PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS at ATLANTA HAWKS GAME NO. 71---TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 1997 Record: Overall---41-29, Home---25-10, Road---16-19 ON TO ATLANTA --- The Trail Blazers, 41-29, will be going for their third road win in four games as well as their 13th victory in their last 14 outings when they take on the Hawks in Atlanta Tuesday. Portland also will be out atone for a 94-76 thumping by the Hawks in the first meeting between the two teams in Portland in early November. Tuesday's game, the fourth in six nights on the road for Portland, will afford the Blazers an opportunity to snap a four-game Atlanta win streak in the series. The Blazers, who downed the Knicks in Madison Square Garden Sunday, 94-88, after losing a heartbreaker the night before at Washington, are 2-1 on their current trip which concludes Wednesday at Charlotte. Portland has six of its remaining 10 games at home. With an 11-1 record in March, Portland is three wins away from posting its best record for the month in club history. The all-time best was 13-4 by the 1989-90 team that made it to the NBA Finals. The Blazers, the youngest team in the league in terms of both age and experience, have the Western Conference's fifth best record and are five games back of Houston and the Lakers, two teams locked in a battle for the third playoff spot. Portland's magic number for sewing up its league-best 15th consecutive playoff appearance and the 20th in the last 21 years is now 1 (either one Blazer victory or one loss by Sacramento). 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-HAWKS SERIES --- The Trail Blazers are behind in their all-time series with the Hawks, 39-33, and have lost four in a row and five of their last six, including a 94-76 decision in the 1996-97 Portland home opener on Nov. 4. The Blazers last success in the series came on Jan. 3, 1995, when they stopped the Hawks in The Omni, 103-98. Portland has lost three of its last four in Atlanta and has a 9-26 all-time record on the Hawks court. In Portland, the Blazers hold a 23-13 series edge. EARLIER THIS SEASON --- Turnovers played a big role in spoiling the Blazers 1996 home opener before a record Portland crowd of 21,567 on Nov. 4, the third game of the season. The Trail Blazers, who fell behind, 32-13, after one quarter, turned the ball over 28 times, accounting for 29 Atlanta points. Nine of the TOs came in the first quarter allowing 18 Hawk points. After shooting better than 50 percent in their first two games, the Blazers were just .382 (26-68) in the game, compared with Atlanta's .423 (32-74). However the Hawks connected on 11 of 17 from three-point range while Portland was 7 of 19 from the same distance. Kenny Anderson led the Blazers with 14 points while Atlanta's Mookie Blaylock topped all scorers in the game with 22. BLAZING --- The Trail Blazers are firing at a 50.6% clip from the field in their last 13 games, and have topped the 50% mark in seven times. In four of the games they converted at a better than 54% rate, including a season-best 57.9% (44-76) vs. Utah on Feb. 28; 55.6% (45-81) vs. Philadelphia on Mar. 2; 55.0% (44-80) vs. New Jersey on Mar. 4; and 54.2% (39-72) Mar. 16 at the Clippers . . .The Blazers are now 18-3 in games when they shoot 50% or better . . . Portland's field goal percentage for the season is now 46.4%, the league's ninth best mark. 1,000th SINCE 77 --- The current edition of the Trail Blazers used their win at New York to put an exclamation point on the upcoming 20th anniversary celebration of Portland's winning the the 1977 NBA Championship. The victory over the Knicks was the team's 1,000th since the start of the 1976-77 season. Only Boston and the Lakers have recorded 1,000 wins in that same time span. The 1,000 victories is part of the legacy the 1977 team gave the franchise. Prior to 1976-77, the Blazers had not had a winning season nor had they been in the playoffs. Since the start of that season, Portland has won 58.5% of its games (1,000-710), has had only two losing years and is heading for a league-best 15th straight playoff appearance and the 20th in the last 21 seasons. The Blazers have been in the conference finals four times and in the NBA title round three times. Accomplishments of the 1977 team will be celebrated at a dinner gala Thursday, April 3, and at halftime and during post-game ceremonies at the April 4 Milwaukee game in the Rose Garden. Most of the 1977 players and coaches are planning to be on hand, including Bill Walton, Maurice Lucas, Bobby Gross, Dave Twardzik and Lionel Hollins and Coach Jack Ramsay. THE LAST TWO GAMES DOING NEW YORK --- Portland bounced back from a disappointing loss in the final seconds at Washington the night before to defeat the Knicks in Madison Square Garden Sunday, 94-88. The victory was the Blazers 12th in the last 13 games and upped their record on the current five-game Eastern trip to 2-1. After trailing 52-45 at the break, Portland turned on the defensive pressure and held New York to just eight field goals and 36 points in the second half. The Knicks had only 13 counters in the third quarter, giving them just 18 total in two third periods against the Blazers this season. (They were held to a record low 5 points in the first meeting a month ago.) Kenny Anderson (24 points) and Isaiah Rider (23) paced the Blazers as all five starters finished in double numbers. New York's Patrick Ewing led all scorers with 35 points. Portland was 49% from the field for the game (32-65) while limiting the Knicks to 36% (28-77). New York had a 47-36 rebounding edge. STRING ENDS --- The Trail Blazers took Washington to the wire Saturday in Landover before losing, 108-104, bringing to an end their 11-game winning streak. It was the longest current streak in the NBA and tied the second-longest in club history. Isaiah Rider, who led all scorers in the game with 28 points, made two free throws with 33.3 seconds remaining to knot the score at 103. But 13 seconds later, Gheorghe Muresan's hook shot put the Bullets ahead for good and free throws by Chris Whitney and Calbert Cheaney sealed the win, Washington's fourth in a row over the Blazers. Rasheed Wallace had 25 points and 10 rebounds and Arvydas Sabonis 20 points for Portland. Chris Webber was the Bullets leader with 26 points and 12 boards. Portland shot 46% (35-76) and Washington 49% (36-74). The Blazers had a 48-42 edge on the backboards. MAKING THE DIFFERENCE --- Portland's current run of 12-1 is a dramatic turnaround from the previous 14 outings when the Blazers were 4-10. In the last 13 contests, the Blazers have averaged 104.0 ppg and outscored their opponents by 10.8 a game, have grabbed a 6.1 rebounds per game edge and shot 50.6% from the field and 41.3% from long range. In the previous 14 games, they averaged 96.4 ppg, were outscored by 3.6 points a contest, outrebounded 1.0 per game while shooting 44.4% from the field and 33% from three-point range. Portland has gone over the 100-point mark in eight of its last 13 games while topping the century mark only five times when going 4-10. On the opposite side, opponents have bettered 100 points just four times in the last 13 games while doing better than 100 in 10 of the previous 14 contests. ON OFFENSE --- Portland has the eighth most productive offense in the league, averaging 99.1 points a contest . . . The Trail Blazers have a .464 field goal percentage after 70 games, the NBA's ninth best . . . In winning 41 games, the Blazers margin of victory is 12.0 ppg, with the cushion being 10 or more points in 22 games and 20 or more eight times . . . Portland's overall point margin of +3.1 is the league's 10th best . . . Of the Blazers 29 losses, 17 have been by six points or less, nine have been by three or under, and six have been one-pointers . . . Portland is 22-11 in games decided by 10 points or more but 10-13 when the margin is four points or under and 2-8 when its two or under. ON THE BOARDS --- The Blazers rank third in the NBA in total rebounding percentage---the share of total misses in a game a team rebounds---(.521), fourth in defensive rebounding percentage (.716) and fourth in offensive percentage (.326) . . . The Blazers have an overall advantage of 4.8 rebounds per game and a 3.7 per game margin on the defensive glass . . . Portland has outrebounded 51 of 70 opponents this season and 11 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 30. ON DEFENSE --- Portland has the NBA's sixth toughest defense to shoot against, holding foes to .438 field goal accuracy in 70 games, which is below the all-time club season defensive mark of .442 . . . Its defensive average of 96.0 ppg is the 13th best in the league and a full point below the team's record for a season . . . The Blazers have kept opponents below the 40 percent mark 18 times and 38 times below 45 percent . . . In winning 41 games, the Blazers have held 30 opponents under 100 points and overall have allowed only 25 of 70 to top the century mark. AMONG THE NBA LEADERS ---RASHEED WALLACE, 4th in field goal percentage, .562 (305-543) ---GARY TRENT, 8th in field goal percentage, .539 (312-579) ---ARVYDAS SABONIS, 26th in field goal percentage, .498 (279-560). His 7.9 rbs and 1.24 blocks per game are not ranked among the leaders because he does meet the established minimum for games played. ---KENNY ANDERSON , 16th in assists (7.1), is 12th in steals (1.89), 29th in scoring (18.1), 34th in 3-point accuracy, .375 (119-317), 33rd in minutes played (37.9) ---ISAIAH RIDER, 40th in scoring, (16.2), 26th in three-point percentage, .384 (88-229) ---CHRIS DUDLEY, 24th in blocked shots (1.28), 39th in rebounding (7.1) ---CLIFFORD ROBINSON, 25th in minutes played (38.3), 39th in blocked shots (0.89) WALLACE MOST IMPROVED! --- Second-year forward Rasheed Wallace, a key to the young Trail Blazers team's surge to the playoffs, is a serious contender for the league's Most Improved Player award. The 6-10 Wallace, who averaged 10.1 points and 4.6 rebounds as a rookie with Washington last season, has blossomed in his starting power forward role for the Blazers. Through Sunday's game at New York, Rasheed is the team's third leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 15.4 points and 6.8 rebounds and is shooting 56.2% from the field, the NBA's fourth best mark. That is up from 48.7% in 65 games with the Bullets last season, not among the top 75 percentage shooters in the league. He's bettered his career high points scored in a game eight times this season, including an all-time best 38 points at Saramento Dec. 21. CLIFFORD MOVES UP THE LADDER --- Clifford Robinson has played in 632 NBA games, all in a Blazers uniform, to rank fourth on the club's all-time list behind Clyde Drexler, Jerome Kersey and Terry Porter. Robinson also connected on 10 treys in his last five outings to up his career total to 474, lifting him to second place ahead of Clyde Drexler among all-time Blazers long range shooters. Clifford, who has missed only 12 games in his seven-plus NBA seasons, now ranks in the club's top six in 14 categories. He recently became the team's third leading scorer (now with 10,236 points) behind Drexler and Porter and is second in blocked shots (721) behind Mychal Thompson's 768. BALANCED ACT --- Portland is eighth in the league in scoring and third in rebounding, yet no Trail Blazer shows up in the top 25 in either category . . . However, six Blazers, led by Kenny Anderson's 18.1 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 (6.8) are Portland's leaders but none of the three rank among the NBA's top 30 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. FOR THE 22ND SEASON --- Portland recorded its 37th victory of the season last Friday against Cleveland, extending to 22 consecutive seasons its streak with 37 or more wins. The best any team in the NBA can come to that consistency in the same span is Seattle with at least 31 wins in each of the 22 seasons. ATTENDANCE IN TOP THREE --- Portland has averaged 21,257 fans in its last nine home games and, despite playing in the league's sixth smallest market, ranks behind only Charlotte and Chicago in home game attendance. All 35 Blazers home games thus far have been in the 20,000-plus category and have included five sellouts. Total attendance is 724,633 with an average through Tuesday's Kings game of 20,704. ANDERSON'S ASSISTS COUNTING UP --- Kenny Anderson contributed 27 assists in his last three games and now has dished out 498 for the season (7.1 per game, 10th best in the league). That means $9,960 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 Washington grade and high school students. MARCH MADNESS, P.J. STYLE --- March is proving to be a great month for Blazers head man P.J. Carlesimo. His club is 11-1 for the month. Last year, the Blazers started their stretch run to the playoffs by finishing March with an 11-3 record, which makes Carlesimo 22-4 for the month over the past two seasons . . . 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 129-105, 55.1% . . . Last season, Carlesimo guided Portland to a 44-38 record for the second year in a row. CHARLOTTE NEXT --- After tangling with the Hawks in The Omni, the Blazers move on to Charlotte Wednesday (4:30 p.m., KEX Radio) to close out their five-game, seven-day Eastern road trip.The Blazers return home Friday to meet Vancouver (7 p.m., KEX Radio) in the opener of a four-game homestand. It continues next Tuesday against Golden State (7 p.m., KEX Radio, BlazerVision). The Blazers have six of their 10 remaining games in the Rose Garden. THE PLAYERS KENNY ANDERSON --- Sunday at New York: Team-high 24 pts (7-13 fgs, 0-4 3pt, 10-12 fts), team-high 7 assists, 1 steal, 43 minutes . . . Saturday at Washington: 14 pts, 6 rbs, team-high 9 assists, 38 minutes . . . Thursday at Bucks: Season-low 4 pts, game-high 11 assists, 4 rbs, 1 steal, 35 minutes . . . Has 29 +20 games and 11 double-doubles this season. . . Has averaged 19.6 ppg in his last nine outings and 8.2 assists in his last 10 . . . 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 . . . Led team in scoring 24 times, in assists 49 times . . . Team's leading scorer at 18.1 ppg, the assists leader (7.1 avg.) and tops in steals (1.89 avg.) . . . 29th in the NBA in scoring, 16th in assists, 12th in steals, 32nd in minutes played (37.9), and 34th in 3-point shooting . . . One of 25 players in the league averaging at least 4 assists and 4 rebounds a game (7.0 and 4.5) . . . Signed as a free agent July 23 . . . Split last season between New Jersey and Charlotte after playing his first four seasons with the Nets. . . New Jersey's 1st round draft choice (2nd overall) in 1991 . . . Starting East guard in the 1994 NBA All-Star Game . . . LAST GAME vs. HAWKS: Team-high 14 pts, 3 assists, 6 rbs, 2 steals, 35 minutes. STACEY AUGMON --- Sunday at New York: 0 pts, 4 minutes . . . Saturday at Washington: 8 pts, 1 steal, 12 minutes . . . Thursday at Bucks: 4 pts, 1 assist, 2 rbs, 2 blocks, 15 minutes . . . Tied season-high with 13 pts at the Clippers Mar. 16 . . . Shooting 12-of-19 from field and has had seven steals in last six games and has averaged 6.4 ppg in his last five . . . Scored a season-high 13 pts in 30 minutes in his first start as a 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 14.6 minutes . . . Played his first five NBA seasons with Atlanta before being traded to Detroit last summer . . . In five seasons with Atlanta, played 390 games, starting 355, and averaged 13.7 pts . . . Has registered 100 or more steals in four of his first five seasons . . . A 1992 All-NBA Rookie first team selection . . . Had a career-high 36 points versus the Blazers on Jan. 3, 1995 . . . Played on two NCAA Final Four teams at UNLV, including the Runnin Rebels 1990 NCAA championship club. MARCUS BROWN --- Placed on injured list March 7 (strained left groin) . . . Last appearance Mar. 5 at Suns: 0 pts, 1 rb, 3 minutes . . . 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. HAWKS: Not with team (injured list). MITCHELL BUTLER --- Sunday at New York: Did not play (coach's decision) . . . Saturday at Washington: 0 pts, 2 rbs, 1 assist, 3 minutes . . . Thursday at Bucks: 5 pts, 1 assist, 1 rb, 7 minutes . . . Scored a season-high 17 points in 27 minutes March 14 vs. Clevleand . . . Placed on injured list Feb. 24 (effusion of the left knee) . . . Had season-high 8 rebounds in season-high 33 minutes Jan. 14 vs. Detroit . . . Activated 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 . . . 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. HAWKS: 0 pts, 1 minute. CHRIS DUDLEY --- Sunday at New York: 0 pts (0-2 fts), 1 rb, 5 fouls, 12 minutes . . . Saturday at Washington: 5 pts, 7 rbs, 1 assist, 1 steal, 22 minutes . . . Thursday at Bucks: 5 pts, 9 rbs, 1 block, 18 minutes . . . Shooting 58% (18-31) from floor during Blazers current 12-1 run . . . Sat out Feb. 16 Boston game after playing in 72 consecutive contests, which was the Blazers longest current consecutive streak . . . Has missed only three of Portland's last 236 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 24th in the league in blocks and 39th in rebounding .. . Blazers leader in rebounds and blocks previous two seasons . . . 10th year in the league, the team's longest tenured player . . . 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. HAWKS: 5 pts, game-high 9 rbs, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 26 minutes off bench. JERMAINE O'NEAL --- Did not play (coach's decision) in last two games . . . Thursday at Bucks: 1 blocked shot, 7 minutes . . . 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 3 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 . . . 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. HAWKS: Not with team (injured list). ISAIAH RIDER --- Sunday at New York: 23 points (8-12 fgs, 2-5 3pt, 5-6 fts), 3 assists, 2 rbs, 2 steals, 44 minutes . . . Saturday at Washington: Game-high 28 pts, 6 rbs, 2 assists, 38 minutes . . . Thursday at Bucks: 15 points, 3 assists, 2 rbs, 1 block, 29 minutes . . . Not with team (upper respiratory infection) for previous two games. . .In last 13 games, is averaging 19.1 ppg and has made 59% (79-134) of his field goals and 49% (18-37) of his three-point attempts after averaging 15.6 ppg and shooting 43% from the floor and 37% from long range in his first 52 games . . . 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 . . . Ranks 40th in league in scoring (16.2 ppg) and 26th in 3pt accuracy . . . 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 . . . LAST GAME vs. HAWKS: 12 pts, team-high 6 assists, 4 rbs, 2 steals, 6 fouls, 37 minutes. CLIFFORD ROBINSON --- Sunday at New York: 17 pts (7-13 fgs, 1-5 3pt, 2-3 fts), 5 rbs, 3 assists, 3 steals, 45 minutes . . . Saturday at Washington: Scoreless for the first time in 549 games, going back April 11, 1990 of his rookie season---0 pts (0-7 fgs, 0-3 3pt), 5 rbs, 2 assists, 41 minutes . . . He had 0 pts in this season's Jan. 6 win over the Lakers but played just one minute before leaving the game with a sprained ankle . . . Thursday at Bucks: Shared team-high honors with 20 pts, 1 rb, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 35 minutes . . . Registered a season and team-high 10 rbs, a team-high 6 assists, plus 15 points and 4 steals in 41 minutes Feb. 2 at Minnesota . . . Second on the team in assists with a 3.3 average . . .Has led club in assists 11 times, equalling the number of times he did it in his first six seasons combined . . . Matched his career high with 9 assists Jan. 25 vs. Minnesota . . . 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 25th in the NBA in minutes played (38.3) . . . Leading scorer the past two seasons . . . Averaged 21.1 points in 1995-96, league's 16th highest . . . Is in the top six in 15 of 17 Blazers career categories, including fourth in games played (632) and second in three-pointers made (474) . . . LAST GAME vs. HAWKS: 9 pts, 5 rbs, 2 assists, 1 block, 33 minutes. RUMEAL ROBINSON --- Sunday at New York: 0 pts (0-2 fgs, 0-1 fts), 1 rb, 5 minutes . . . Saturday at Washington: 2 pts, 1 rb, 1 assist, 2 steals, 10 minutes . . . Thursday at Bucks: 0 pts, 2 rbs, 13 minutes . . . Signed for the remainder of the season March 6 . . . at Chicago Feb. 24: scored 2 pts in 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 including three starts. . . 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 . . .Played 11 games with the Suns before being waived Feb. 15 . . . Joined the Blazers as a free agent last season and appeared in 43 games, 14 of them starts, averaging 5.7 pts and 3.3 assists in 16.6 minutes . . . 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 . . . Led Michigan in scoring in 1990 and was a key to the run for the 1989 NCAA Championship, including making two free throws in the final minute to seal the victory in the title game over P.J. Carlesimo's Seton Hall team. ARVYDAS SABONIS --- Sunday at New York: 15 pts (5-8 fgs, 1-2 3pt, 4-8 fts), shared team honors with 8 rbs, 1 assist, 3 steals, 28 minutes before fouling out for fourth time this season with 12.4 seconds remaining . . . Saturday at Washington: 20 pts, 9 rbs, 1 assist, 1 steal, 23 minutes . . . Thursday at Bucks: 13 pts, 9 rbs, 2 assists, 1 block, 20 minutes . . . Has team-high 13 double-doubles . . . 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 of a 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 nine occasions, in rebounding 27 times, and assists four 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 (1.24) . . . 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 . . . Gained his third Olympic Games medal during the summer in helping Lithuania to the Bronze at Atlanta . . . LAST GAME vs. HAWKS: 8 pts, 6 rbs, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 22 minutes. GARY TRENT --- Sunday at New York: 2 pts (1-3 fgs), 4 rbs, 1 assist, 1 steal, 21 minutes . . . Saturday at Washington: 2 pts, 2 rbs, 1 block, 10 minutes . . . Thursday at Bucks: 11 pts, game-high 11 rbs, 1 assist, 1 steal, 23 minutes---his 5th double-double of the season . . . 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 . . . Firing at a 53.9% clip from the field (312-579), the NBA's eighth best mark . . . 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. HAWKS: 8 pts, 2 rbs, 1 assist, 6 fouls, 27 minutes. RASHEED WALLACE --- Sunday at New York: 13 pts (4-14 fgs, 0-1 3pt, 5-9 fts), shared team honors with 8 rbs, 2 blocks, 38 minutes . . . Saturday at Washington: 25 pts, team-high 10 rbs, 1 block, 43 minutes . . . Thursday at Bucks: Shared team-high honors with 20 pts, 8 rbs, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 30 minutes---his 14th plus-20 game of the season . . . Played a career-high 45 minutes in the Feb. 26 OT loss to New York . . . 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. 4 among NBA's top field goal percentage shooters (56.2% on 305-543) . . . 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. HAWKS: 8 pts, 6 rbs, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 28 minutes. DONTONIO WINGFIELD --- Did not play (coach's decision) in last two games . . . Thursday at Bucks: 0 pts, 2 rbs, 1 assist, 8 minutes . . . 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 . . . LAST GAME vs. HAWKS: 3 pts, 2 rbs, 1 assist, 8 minutes. John Christensen Chuck Charnquist ************************************************************ Send subscribe/unsubscribe messages to majordomo@ripcity.com ************************************************************