PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS at PHOENIX SUNS GAME NO. 42 --- JAN. 24, 1997 IN PHOENIX --- The Trail Blazers, 23-18, will be looking to rebound from Wednesday's disappointing 98-97 loss in Seattle when they journey to Phoenix Friday for the first of four meetings with the Suns. Game 2 of the season's series is set for Feb. 11 in Portland. Friday's game, the third in a busy four-games-in-five-nights schedule for the Blazers, pits two of the NBA's most prolific offensive teams. The Suns are fifth with a 99.0 points per game average and the Blazers eighth, 98.1. Portland, with the fifth best record in the Western Conference, remains three wins ahead of last year's pace after 41 games. The one-point loss in Seattle in Wednesday was the fourth single-digit setback by the young Blazers this season and the third on the road to one of the league's elite teams. Earlier this season Portland dropped one-point overtime decisions at Houston and the Lakers. Five of Portland's seven wins in January have been over teams with better records---Houston, the Lakers twice, Detroit and Utah. In their last 12 outings, the Blazers have held their opponents to a 92.3 points per game average, have allowed only one team to top the 100-point mark, and have limited opponent field goal shooting to .417. On the offensive side, the Blazers have averaged 99.2 ppg, topped the century mark seven times and fired at .466 from the field in the 12 games. PROBABLE STARTERS --- F-- No. 3 Clifford Robinson (6-10), F--No. 33 Gary Trent (6-8), C--No. 24 Chris Dudley (6-11), G--No. 34 Isaiah Rider (6-5), G--No. 7 Kenny Anderson (6-1). INJURY REPORT --- Arvydas Sabonis (bruised left calf), sustained in Wednesday's Seattle game---Not with team, returned to Portland for examination . . . Rasheed Wallace (fractured left thumb), on injured list for 14th game (fourth week) . . . Reggie Jordan (fractured third metacarpal, left hand), on injured list for 13th game (fourth week). THE BLAZERS-SUNS SERIES --- Portland has won two of its last three games with Phoenix but still trails in the all-time series, 78-64. Before defeating the Suns, 98-91 in America West Arena last April, the Blazers had dropped six out of seven overall in the series and nine in a row in Phoenix. The Blazers have a 19-52 record in games played in on the Suns floor and have won just three out of 17 since the 1987-88 season. In Portland, the Blazers have a 45-24 series advantage even though Phoenix won on its last visit, 96-84, and has been successful on four of its last stops in the Rose City. LAST YEAR --- Portland and Phoenix split their four-game series last season, with each team winning once on the other team's floor. The Blazers lost on the Suns first visit to the Rose Garden in November, 107-102. A Clifford Robinson three-point attempt with 7.4 seconds remaining that could have sent the game into OT rimmed out. In January, Portland played without its two top scorers---Robinson and Rod Strickland ---but still was able to carve out a 101-84 victory. In that one, the Suns were also shorthanded, playing without Charles Barkely, Kevin Johnson, John Williams and Danny Manning. In Game 3, the Blazers scored just 56 points in the final 36 minutes of the game to go down, 96-84, on Feb. 15. In a high-energy game on April 9, Portland posted its first-ever win in America West Arena and its first in 10 games in Phoenix, 98-91, to clinch a berth in the Western Conference Playoffs. It was the Blazers 14th win in its last 16 games. Clifford Robinson, averaging 26.0 points in three outings, led five Portland players in double-figure scoring in the Suns' series. Portland shot 44 percent and Phoenix 43 percent for the series and the Blazers outrebounded the Suns by an average of three a game. KEEPING BUSY --- Friday's game in Phoenix is the sixth 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 third in a four games-in-five-days run that comes to an end tomorrow night in Portland when the Blazers host Minnesota. BLAZERS TRAIL --- Portland is 10-10 on the road . . . Wednesday's one-point loss at Seattle snapped a league-best four-game road winning streak, their longest in five years . . . Of their 10 road losses, seven have been by three points or less and four have been one pointers (two of them in overtime) . . . The loss at Seattle also broke an eight-game win streak against Western Conference foes, but at 19-11 the Blazers still have the fifth best record in conference play. BACK-TO-BACKS --- Tonight's game against the Suns opens out the 12th of 21 back-to-back sets of games on the Blazers 1996-97 schedule and is the second of three such combinations in a span of nine days. Tomorrow, Portland returns home to play Minnesota. Next Tuesday and Wednesday, the Blazers are on the road at Toronto and Detroit. Portland is 11-11 in back-to-backs thus far, 6-5 in first games and 3-4 when the second outing is on the road. 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 point margin of +4.3 is the league's seventh best . . . The Blazers field goal accuracy mark of .456 is the 11th highest in the league . . . They have topped 50 percent field goal shooting 11 times . . . Twelve of the Blazers 18 losses have been by six points or less, seven have been by three or under, and four have been one-pointers . . . Portland is 11-5 in games decided by 11 points or more but 6-9 when the margin is four points or under and 2-6 when its two or under. ON DEFENSE . . . Portland has the fifth toughest defense in the league to shoot against, holding foes to .429 field goal accuracy in 41 games . . . Twelve times they have kept opponents below the 40 percent mark and 25 times below 45 percent . . . In winning 23 games, the Blazers have held 20 opponents under 100 points and overall have allowed only 11 of 41 to top the century mark . . . Their defensive average, 93.8, is the league's 11th lowest and is 3.2 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 34 of 41 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, 8th in field goal percentage---.532 (166-312) ---ARVYDAS SABONIS, 23rd in field goal percentage---.491 (195-397) and 24th in blocked shots (1.34) ---KENNY ANDERSON , 14th in assists (6.9), is 10th in steals (1.90), and 31st in scoring (17.7) ---CHRIS DUDLEY, 23rd in blocked shots (1.44) ---CLIFFORD ROBINSON, 21st in minutes played (38.8) THE LAST THREE GAMES HEARTBREAK IN SEATTLE --- The Trail Blazers had a four-point lead, 95-91, with 1:05 to go and still were up, 97-96, at the 8.6 mark but a Hersey Hawkins backdoor layin 2 two seconds left allowed the Sonics to escape with a 98-97 win in Seattle. Second-year forward Gary Trent and rookie Jermaine O Neal led the Blazers with respective career highs of 24 and 20 points. Detlef Schrempf scored 26 and Shawn Kemp 23 to lead Seattle. Portland shot better than the Sonics, 51 percent to 41 percent, had six more field goals (37 to 31), and battled to a 35-21 rebounding edge. However, turnovers and free throws cost the Blazers. Portland gave up the ball 23 times for 29 Sonics points, caused in part by an opponent season-high 16 steals by Seattle. The Sonics converted 28-36 free throws in the game, compared with 20-25 by Portland. In the second half the Sonics were 17-25 from the line and the Blazers 6-8. It was the third straight loss to the Sonics and the second in a row where the decision came in the final seconds. 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 a season-high 9 rebounds. Kenny Anderson had his eighth double-double with 15 points and 12 assists. Rodney Rodgers led L.A. with 14 points. Portland shot .481 from the field (38-79) while limiting the Clippers to .356 (31-87). Portland was outrebounded, 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 with 26 points while 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. 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 9,817 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 15 assists away from his 3,000th and needs seven three-pointers to reach No. 300. 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 284 assists for the season (6.9 per game, 14th best in the league). That means $5,680 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 111-94, 54.1%. 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. WOLVES WAITING IN THE GARDEN --- After Friday's clash in Phoenix, The Trail Blazers return home to take on Minnesota Saturday (7 p.m., KEX Radio), closing out a tough four-games-in-five-nights schedule. After that, the Blazers head out on a four-game eastern road swing, stopping Tuesday in Toronto (4 p.m., KEX Radio), Wednesday in Detroit (5:30 p.m., KEX Radio, KGW-TV), next Friday in Boston (4 p.m., KEX Radio), and Sunday (Feb. 2) at Minnesota (12:30 p.m., KEX Radio). THE PLAYERS KENNY ANDERSON --- Wednesday at Seattle: 5 pts (2-10 fgs, 0-3 3pt, 1-1 ft), team-high 10 assists, 5 rbs, 2 steals . . . Tuesday vs. Clippers: 15 pts, 4 rbs, season high-equalling 12 assists, 3 steals, 2 turnovers, 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 . . . His assists-to-turnovers ratio of 3.64 is the NBA's fourth highest among point guards . . . 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 26 times . . . Team's leading scorer at 17.7 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. MARCUS BROWN --- Wednesday at Seattle: 2 pts (1-2 fgs, 0-1 3pt), 2 rbs, 1 assist, 4 minutes . . . Tuesday vs. Clippers: Career-high 7 pts, 1 rb, 1 assist, career-high 12 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Utah: 0 pts, 4 minutes . . . 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. MITCHELL BUTLER --- Wednesday at Seattle: Did not play (coach's decision) . . . Tuesday vs. Clippers: 3 pts, 5 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Utah: Did not play (coach's decision) . . . 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. RANDOLPH CHILDRESS --- Wednesday at Seattle: Did not play (coach's decision) . . . 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. Phoenix last season: 7 pts, 1 rb, 1 assist, 9 minutes in Game 1. On injured list for the remaining three games. CHRIS DUDLEY --- Wednesday at Seattle: 0 pts (0-1 fgs, 0-2 fts), 2 rbs, 18 minutes . . . Tuesday vs. Clippers: 3 pts, 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 . . . 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 (1.44) despite starting just two games thus far . . . Ranks 23rd 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 last Friday versus Toronto and has played in all but two of the last 202 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. Phoenix last season: Averaged 3.3 pts, 5.5 rbs, 1.0 blocks, 20.0 minutes in four games, three of them starts. 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. AARON McKIE --- Wednesday at Seattle: 1 steal, 7 minutes . . . Tuesday vs. Clippers: 0 pts, 3 rbs, 1 assist, 2 steals, 16 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Utah: 0 pts, 4 assists, 3 rbs, 2 steals, 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. Phoenix last season: Averaged 11.5 pts, 4.5 rbs, 5.0 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.5 blocks, 21.5 minutes in four starts and shot 70 percent (21-30) from the field. JERMAINE O'NEAL --- Wednesday at Seattle: Career-high 20 pts (8-10 fgs, 4-4 fts), equalled career high with 6 rbs, 2 blocked shots, career-high 25 minutes . . . Tuesday vs. Clippers: 4 pts, 6 rbs, 12 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Utah: Did not play (coach's decision) . . . Scored 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 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. ISAIAH RIDER --- Wednesday at Seattle: 13 pts (6-16 fgs, 1-4 3pt, 0-2 fts), 4 assists, 6 rbs, 1 steal, 43 minutes . . . Tuesday vs. Clippers: 9 pts, 3 rbs, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 29 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Utah: 21 pts, 5 rbs, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 39 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 20.9 ppg in his last 12 outings . . . In last 15 games shooting .469 (91-194) after converting at a .404 clip in his first 26 games . . . 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. CLIFFORD ROBINSON --- Wednesday at Seattle: 17 pts (5-11 fgs, 2-4 3pt, 5-6 fts), 2 rbs, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 35 minutes . . . Tuesday vs. Clippers: Game-high 23 pts, 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 . . Poured in his 400th career three-pointer Dec. 12 versus Vancouver . . . Robinson has at least one long-ranger in 36 of 41 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 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 . . . Participated in his 600th game as a Blazer Friday against Toronto . . . Now fifth among Portland's all-time scoring leaders with 9,817 points . . . Ranks in top ten in 16 of 17 career categories . . . Only remaining Blazer from the 1990 and 1992 Western Conference Championship teams . . . vs. Phoenix last season: Team's leading scorer, averaging 26.0 pts, 7.3 rbs, 2.0 assists, 1.3 blocks, 40.3 minutes in three games. Missed Game 2 due to a sprained ankle. ARVYDAS SABONIS --- Not with team for Phoenix game---returned to Portland after Seattle game for examination of bruised left calf sustained in a collison at the 7:18 mark of the fourth quarter . . . Wednesday at Seattle: 12 pts (5-10 fgs, 2-2 fts), 5 rbs, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 25 minutes . . . Tuesday vs. Clippers: 17 pts, 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 . . . 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 . . . 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 (8.1 rpg) and second in blocked shots (1.34) . . . Stands 23rd in NBA field goal accuracy at .491 (195-397) 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. Phoenix last season: Averaged 14.0 pts, a team-best 10.3 rbs, 2.5 assists, 1.8 blocks, 26.8 minutes in four games, including one start. GARY TRENT --- Wednesday at Seattle: Career-high 24 pts (9-11 fgs, 6-6 fts), team-high 7 rbs, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 32 minutes---his 9 fgs tied his career high . . . Tuesday vs. Clippers: 13 pts, 1 rb, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 25 minutes . . . Sunday vs. Utah: 1 pt, 3 rbs, 1 assist, 1 block, 16 minutes . . . Portland 9-4 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 8th in the NBA in field goal accuracy (.532 on 166-312) . . . 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. Phoenix last season: Averaged 9.7 pts, 4.0 rbs, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steals, 24.0 minutes in three 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. DONTONIO WINGFIELD --- Wednesday at Seattle: 4 pts (1-1 fgs, 2-2 fts), 2 steals, 8 minutes . . . Tuesday vs. Clippers: 6 pts, 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 . . . 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. Phoenix last season: Scored 2 pts and had 2 rbs in 7 minutes of Game 2. Did not play (coach's decision) in the other three games. John Christensen Chuck Charnquist ************************************************************ Send subscribe/unsubscribe messages to majordomo@ripcity.com ************************************************************