games on the Blazers 1996-97 schedule. After last night's win at L.A., the Blazers are 10-9 in two-night combos. In second-night outings, Portland's record reads 5-4 and is 2-0 when the second game is in the Rose Garden. WALLACE SIDELINED WITH BROKEN THUMB --- 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, was placed on the injured list Dec. 26 after undergoing surgery after suffering a broken left thumb in the Dec. 23 Bullets game. He is expected to be sidelined at least two more weeks. It is the same injury that kept him from the final 15 games of his rookie season at Washington last year. 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. THE COMMUNITY CORNER ANDERSON S ASSISTS COUNTING UP --- Point guard Kenny Anderson has now dished out 246 assists for the season (6.7 per game, 16th best in the league). That means $4,920 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, a volunteer organization of hundreds of grade and high school students throughout Oregon and southwest Washington. DUDLEY, SMITH HELP KIDS FITNESS PROGRAM --- Center Chris Dudley and Mick Smith, Trail Blazers strength and conditioning coach, are teaming with G.I. Joe's and Nautilus Plus to present the G.I. Joe's Physical Fitness Program for youth in Oregon and southwest Washington. The 12-week program, which kicks off this month, aims to assist physical education teachers in grades one through eight to encourage their students to be involved in lifetime fitness activities. Smith and the Blazers have published an 18-page G.I. Joe's Physical Fitness Program workbook with specific routines to help teachers develop the program during the 12 weeks. Dudley and Smith have also produced a videotape demonstrating the various exercises and tests the program prescribes. Participating students will receive program certificates and special recognition will go to those who reach higher levels in the prescribed testing. INAUGURAL SCOUT NIGHT JANUARY 25 --- The Blazers inaugural Scout Night is coming Saturday, Jan. 25, when Portland hosts Minnesota. A variety of events are planned for Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts from the Cascade Region before and after the game. The scout troops and packs will sit in a special reserved section, a Boy Scout color guard will participate in the opening ceremonies. Reservations are due no later than January 22. Contact Tony Cesarano at the Blazers, 797-9765, for more information. ATTENDANCE IN TOP THREE --- The Trail Blazers, despite playing in the league's fourth smallest market area, rank behind only Charlotte and Chicago in home game attendance as the season approaches the midway point. All 18 Blazers home games thus far have been in the 20,000-plus category with the average attendance through last Tuesday's Detroit game at 20,401. ROSE GARDEN RANKS NO. 2 --- In its first year, the Blazers Rose Garden finished as the North America's second-highest money-making concert venue behind only the Palace at Auburn Hills near Detroit. The rating, done by Performance Magazine based on arenas with 20,000 or more seats, showed the Rose Garden staged 47 shows with a total attendance of 510,275 and gross revenue of $12.5 million. Other arenas in the top 10 included New Jersey s Continental Airlines Arena (No. 3), Target Center in Minneapolis (No. 5), General Motors Place in Vancouver (No. 6), Boston's Fleet Center (No. 9) and Chicago's United Center (No. 10). 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 109-92, 54.2%. 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. JAZZ IN THE GARDEN --- The Trail Blazers take tomorrow off then return to the Rose Garden Sunday to host the Utah Jazz (7 p.m., KEX Radio, BlazerVision), in the second date in a three-game homestand. It concludes Tuesday when the Los Angeles Clippers make their first Portland visit of the season (7 p.m., KEX Radio). The next night, the Blazers go to Seattle (7 p.m., KEX Radio, KGW-TV), then play at Phoenix next Friday (6 p.m., KEX Radio) and are back home Saturday (Jan. 25), to host Minnesota (7 p.m., KEX Radio). THE PLAYERS KENNY ANDERSON --- Thursday at Lakers: 16 pts (6-14 fgs, 3-6 3pt, 1-3 fts), team-high 6 assists, 1 rb, 39 minutes . . . Tuesday vs. Detroit: 14 pts, game-high 12 assists (tied season high), 45 minutes---seventh double-double, eighth double-figure assists game . . . Wednesday vs. Miami: 12 pts, 7 assists, 2 rbs, 2 steals, 37 minutes . . . Scored a season-high 34 pts in a season-high 49 minutes Dec. 13 at the Lakers . . . Scored 32 points vs. Houston Nov. 26 . . . Has led team in scoring 10 times and in assists 22 times . . . Team's leading scorer at 17.9 ppg, the assists leader (6.7 avg.) and tops in steals (1.94 avg.) . . . Ranks 33rd in the NBA in scoring, 16th 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. MITCHELL BUTLER --- Thursday at Lakers: Did not play (coach's decision) . . . Tuesday vs. Detroit: Season-high 13 pts, season-high 8 rbs, 2 steals, season-high 33 minutes . . . Wednesday vs. Miami: 0 pts, 2 rbs, 1 assist, 8 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. MARCUS BROWN --- Did not play (coach's decision) in last six games . . . Played in his first NBA game against San Antonio Dec. 29, scoring 6 pts 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 Dec. 27 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. RANDOLPH CHILDRESS --- Did not play (coach's decision) in last two games . . . Wednesday vs. Miami: 0 pts, 1 assist, 8 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. Toronto: 0 pts, 1 rb, 1 steal in 10 minutes of Game 1. On injured list for second meeting. CHRIS DUDLEY --- Thursday at Lakers: 2 pts (1-2 fgs), shared team honors with 8 rbs, 1 block, 18 minutes before fouling out for the first time this season with 5:59 remaining in the game . . . Tuesday vs. Detroit: 0 pts, 7 rbs, 1 block, 20 minutes . . . Wednesday vs. Miami: 4 pts, 7 rbs, 1 steal, 1 block, 21 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 (1.51) despite starting just two games thus far . . . Ranks 21st in the league in blocks . . . Blazers leader in rebounds and blocks last two seasons . . . 10th year in the league, the team's longest tenured player . . . Played in his 599th NBA game last night at Los Angeles . . . 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. Toronto: Averaged 1.0 pts, 8.0 rbs, 1.0 steals, 1.5 blocks in two starts. REGGIE JORDAN --- Placed on injured list Dec. 27 with non-displaced, oblique fracture of third metacarpal in left hand---cast came off on Tuesday, expected to return in four to six weeks . . . 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 and was a starter in the 1996 CBA All-Star Game. AARON McKIE --- Thursday at Lakers: 0 pts (0-1 fgs), 5 rbs, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 13 minutes . . . Tuesday vs. Detroit: 5 pts, 4 assists, 3 rbs, 2 blocks, 22 minutes in his 8th start. . . Wednesday vs. Miami: 2 pts, 1 rb, 1 assist, 14 minutes . . . Played a season-high 41 minutes, scoring 7 points and dishing out 5 assists vs. Orlando Dec. 10 . . . Played in his 118th consecutive game Thursday, 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. Toronto: Averaged 12.0 pts, 5.5 rbs, 3.0 assists, 1.5 steals, 31.0 minutes in two starts. JERMAINE O'NEAL --- Thursday at Lakers: 1 pt (1-4 fts), 3 rbs, 1 assist, 6 minutes . . . Tuesday vs. Detroit: Career-high 10 pts, 3 rbs, 11 minutes . . . Received first technical of his career at the 7:02 mark of the 2nd quarter for hanging on the rim after an awesome dunk. . . Wednesday vs. Miami: 0 pts, 3 minutes . . . 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 . . . Spent season's first 17 games on the injured list (bone contusion, left knee) suffered in an Oct. 25 preseason 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 H.S. in Columbia, S.C. ISAIAH RIDER --- Thursday at Lakers: Team-high 30 pts (7-12 fgs, 1-1 3pt, 15-18 fts), 2 rbs, 3 assists . . . the 15 free throws in 18 attempts both career highs (old highs 14 and 16), and were the most ever by a Blazer against the Lakers . . . ninth 20-plus game . . . Tuesday vs. Detroit: Team-high 22 pts, 6 rbs, 2 assists, 35 minutes . . . Wednesday vs. Miami: Tied for team-high honors with 17 pts, 1 rb, 2 assists, 1 steal, 29 minutes . . . Averaging 21.6 ppg in his last eight 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 --- Thursday at Lakers: 18 points---13 in the first quarter (7-15 fgs, 3-6 3pt, 1-2 fts), 4 rbs, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 42 minutes . . . Suspended for Tuesday's Detroit game for actions that took place during and after the Miami game . . . Wednesday vs. Miami: 11 pts, 2 rbs, 1 block, 33 minutes . . . Poured in his 400th career three-pointer Dec. 12 versus Vancouver . . . Robinson has at least one long-ranger in 32 of 36 games this season and ranks third all-time among Blazers long-range shooters behind only Terry Porter and Clyde Drexler . . . 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 21st in the NBA in minutes played (38.8) . . . Leading scorer the past two seasons . . . Averaged 21.1 points in 1995-96, league's 16th highest . . . Will participate in his 600th game as a Blazer Friday against Toronto . . . Now sixth among Portland's all-time scoring leaders with 9,748 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. Toronto: Led Blazers in scoring with 24.5 pts and had 3.0 rbs, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals in 35.0 minutes in two starts. ARVYDAS SABONIS --- Thursday at Lakers: 11 pts (2-5 fgs, 1-2 3pt, 6-8 fts), 6 rbs, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 24 minutes . . . Tuesday vs. Detroit: 16 pts, 13 rbs, 3 assists, 4 blocks, 36 minutes---team best 11th double-double . . . Wednesday vs. Miami: tied for team-high with 17 pts, game-high 15 rbs, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 37 minutes . . . Scored career-high 33 points and had career high-equalling 11 field goals (on 14 attempts) and 8 free throws on a career-high 14 fts, plus a team-high 12 In the Jan. 4 win at Dallas . . . In past 11 games has averaged 10.2 rbs per game, and 11.3 in his last three . . . 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 career-high 17 rebounds at Minnesota Nov. 7 . . . Team's leading rebounder (8.2 rpg) and second in blocked shots (1.38) . . . Stands 24th in NBA field goal accuracy at .491 (170-346) and 24th in blocks . . . Has led Blazers in scoring on 8 occasions, in rebounding 19 times, and assists 3 times . . . On the NBA's All-Rookie first team last season, the first Blazer to make it 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 . . . Gained his third Olympic Games medal during the summer in helping Lithuania to the Bronze at Atlanta . . . Last season vs. Toronto: Averaged 12.5 pts, 8.5 rbs, 12.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.0 blocks, 24.0 minutes in two games. GARY TRENT --- Thursday at Lakers: 17 pts (7-13 fgs, 3-3 fts), shared team rb honors with 8, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 41 minutes . . . Tuesday vs. Detroit: 10 pts, 5 rbs, 1 assist, 27 minutes . . . Wednesday vs. Miami: 14 pts, 4 rbs, 2 steals, 1 block, 34 minutes . . . Portland 7-2 since he moved into the starting lineup in place of the injured Rasheed Wallace . . . Played a career-high 44 minutes and scored 19 points Jan. 2 at Houston . . . Shooting .554 from field in last six games (41-74) and ranks ninth in the NBA in field goal accuracy (.523 on 149-285) . . . 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 . . . Last season vs. Toronto: Averaged 8.5 pts, 5.5 rbs, 17.5 minutes in two games, including one start. 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. DONTONIO WINGFIELD --- Thursday at Lakers: 7 pts (3-5 fgs, 1-1 3pt), 3 rbs, 2 assists, 13 minutes . . . Tuesday vs. Detroit: 5 pts, 1 rb, 2 assists, 11 minutes . . . Wednesday vs. Miami: 4 pts, 5 rbs, 1 steal, 16 minutes . . . Scored season-high 11 pts, tied career-high with 9 rbs and played a season-high 27 minutes vs. the Lakers Jan. 6 . . . Placed on injured list Dec. 13 (sprained left thumb suffered in Dec. 12 game with Vancouver) . . . 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. Toronto: 0 pts, 1 assist, 7 minutes in two games. John Christensen Chuck Charnquist ************************************************************ Send subscribe/unsubscribe messages to majordomo@blazers.com ************************************************************