PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS at SEATTLE SUPERSONICS GAME NO. 41 --- JAN. 22, 1997 ON TO SEATTLE --- The Trail Blazers, 23-17, reach the halfway point of their season tonight when they invade Seattle's KeyCenter for the third of four clashes with the Sonics. The final matchup is scheduled in Portland on Sunday, March 9, and will be NBC's televised Game of the Week. Playing the second in a tough four-games-in-five-nights schedule, the Blazers will be looking to snap a three-game Sonics series win streak and at the same time move seven games above .500 for only the second time in two seasons. A win over their arch Pacific Northwest rivals also would raise their season-best road winning streak to five straight, which would be the longest since 1990-91. The Blazers, winners of nine of their last 11 games after last night's 100-82 homecourt conquest of the Los Angeles Clippers, pack the fifth best mark in the Western Conference and are three games ahead of last year after 40 games. Five of the eight wins in the recent run have been over teams with better records---Houston, the Lakers twice, Detroit and Utah. Two of those successes have been on the road where Portland owns a 10-9 record. In their last 11 outings, the Blazers have held their opponents to a 91.7 points per game average, have allowed only one team to top the 100-point mark, and have limited opponent field goal shooting to .416. On the offensive side, the Blazers have averaged 99.5 ppg in that 11-game span, topped the century mark seven times and fired at a .460 clip from the field. 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-SONICS SERIES --- Portland trails in its all-time series with arch Pacific Northwest rival Seattle, 75-70, and has lost three in a row and five of its last six. The Blazers dropped both meetings so far this year, losing in the Puget Sound city on Nov. 2 and in in Portland on Dec. 18. In Seattle, the Sonics have a 51-22 series edge, have won three in a row and seven of the last eight. The Trail Blazers last conquest on the Sonics floor came April 17, 1995, when Portland won, 97-93. At home, the Blazers own a 48-25 margin but Seattle has captured three of the last four including a 106-102 victory in the last meeting of the two teams. SO FAR THIS SEASON --- Portland has been on the losing end of both meetings with their Northwest rivals this season, dropping a 104-93 decision in the KeyArena on Nov. 2, then succumbing in final seconds, 106-102, in the Rose Garden on Dec. 18. In the first game, the Blazers shot 51 percent from the field and won the rebounding battle but committed 26 costly turnovers that Seattle converted into 29 points. In the hard-fought rematch, there were 21 lead changes and 13 ties before the Sonics iced the game in the final 49 seconds by making four of five free throws. An offensive charging foul called on Isaiah Rider's drive to the basket with 3.2 seconds left erased a Blazer opportunity to tie the score. Rider was Portland's leading scorer in the two Seattle matchups, averaging 22.0 ppg. Shawn Kemp averaged 23.0 ppg to lead the Sonics. The Blazers fired at a 49 percent clip in the first two games (71-145) and the Sonics 46 percent (68-147). Portland grabbed an 8.0 per game rebounding advantage. KEEPING BUSY --- Wednesday's game in Seattle is the fifth in a hectic stretch of seven outings in 10 days for the Blazers, who finish off January by taking the court 11 times in 18 nights. It also is the second in a four games-in-five-days run with back-to-backs against the Clippers and Sonics and Friday and Saturday against Phoenix and Minnesota. In a two-week run that started against the Lakers on Friday, the Blazers play four sets of back-to-back games. BLAZERS TRAIL --- Portland, with a 10-9 road record, is one of only three Western Conference teams on the plus side away from home and one of only seven league-wide . . . The Blazers have a four-game road winning streak going, the longest in the last five years. . . Of their nine road losses, six have been by three points or less and three have been one pointers (two of them in overtime) . . . The Blazers have won their last eight games in Western Conference action and at 19-10, have the conference's fifth best record. ON OFFENSE --- The Blazers have the eighth most productive offense in the league (behind Chicago, Seattle, Golden State, Houston, Phoenix, the Lakers and Utah), averaging 98.1 points a contest . . . In winning 23 games, the Blazers margin of victory has been 13.5 ppg, with the cushion being 11 or more points in 12 games and 20 or more six times . . . Portland's overall scoring margin over opponents of +4.4 is the league's ninth best . . . The Blazers field goal accuracy mark of .455 is the 12th highest in the league . . . Eleven of the Blazers 17 losses have been by six points or less and six have been by three or under . . . Portland is 11-5 in games decided by 11 points or more but 6-8 when the margin is four points or under and 2-5 when its two or under. ON DEFENSE . . . Portland has the sixth toughest defense in the league to shoot against, holding foes to .430 field goal accuracy in 40 games . . . In winning 23 games, the Blazers have held 20 opponents under 100 points and overall have allowed only 11 of 40 to top the century mark . . . Their defensive average, 93.7, is the league's 11th lowest and is 3.3 per game below last year's club record of 97.0 in 82 games. ON THE BOARDS --- Portland, a perennial NBA rebounding power, have outrebounded 33 of 40 opponents this season and nine times have claimed 50 or more misses in a game . . . Portland leads the NBA in total rebounding percentage---the share of total misses in a game a team rebounds---(.532), is third in defensive rebounding percentage (.723) and fourth in offensive percentage (.341) . . . The Blazers have an overall advantage of 6.4 boards per game and a 4.7 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, 12th in field goal percentage---.522 (157-301) ---ARVYDAS SABONIS, 24th in field goal percentage---.491 (190-387) and 24th in blocked shots (1.35) ---KENNY ANDERSON , 14th in assists (6.9), is 10th in steals (1.90), and 31st in scoring (18.0) ---CHRIS DUDLEY, 21st in blocked shots (1.48) ---CLIFFORD ROBINSON, 18th in minutes played (38.8) THE LAST THREE GAMES CLIPPING THE CLIPPERS --- Portland made it nine in a row at home against the Los Angeles Clippers with a 100-82 victory last night in the Rose Garden. The win was the Blazers ninth in their last 11 games and pushed their record six games above .500 for the first time. Portland assumed command early in the second quarter, took a 51-41 lead to the locker room at intermission and the Clippers were never closer after that. Clifford Robinson paced the Blazers with a game-high 23 points and added a season-high nine rebounds. Kenny Anderson had his eighth double-double with 15 points and 12 assists. Rodney Rodgers led L.A. with 14 points. Portland converted .481 from the field (38-79) while limiting the Clippers to a .356 shooting night (31-87). Portland was outrebounded for only the seventh time in 40 games, 49-43. RALLY PAST THE JAZZ --- The Trail Blazers roared back from a seven-point deficit after three quarters to defeat Utah, 102-96, in the Rose Garden Sunday. The victory, Portland's eighth in the last 10 games, stopped a four-game Jazz series win streak. The Blazers outscored the visitors, 33-20, in the fourth period to post only their second win in 13 tries after trailing entering the final stanza. For the fifth time this season, three Blazers chipped in with +20 numbers. Kenny Anderson, who hit a big three-pointer and four free throws in the final 1:18 to seal the victory, topped all scorers in the game with 26 points while teammates Arvydas Sabonis and Isaiah Rider added 22 and 21 points respectively. Jeff Hornacek led Utah with 22 points. The Blazers, who were 13-of-18 from the field in the first quarter, shot .493 for the game while limiting Utah to a .446 chart. Portland had a 36-31 rebounding edge. RAPTORS GET FIRST --- Portland dug a 25-15 hole in the first quarter then pulled even at intermission, 47-47, with its highest scoring second period of the season. But Toronto made the shots it needed down the stretch and held off the Blazers in the Rose Garden Friday, to post a 94-92 victory, its first ever over Portland. The loss was only the third in the last 10 games for the Blazers and came on the heels of a hard-fought four-point victory the night before in Los Angeles. Isaiah Rider topped Blazers point producers with 23 while Raptor guard Damon Stoudamire led all scorers in the game with 24, including his team's last seven points. Portland shot 46 percent (39-84) and Toronto 44 percent (40-89), while the Blazers grabbed a 46-40 rebounding edge. BACK-TO-BACKS --- Tonight's game against the Sonics closes out the 11th of 21 back-to-back sets of games on the Blazers 1996-97 schedule, the first of three such combinations in a span of nine days. Wednesday, On Friday and Saturday they go back-to-back against the Suns in Phoenix on Friday and at home against Minnesota. Next Tuesday and Wednesday, the Blazers are on the road at Toronto and Detroit. The Blazers are 11-10 in back-to-backs thus far, 5-5 in second games and 3-4 when the second outing is away. BLAZERS MILESTONES --- Clifford Robinson and Chris Dudley both played in their 600th NBA game Friday against Toronto . . . Robinson has moved past Geoff Petrie as Portland's fifth all-time leading scorer and now, with 9,800 points, is closing in on becoming only the fifth Trail Blazer to reach 10,000 . . . P.J. Carlesimo posted his 100th win as Portland's head coach on Dec. 6 . . . Kenny Anderson is 25 assists away from his 3,000th and needs seven three-pointers to reach No. 300. RIDER ON A ROLL --- Isaiah Rider, who has scored 105 points in his last five outings, has picked up the pace considerably since Christmas. In his last 12 contests, he has averaged 20.6 a game. That is up more than seven points a contest from his 13.2 average in his first 26 outings as a Blazer. Portland is 9-3 in that 12-game stretch. In the last five games, Rider averaged 21.0 ppg and fired at a .529 clip from the field (37-70). Since Christmas, Rider is shooting .478 (85-178) after converting at a .404 clip in his first 26 games. 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 274 assists for the season (6.9 per game, 14th best in the league). That means $5,480 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. 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 reaches the midway point. All 21 Blazers home games thus far have been in the 20,000-plus category with total attendance 428,741 and the average through Tuesday's game 20,416. Charlotte is averaging 24,042 and Chicago 23,828. 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 111-93, 54.4%. 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. PHOENIX NEXT STOP --- After tonight's tussle in Seattle, The Trail Blazers head for Phoenix for a Friday date with the Suns (6 p.m., KEX Radio). Its the third stop in a four-games-in-five-nights ordeal that has the Blazers back in Portland Saturday to take on Minnesota (7 p.m., KEX Radio). After that, the Blazers head out on a four-game eastern road swing with stops next Tuesday and Wednesday in Toronto and Detroit respectively, Friday (Jan. 31) in Boston and Sunday (Feb. 2) in Minnesota. THE PLAYERS KENNY ANDERSON --- Tuesday vs. Clippers: 15 pts (5-10 fgs, 1-4 3pt, 4-4 fts), 4 rbs, season high-equalling 12 assists, 3 steals, 36 minutes . . . Eighth double-double, ninth double-figure assists game . . . Sunday vs. Utah: Game-high 26 pts, team-high 7 assists, 2 rbs, only 1 turnover, 42 minutes . . . Friday vs. Toronto: 17 pts, game-high 9 assists, 5 rbs, 3 steals. . . His assists-to-turnovers ratio of 3.70 is the NBA's fourth highest . . . 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 11 times and in assists 25 times . . . Team's leading scorer at 18.0 ppg, the assists leader (6.9 avg.) and tops in steals (1.90 avg.) . . . Ranks 31st in the NBA in scoring, 14th in assists, and 10th 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. Seattle this season: Averaged 17.0 pts, 7.5 assists, 4.0 rbs, 1.0 steals, 34.0 minutes in two starts. Had 21 points and 11 assists in Game 2. MITCHELL BUTLER --- Tuesday vs. Clippers: 3 pts (1-3 fgs, 1-2 fts), 5 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Utah: Did not play (coach's decision) . . . Friday vs. Toronto: 0 pts, 3 minutes . . . Had season highs of 13 points, 8 rebounds, 33 minutes Jan. 14 vs. Detroit . . . 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 . . . vs. Seattle this season: 0 pts, 1 assist, 4 minutes in Game 1. Did not play (coach's decision) in second game. MARCUS BROWN --- Tuesday vs. Clippers: Career-high 7 pts (2-4 fgs, 1-2 3pt, 2-2 fts), 1 rb, 1 assist, career-high 12 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Utah: 0 pts, 4 minutes . . . Did not play (coach's decision) in previous seven 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 . . . vs. Seattle this season: On injured list for both previous games. RANDOLPH CHILDRESS --- Tuesday vs. Clippers: 0 pts, 1 assist, 3 minutes . . . Did not play (coach's decision) in previous four games . . . 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 . . . vs. Seattle this season: Averaged 1.0 pts, 4.5 minutes in two games.. CHRIS DUDLEY --- Tuesday vs. Clippers: 3 pts (0-3 fgs, 3-4 fts), 7 rbs, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 23 minutes . . . Had three stitches taken in his tongue after a second quarter collision and came back to play 15 minutes of the second half . . . Sunday vs. Utah: 4 pts, 5 rbs, 25 minutes. . . Friday vs. Toronto: 6 pts, 5 rbs, 19 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 (1.48) 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 600th NBA game Friday versus Toronto and has played in all but two of the last 201 games . . . Named 1996 winner of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award presented annually by the Professional Basketball Writers Association in recognition of outstanding community service and charitable work . . . vs. Seattle this season: Averaged 2.0 pts, 4.0 rbs, 1.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.0 blocks, 19.0 minutes in two games, including one start. REGGIE JORDAN --- Placed on injured list Dec. 27 with non-displaced, oblique fracture of third metacarpal in left hand---cast came off last week, 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 . . . vs. Seattle this season: 0 pts, 2 rbs, 1 assist, 7 minutes of Game 1. On injured list for second game. AARON McKIE --- Tuesday vs. Clippers: 0 pts (0-3 fgs, 0-1 3pt), 3 rbs, 1 assist, 2 steals, 16 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Utah: 0 pts, 4 assists, 3 rbs, 2 steals, 11 minutes . . . Friday vs. Toronto: 0 pts, 2 rbs, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 11 minutes . . . Played a season-high 41 minutes, scoring 7 points and dishing out 5 assists vs. Orlando Dec. 10 . . . Played in his 121th consecutive game Tuesday, 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 . . . vs. Seattle this season: Averaged 8.0 pts, 4.5 assists, 2.0 rbs, 1.5 steals, 28.5 minutes in two games, including one start. JERMAINE O NEAL --- Tuesday vs. Clippers: 4 pts (2-4 fgs), 6 rbs, 12 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Utah: Did not play (coach's decision) . . . Friday vs. Toronto: 2 pts, 1 rb, 6 minutes . . . Scored a career-high 10 pts in 11 minutes vs. Detroit Jan. 14, and received the first technical of his career at the 7:02 mark of the 2nd quarter for hanging on the rim after an awesome dunk. . . 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 . . . 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. . . . vs. Seattle this season: Did not play in either game (injured list). ISAIAH RIDER --- Tuesday vs. Clippers: 9 pts (4-8 fgs, 1-1 fts), 3 rbs, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 29 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Utah: 21 pts, 5 rbs, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 39 minutes . . . Friday vs. Toronto: Team-high 23 pts, 6 rbs, 1 assist, 40 minutes . . . Made 15 of 18 free throws, both career highs, while scoring 30 points in last Thursday's win at the Lakers (the free throw makes and attempts were the most ever by a Blazer vs. the Lakers) . . . Averaged 21.6 ppg in his last 11 outings . . . In last four games has averaged 21.0 ppg and shot .529 (37-70) from the floor . . . 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 in 229 games for the Wolves in three seasons . . . 1993-94 NBA All-Rookie First Team . . . Winner of the Gatorade Slam-Dunk title at the 1994 NBA All-Star Weekend . . . vs. Seattle this season: Blazers leading scorer, averaged 22.0 pts, 7.0 rbs, 1.0 assists, 1.5 steals, 32.0 minutes in two games, including one start. CLIFFORD ROBINSON --- Tuesday vs. Clippers: Game-high 23 pts (10-13 fgs, 3-4 3pt, 0-1 fts), team and season-high 9 rbs, 1 assist, 1 block, 37 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Utah: 17 pts, 4 rbs, 1 assist, 1 steal, 42 minutes . . . Friday vs. Toronto: 12 pts, 6 rbs, 6 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 40 minutes . . . Poured in his 400th career three-pointer Dec. 12 versus Vancouver . . . Robinson has at least one long-ranger in 35 of 40 games this season and ranks third all-time among Blazers long-range shooters behind only Terry Porter and Clyde Drexler with 426 . . . 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 (38.8) . . . Leading scorer the past two seasons . . . Averaged 21.1 points in 1995-96, league's 16th highest . . . Participated in his 600th game as a Blazer Friday against Toronto . . . Now fifth among Portland's all-time scoring leaders with 9,800 points . . . Ranks in top ten in 16 of 17 career categories . . . Only remaining Blazer from the 1990 and 1992 Western Conference Championship teams . . . vs. Seattle this season: Averaged 17.5 pts, 5.0 rbs, 2.5 assists, 40.0 minutes in two starts. ARVYDAS SABONIS --- Tuesday vs. Clippers: 17 pts (7-17 fgs, 1-4 3pt, 2-5 fts), 7 rbs, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 27 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Utah: 22 pts, tied for team rebound honors with 7, 5 assists, 1 steal, career high-equalling 41 minutes . . . Friday vs. Toronto: 14 pts, 9 rbs, 2 blocks, 29 minutes . . . Has led Blazers in scoring on 8 occasions, in rebounding 21 times, and assists 3 times . . . Leads team in double-doubles with 11 . . . 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 14 games has averaged 9.6 rbs per game . . . 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 (1.35) . . . Stands 24th in NBA field goal accuracy at .491 (190-387) and 24th in blocks . . 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 . . . vs. Seattle this season: Averaged 8.0 pts, 6.0 rbs, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.5 blocks, 25.5 minutes in two starts. GARY TRENT --- Tuesday vs. Clippers: 13 pts (5-7 fgs, 3-4 fts), 1 rb, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 25 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Utah: 1 pt, 3 rbs, 1 assist, 1 block, 16 minutes---slowed by bruised sternum suffered in Thursday's win at Los Angeles . . . Friday vs. Toronto: 9 pts, 7 rbs, 3 assists, 26 minutes . . . Portland 9-3 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 . . . 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 . . . Ranks 12th in the NBA in field goal accuracy (.522 on 157-301) . . . 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 . . . vs. Seattle this season: Averaged 8.5 pts, 2.5 rbs, 17.5 minutes in two games. Shot 70 percent (7-10 fgs) in two games and tallied 15 of his points in Game 1. 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 . . . vs. Seattle this season: Averaged 11.5 pts, 5.0 rbs, 1.5 blocks, 0.5 steals, 22.0 minutes in two starts. Scored 19 points in Game 2. DONTONIO WINGFIELD --- Tuesday vs. Clippers: 6 pts (2-7 fgs, 1-2 3pt, 1-3 fts), 2 rbs, 2 assists, 15 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Utah: Equalled season high with 11 pts and had team high-equalling 7 rbs, 1 assist, 1 block, 20 minutes . . . Friday vs. Toronto: 9 pts, 5 rbs, 3 assists, 22 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 . . . vs. Seattle this season: Had 5 pts, 5 rbs, 5 assists, 1 steal, in 22 minutes of Game 1. On injured list for second game. John Christensen Chuck Charnquist ************************************************************ Send subscribe/unsubscribe messages to majordomo@ripcity.com ************************************************************