PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS vs. NEW JERSEY NETS GAME NO. 60---TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 1997 Record: Overall---31-28, Home---19-10, Road---12-18 NETS NEXT --- The Trail Blazers, 31-28, will attempt to stretch their current winning streak to three in a row and at the same time move four games above .500 when the New Jersey Nets make their only appearance of the season in the Rose Garden Tuesday. The contest is a rematch of an earlier meeting between the two teams in November won by the Blazers, 93-85. Portland will be looking to keep its improving offensive clout rolling. In the last two games, Portland has outscored Utah and Philadelphia by 10 and 17 points respectively and turned in its two best shooting nights of the season, converting 59% of its field goals against the Jazz and 56% against the Sixers. The Blazers, the youngest team in the league in terms of both age and experience, are five wins ahead of last year s pace after 59 games (26-33), and currently own the fifth best record in the Western Conference. Portland goes into the Nets contest with a 4-7 record against Atlantic Division teams and is 7-15 versus Eastern Conference clubs, but has a 24-13 mark in the West, the conference s fifth best. The New Jersey game is one of seven at home for the Blazers in the next nine games. After that, they head on on their final big road trip of the season, a five-games-in-seven-days challenge beginning March 20 in Milwaukee. PROBABLE STARTERS --- F-- No. 3 Clifford Robinson (6-10), F--No. 30 Rasheed Wallace (6-10), C--No. 11 Arvydas Sabonis (7-3), G--No. 34 Isaiah Rider (6-5), G--No. 7 Kenny Anderson (6-1). THE BLAZERS-NETS SERIES --- Portland has a 34-11 lead in its all-time series with the Nets and has won two in a row and 20 of the last 23 meetings. New Jersey has won only three times in 22 visits to the Rose City and only once in the last 10 stops. The last Nets victory on the Blazers home maple came on Jan. 30, 1994, when New Jersey escaped with a 99-98 decision. Portland won the most recent clash here, 99-87, on Nov. 25 of last season. The Blazers own a 15-8 advantage on the Nets floor where they have taken four of the last five, including a 93-85 win in November. WHEN THEY LAST MET --- Led by former Nets guard Kenny Anderson, the Trail Blazers got by New Jersey, 93-85, in East Rutherford on Nov. 15 to snap a three-game road losing streak. Anderson led all scorers in the game with 22 points, including a pair of free throws during a decisive fourth quarter spurt. Anderson s total included 12 of 14 from the free throw line. Clifford Robinson added 21 points for the Blazers, who shot .423 from the field (30-71) while holding the Nets to a .337 mark (29-86). Shawn Bradley and Kendall Gill each scored 16 points to lead New Jersey. Despite 13 rebounds by Chris Dudley, the Nets grabbed a 50-39 advantage on the boards. Portland won despite the loss of Arvydas Sabonis (bruised hip) five minutes into the game and not having forward Rasheed Wallace who missed the action to attend to family business. CLIFFORD APPROACHES NO. 3 --- Clifford Robinson, who scored his 10,000th career point at Philadelphia Feb. 22, now is just 14 points shy of moving into third place on Portland s all-time scoring list ahead of Jerome Kersey. Going into the New Jersey game, Clifford s total reads 10,054 points. Clyde Drexler is the all-time leader with 18,040 points, Terry Porter is second with 11,330 and Kersey, currently in third, has 10,067. Robinson, who has missed only 12 games in his seven-plus seasons as a Blazer, ranks in the team s top ten in 16 of 17 franchise career categories. FIRING UP --- The Blazers turned in their two best shooting nights of the season in their last two outings, firing at a 55.6% clip Sunday versus Philadelphia (45-81) after doing a season-best 57.9% (44-76) two nights earlier against Utah. In the two games combined, they burned the nets at a 56.7% clip (89-157) . . . They ve topped the 50% mark 16 times and have a 13-3 record when they have done so . . . For the season, Portland s field goal accuracy mark of .458 is 12th best in the league. THE LAST THREE GAMES SILENCING THE SIXERS --- After suffering a 17-point loss in Philadelphia a week earlier, the Trail Blazers turned the tables by running past the Sixers, 112-95, in the Rose Garden Sunday to earn a split in the season series between the two teams. Kenny Anderson and Gary Trent each scored 20 points as six Blazers put double-figure numbers on the board. Isaiah Rider tallied 13 of his 19 points in the third quarter when Blazers outscored Philadelphia, 35-20. Sixers guard Allen Iverson led all scorers in the game with 25 points. Portland turned in its second straight hot shooting night, filling the hoop at a 55.6% clip (45-81), while limiting the Sixers to 42.9% shooting (36-84). Portland, outrebounded 49-33 in their first matchup with Philadelphia, this time pounded out a 46-33 advantage on the boards, led by Arvydas Sabonis 10 rebounds. The Blazers equalled their season high for second half scoring with 69 points. QUIETING THE JAZZ --- Portland turned in one of its best offensive performances of the season in quieting the Utah Jazz Friday in the Rose Garden to the tune of 115-105. For the second time this season, four Trail Blazers scored 20 or more points, as Portland connected on a season-best .579 from the field (44-76). Kenny Anderson, with his 10th double-double of the season (30 points, 12 assists) led the Blazers effort but he got plenty of help from Isaiah Rider (26 points), Clifford Robinson and Rasheed Wallace (20 each). Utah went down despite shooting a Portland opponent season-high .592 field goals (42-71). Karl Malone led the Jazz with 30 points. The Blazers turned in their most productive second quarter (34 points) and first half (64 points) of the season, including a 71% shooting mark for the second stanza (12-17). Portland s starting guards (Anderson and Rider) outscored their Jazz counterparts (John Stockton and Jeff Hornacek) 56-19. The victory earned Portland a 2-2 series split with Midwest Division-leading Utah. KNICKS IN OT --- The Blazers held New York to five points in the third quarter---an all-time Blazers opponent low and the second lowest NBA quarter ever ---but it didn t do any good in the end as the Knicks bounced back for a 96-95 overtime win in the Rose Garden Wednesday. It was the Blazers third straight loss and their fourth in the last five games. Portland outscored the Knicks, 27-5, in the third stanza to build a 73-58 lead going into the fourth period but couldn t hold it. Rasheed Wallace was the Blazers leader with 20 points and 12 rebounds---his fourth double-double in eight games. Knick center Patrick Ewing led all scorers with 27 points, including 8 of 10 from the free throw line in the game s last nine minutes. Three Blazers---Clifford Robinson, Arvydas Sabonis and Chris Dudley---fouled out, the most DQs in a game by Portland this season. The Blazers converted 38% and the Knicks 39% in the physical defensive game. Portland had a 52-50 rebounding edge. ON OFFENSE --- Portland has the ninth most productive offense in the league, averaging 98.6 points a contest . . . In winning 31 games, the Blazers margin of victory has been 12.2 ppg, with the cushion being 10 or more points in 16 games and 20 or more six times . . . Portland s overall point margin of +1.8 is the league s 11th best . . . The Blazers field goal accuracy mark of .458 is the 12th highest in the league . . . They have topped 50 percent field goal shooting 16 times and are 13-3 when they have done so . . . Of the Blazers 28 losses, 16 have been by six points or less, nine have been by three or under, and six have been one-pointers . . . Portland is 16-11 in games decided by 10 points or more but 9-12 when the margin is four points or under and 2-8 when its two or under. ON THE BOARDS --- The Blazers, who outrebounded New York, 52-50, Wednesday, rank second to the Chicago Bulls in the NBA in total rebounding percentage---the share of total misses in a game a team rebounds---(.524), fifth in defensive rebounding percentage (.717) and fourth in offensive percentage (.330) . . . The Blazers have an overall advantage of 4.7 rebounds per game and a 3.6 per game margin on the defensive glass . . . Portland hasoutrebounded 44 of 59 opponents this season and 10 times has claimed 50 or more in a game . . . Among the top five rebounding teams in the league for the past nine years, Portland is again among the leaders despite not having an individual among the league s top 35. AMONG THE NBA LEADERS ---RASHEED WALLACE, 3rd in field goal percentage, .570 (245-430), 31st in blocked shots (1.05) ---GARY TRENT, 6th in field goal percentage, .548 (273-498) ---ARVYDAS SABONIS, 33rd in field goal percentage, .490 (225-459), 36th in rebounding (7.9), 29th in blocks shots (1.23) ---KENNY ANDERSON , 16th in assists (7.0), is 11th in steals (1.92), 29th in scoring (18.3), 33rd in 3-point accuracy, .376 (99-263), 29th in minutes played (38.1) ---CHRIS DUDLEY, 25th in blocked shots (1.29), 38th in rebounding (7.1) ---CLIFFORD ROBINSON, 23rd in minutes played (38.4), 39th in blocked shots (0.86) ON DEFENSE --- Portland has the NBA s 11th toughest defense to shoot against, holding foes to .442 field goal accuracy in 59 games . . . It has kept opponents below the 40 percent mark 13 times and 31 times below 45 percent . . . In winning 31 games, the Blazers have held 22 opponents under 100 points and overall have allowed only 22 of 59 to top the century mark. A BLOCK PARTY --- The Trail Blazers are averaging 5.63 blocked shots a game, the league s eighth best mark . . . four Blazers, led by Chris Dudley s 1.29 rejections a game, rank in the NBA s top 40 . . . Others providing a big defensive screen up front for Portland are Arvydas Sabonis (1.23), Rasheed Wallace (1.05) and Clifford Robinson (0.86). BACK-TO-BACKS --- Tuesday s clash with the Nets opens the 16th of 21 sets of back-to-back games (contests on consecutive nights) on the Blazers 1996-97 schedule. After battling New Jersey, Portland jets to Phoenix to face the Suns tomorrow night. The Trail Blazers are 16-14 overall in back-to-back games so far, are 9-6 in first games of the two-night combos and 4-1 when the opener is played at home. A BALANCED ACT --- Portland is ninth in the league in scoring and second in rebounding, yet no Trail Blazer shows up in the top 25 in either category . . . However, six Blazers, led by Kenny Anderson s 18.3 ppg, are averaging in double figures and all six have led the team in scoring at least four times . . . The Blazers balance on the glass is even more pronounced: Arvydas Sabonis (7.9 rpg), Chris Dudley (7.1 rpg) and Rasheed Wallace (6.9) but none of the three rank among the NBA s top 35 boardsmen . . . One reason for Portland s continued position as one of the league s rebounding elite is balance. No fewer than 10 different Blazers have grabbed game rebounding honors this season and both starting guards--- Anderson and Isaiah Rider---are averaging nearly 5 retrieves a game. THE LEGACY OF THE 77 TEAM --- On April 9, the Blazers will bring back the entire 1976-77 team for events celebrating the 20th anniversary of the city s first ever major sports title---the NBA Championship. Winning the title and launching Blazermania is reason enough to recognize the coaches and players from that team, but of equal importance is the legacy it gave the franchise. Prior to the 1976-77 season, the Blazers had not had a winning season nor had they been in the playoffs. None of the four coaches during that period (Rolland Todd, Stu Inman, Jack McCloskey and Lenny Wilkins) won more games than they lost during their tenures. Since the start of the 1976-77 season and through Friday s win over Utah, Portland has won 58.5% of its games, has had only two losing seasons, is heading for a league-best 20th playoff appearance in 21 seasons, and has made it to the conference finals four times and the NBA s biggest show three times. The Blazers are now 11 wins shy of 1,000 in the 20-plus seasons; only Boston and the Lakers have gone past 1,000 victories in the same time span. The four coaches during the two decades since the championship---Jack Ramsay, Mike Schuler, Rick Adelman and now P.J. Carlesimo---have all posted winning records of 53% or better. ANDERSON S ASSISTS COUNTING UP --- Kenny Anderson has now dished out 412 assists for the season (7.0 per game, 16th best in the league). That means $8,240 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 youth initiative TeamUp, the Trail Blazers are committed to help build public awareness of Kids Making Miracles, a volunteer organization of Oregon and SW Washingotn grade and high school students. 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 this season point. All 29 Blazers home games thus far have been in the 20,000-plus category, including four sellouts with a total attendance 597,002 and an average through Sunday s Philadelphia game of 21,564. 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 119-104, 53.9%. Last season, Carlesimo guided Portland to a 44-38 record for the second year in a row. SUNS RISE TOMORROW --- The Blazers hop a jet immediately after tonight s game to fly to Phoenix where they are scheduled to battle the Suns tomorrow in America West Arena (6 p.m., KEX Radio). After Phoenix, they return to the Rose Garden to open another four-game homestand beginning Friday against Dallas (7 p.m., KEX Radio, BlazerVision). On Sunday, they host Seattle (12 noon, KEX Radio, NBC TV), then play the Clippers Tuesday (7 p.m., KEX Radio, BlazerVision), and Cleveland next Friday (7 p.m., KEX Radio). THE PLAYERS KENNY ANDERSON --- Sunday vs. Sixers: 20 pts (9-14 fgs, 1-3 3pt, 1-1 fts), 9 assists, 3 rbs, 2 steals, 40 minutes---24th +20 game of the season . . . Friday vs. Jazz: 30 points, game-high 12 assists, 2 rbs, 2 steals, 44 minutes---his his 10th double-double. . . Wednesday vs. Knicks: 19 pts, 9 assists, 3 rbs, season high-equalling 49 minutes . . . Scored a season high 35 points Feb. 15 vs. Houston . . . Dished out a season-high 15 assists, scored 22 pts and had only 1 TO in 43 minutes at Phoenix Jan. 24 . . . 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 19 times, in assists 39 times . . . Team s leading scorer at 18.3 ppg, the assists leader (7.0 avg.) and tops in steals (1.92 avg.) . . . Ranks 29th in the NBA in scoring, 16th in assists, 11th in steals, 29th in minutes played (38.1), and 33rd in 3-point shooting (.376 on 99-263) . . . Kenny is one of 25 players in the league averaging at least 4 assists and 4 rebounds a game (6.8 and 4.6) . . . Has 99 treys in his first 59 games as a Blazer, placing him sixth on Portland s all-time three pointers-made list . . . Signed as a free agent July 23 . . . Played last season with New Jersey and Charlotte, averaging 15.2 points and 8.3 assists in 69 games . . . Played the previous four years with New Jersey . . . Nets 1st round draft choice (2nd overall) in 1991 . . . Starting East guard in the 1994 NBA All-Star Game . . . New Jersey s all-time assists leader . . . Last game vs. Nets: Game-high 22 pts (12-14 fts), 2 assists, 7 rbs, 1 steal, 40 minutes. STACEY AUGMON --- Sunday vs. Sixers: 6 pts (2-3 fgs, 2-2 fts), 2 rbs, 1 assists, 19 minutes in his second start . . . Friday vs. Jazz: 2 pts, 2 rbs, 1 block, 12 minutes . . . Wednesday vs. Knicks: 4 pts, 13 minutes . . . Scored a season-high 13 pts in 30 minutes in his first start as a Trail Blazer Feb. 24 vs. Chicago . . . Acquired Jan. 24 from Detroit in exchange for guards Randolph Childress, Reggie Jordan and Aaron McKie . . . In 20 games with the Pistons, averaged 4.5 pts, 2.5 rbs and 14.6 minutes . . . Played his first five NBA seasons with Atlanta before being traded to Detroit last summer along with Grant Long for a conditional 1998 1st round draft pick, and second round picks in 1997 and 1998 . . . In five seasons with Atlanta, played 390 games, starting 355, and averaged 13.7 pts, 4.5 rbs, 2.3 assists, 1.46 steals and 30.5 minutes . . . Has registered 100 or more steals in four of his first five seasons . . . A 1992 All-NBA Rookie first team selection . . . Scored the NBA s 6 millionth point March 23, 1992 against Golden State . . . Had a career-high 36 points versus the Blazers on Jan. 3, 1995 . . . The youngest member of the bronze medal-winning U.S. team at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul . . . Played on two NCAA Final Four teams at UNLV, including the Runnin Rebels 1990 NCAA championship club. MARCUS BROWN --- Sunday vs. Sixers: 2 pts (1-5 fgs, 0-3 3pt), 2 assists, 1 rb, 2 steals, 12 minutes . . . Did not play in previous two games (coach s decision) . . . Scored a career-high 13 pts in a career-high 26 minutes Feb. 24 vs. Chicago . . . Scored a career-high 13 pts in a career-high 16 minutes Jan. 29 at Detroit . . . 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 . . . Last game vs. Nets: Not with team (injured list). MITCHELL BUTLER --- Placed on injured list Feb. 24 (effusion of the left knee) . . . Did not play (coach s decision) in previous three games . . . Had season highs of 13 points, 8 rebounds, 33 minutes Jan. 14 vs. Detroit . . . Activiated Dec. 13 after spending five games on injured list (tendenitis, 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 . . . Last game vs. Nets: 4 pts, 1 rb, 10 minutes. CHRIS DUDLEY --- Sunday vs. Sixers: 0 pts, 5 rbs, 1 block, 15 minutes . . . Friday vs. Jazz: 0 pts, 4 rbs, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 24 minutes . . . Wednesday vs. Knicks: 4 pts, 10 rbs, 19 minutes before fouling out with 44.2 seconds remaining in regulation, his third DQ of the season . . . Sat out Feb. 16 Boston game after playing in 72 consecutive contests, which was the Blazers longest current consecutive streak . . . Has missed only three if Portland s last 226 games . . . Grabbed a season and game-high 15 rebounds in a season-high 43 minutes Feb. 4 vs. Chicago . . . Scored season-high 12 pts Jan. 28 at Toronto . . . Blocked a season-high five shots Dec. 1 at Golden State . . . Second on team in rebounding (7.1 rpg) and leader in blocked shots (1.29) despite starting just 12 games . . . Ranks 25th in the league in blocks and 38th in rebounding . . . Blazers leader in rebounds and blocks previous two seasons . . . 10th year in the league, the team s longest tenured player . . . Named 1996 winner of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award presented annually by the Professional Basketball Writers Association in recognition of outstanding community service and charitable work . . . Last game vs. Nets: 7 pts, team-high 13 rbs, 2 blocks, 40 minutes in first start at power forward. JERMAINE O NEAL --- Sunday vs. Sixers: 2 pts (1-3 fgs), 3 rbs, 1 assist, equalled career-high with 3 blocks, 8 minutes . . . Friday vs. Jazz: 2 pts, 2 minutes . . . Wednesday vs. Knicks: Did not play (coach s decision) . . . Grabbed a career-high 8 rbs at Utah Feb. 13 . . . Scored career-high 20 in career-high 25 minutes Jan. 22 at Seattle . . . Scored 10 pts in 11 minutes vs. Detroit Jan. 14. . . Had a career-high 3 blocks vs. San Antonio, Dec. 29 . . . 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 younger than 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 pro 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. . . . Last game vs. Nets: Not with team (injured list). ISAIAH RIDER --- Sunday vs. Sixers: 19 pts (6-12 fgs, 3-4 3pt, 4-6 fts), 5 rbs, 4 assists, 1 steal, 31 minutes---scored 13 of his points in third quarter when Blazers broke the game open . . . Friday vs. Jazz: 26 pts, 4 assists, 1 rb, 38 minutes . . . Wednesday vs. Knicks: 11 pts, 5 rbs, 2 assists, 1 steal, 41 minutes . . . Registered personal and team season-high 40 pts (13-19 fgs, 2-2 3pt, 12-13 fts) in 43 minutes Feb. 16 vs. Boston --- Two points off his career high, making him only second Blazer to top 40-point mark in two seasons . . . Made 15 of 18 free throws, both career highs, while scoring 30 points in Jan. 16 win at Lakers (the free throw makes and attempts were the most ever by a Blazer vs. L.A.) . . . Grabbed 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 conditonal 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 . . . Last game vs. Nets: 15 pts, team-high 4 assists, 3 rbs, 2 steals, 42 minutes. CLIFFORD ROBINSON --- Sunday vs. Sixers: 13 pts (5-12 fgs, 1-3 3pt, 2-3 fts), 6 rbs, 7 assists, 12 steal, 35 minutes . . . Friday vs. Jazz: 20 pts, 8 rbs, 2 assists, 1 steal, 39 minutes . . . Wednesday vs. Knicks: 9 pts, 7 rbs, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 46 minutes before fouling out with 50.9 seconds remaining in OT, his sixth DQ of the season and the 37th of his career which ties him with Tom Owens for third place on the team s all-time list . . . Scored his 10,000th point and moved into fourth place on the Blazers all-time scoring list Feb. 24 at Philadelphia (see note on Page 1) . . . Registered a season and team-high 10 rbs, a team-high 6 assists, plus 15 points and 4 steals in41 minutes Feb. 2 at Minnesota . . . Has been team leader in assists 10 times this season, two more than his total for the previous three seasons combined . . . Matched his career high with 9 assists Jan. 25 vs. Minnesota . . . Poured in his 400th career three-pointer Dec. 12 versus Vancouver . . . Robinson has at least one trey in 41 of 47 games this season and with 437 stands third all-time among Blazers long-range shooters behind only Terry Porter and Clyde Drexler. . . Scored season-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 23rd in the NBA in minutes played (38.4) . . . Leading scorer the past two seasons . . . Averaged 21.1 points in 1995-96, league s 16th highest . . . Ranks in top ten in 16 of 17 career categories . . . This season vs. Utah: Averaged 13.7 pts, 5.3 rbs, 1.7 assists, 1.7 steals, 1.3 blocks, 39.3 minutes in three starts . . . Last game vs. Nets: 21 pts, 6 rbs, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 35 minutes. RUMEAL ROBINSON --- Sunday vs. Sixers: 4 pts (1-1 fgs, 2-2 fts), 2 rbs, 1 steal, 3 minutes . . . Friday vs. Jazz: 0 pts, 1 assist, 4 minutes . . . Wednesday vs. Knicks: 0 pts, 1 assist, 1 rb, 5 minutes . . . at Chicago Feb. 24: 2 pts, 1 assist, 1 rb, 14 minutes in his first game back with Blazers after signing to a 10-day contract the same day . . . Started the season with the Lakers and played in 15 games (3 starts) and averaged 3.0 pts, 0.9 assists, 0.7 rbs, 0.3 steals and 8.4 minutes . . . Scored a season high 10 points vs. San Antonio Nov. 19 . . . Traded, along with Cedric Ceballos, to Phoenix for Robert Horry and Joe Kleine on Jan. 10 . . . Averaged 2.9 pts, 0.6 assists, 0.5 rbs and 6.8 minutes in 11 games with the Suns before being waived Feb. 15 . . . Joined the Blazers as a free agent on Jan. 10 of last season and appeared in 43 games, 14 of them starting assignments . . . Averaged 5.7 pts, 3.3 assists, 1.8 rbs and 16.6 minutes with the Blazers . . . Registered back-to-back double-doubles in his first two starts . . . Scored in double figures 11 times, including a season-high 20 points in 31 minutes at Miami March 1 . . . A 1st round draft choice (10th overall) by Atlanta in 1990, he played his first four seasons in the NBA with Atlanta, New Jersey and Charlotte, averaging 8.9 pts and 4.0 assists a game . . . During the 1992-93 season was a backup to Kenny Anderson at New Jersey then took over the starting job when Anderson was injured and had two triple doubles as a Net starter . . . Played two seasons in the CBA and averaged 20.2 ppg, playing for Rapid City, Shreveport and Connecticut . . . Led Michigan in scoring in 1990 and was a key to the Wolverines run for the 1989 NCAA Championship, including making two free throws in the final minute to seal Michigan s victory in the title game over P.J. Carlesimo s Seton Hall team. ARVYDAS SABONIS --- Sunday vs. Sixers: 12 pts (4-7 fgs, 0-1 3pt, 4-4 fts), 10 rbs, 2 assists, 1 block, 22 minutes---team-best 12th double-double . . . Friday vs. Jazz: 9 pts, game-high 9 rbs, 5 assists, 3 steals, 27 minutes . . . Wednesday vs. Knicks: 17 points, 8 rbs, 2 assists, 2 steals, 28 minutes before fouling out with 4:41 remaining in OT, his third DQ of the season . . . Feb. 19 at Orlando: 8 pts, 5 rbs, 1 block, 21 minutes in his first action since Jan. 22 . . . Placed on the injured list Jan. 24 because a hemotoma (deeply bruised) left calf sustained in a fourth quarter collision in Jan. 22 game at Seattle . . . Tallied 22 pts in a career high-equalling 41 minutes Jan. 19 vs. Utah. . . Has led Blazers in scoring on 8 occasions, in rebounding 24 times, and assists 3 times . . . Scored career-high 33 points and had career high-equalling 11 field goals (14 attempts) on a career-high 14 fts in the Jan. 4 win at Dallas . . . Equalled his career high with 26 points and had 13 rebounds Dec. 26 at Utah . . . Played a career-high 41 minutes Dec. 13 at the Lakers . . Grabbed career-high 17 rebounds at Minnesota Nov. 7 . . . Team s leading rebounder (7.9 rpg) and second in blocked shots (1.23) . . . On the NBA s All-Rookie first team last season, the first Blazer to make it since Sam Bowie in 1985 . . . Runner-up for 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 game vs. Nets: 0 pts, 4 rbs in 5 minutes before leaving game with a bruised right hip and elbow. GARY TRENT --- Sunday vs. Sixers: Tied for team-high honors with 20 pts (9-13 fgs, 2-3 fts), 6 rbs, 1 assist, 24 minutes---sixth +20 game of the season . . . Friday vs. Jazz: 6 pts, 3 rbs, 2 assists, 3 steals, 24 minutes . . . Wednesday vs. Knicks: 11 pts, 6 rbs, 19 minutes . . . For fourth time in seven games equalled career high with 24 pts Feb. 2 at Minnesota . . . Jan. 24 at Suns: Matched career high with game-high 24 pts and tied career high with 13 rbs in 36 minutes --- 10 field goals also a career high . . . Scored career-high 24 pts (9-11 fgs, 6-6 fts) in 32 minutes at Seattle Jan. 22 . . . Played a career-high 44 minutes and scored 19 points Jan. 2 at Houston . . . Claimed a game and career-high 13 rbs in 25 minutes Nov. 26 at Denver . . . Is firing at a .548 clip from the field (273-498), the NBA s sixth best mark . . . 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 game vs. Nets: 10 pts, 2 rbs, 1 assist, 2 steals, 28 minutes in first start of the season. RASHEED WALLACE --- Sunday vs. Sixers: 14 pts (7-11 fgs), 3 rbs, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 31 minutes . . . Friday vs. Jazz: 20 pts, 2 rbs, 26 minutes . . . Wednesday vs. Knicks: Team-high 20 pts, team-best 12 rbs, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, season-high 45 minutes---fourth double-double in eight games and his eighth of the season . . . Tied his career high with 14 rbs and set a new career standard with 15 free throw attempts Feb. 15 vs. Houston . . . Activated Feb. 4 vs. Chicago after missing 19 games and scored 2 pts and had 4 rbs in 14 minutes . . . Placed on injured list Dec. 27 after surgery on his thumb . . . Dec. 23 vs. Washington: 5 pts, 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 . . . His 32 points at Golden State Nov. 5 was the first 30-plus game of his career . . . No. 3 among NBA s top field goal percentage shooters (.570 on 245-430) . . . 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. Nets: Did not play (coach s decision---arrived in fourth quarter after being away from team on family business). DONTONIO WINGFIELD --- Did not play (coach s decision) in last three games . . . Grabbed a career-high 12 rbs and scored 14 points at Boston Jan. 31 . . . Scored season-high 16 points at Phoenix Jan. 24 . . . Played 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 . . . This season vs. Utah: Scored 11 pts and had 7 rbs, 1 assist, 1 block in 20 minutes of Game 2. Did not play (coach s decision) in the other two games . . . Last game vs. Nets: John Christensen Chuck Charnquist ************************************************************ Send subscribe/unsubscribe messages to majordomo@ripcity.com ************************************************************