PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS vs. DENVER NUGGETS GAME NO. 80---WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 1996 Record: Overall---46-33, Home---27-12, Road---19-21 THREE TO GO --- Portland, 46-33, will be shooting to equal its best record since 1992-93 when it plays the first of three remaining regular season games Wednesday against Denver in the Rose Garden. The Blazers, 44-38 in each of their first two seasons under P.J. Carlesimo, can equal the 1993-94 win total of 47 by downing the Nuggets. The last time a Portland team won more than 47 games was 1992-93 (51-31). A victory over Denver would also give the Blazers their second straight series sweep of the Nuggets and the third since 1990-91.The Blazers, who have clinched the fifth position in the Western Conference Playoffs that begin next week, have two games remaining after Denver---the Grizzlies Thursday in Vancouver and the Los Angeles Lakers in the season finale Sunday afternoon in the Rose Garden. With 46 victories, Portland has its 18th winning season in the last 21 years and is three wins better than a year ago after 79 games. And, with a record of 27-12, the Blazers are the best at home in three seasons. Their road mark of 19-21 is the best since 1992-93. The Blazers current record of 33-16 against Western Conference teams is the best in five seasons (since 1991-92), and their 14-9 mark in Pacific Division foes is the best in four campaigns. 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). 15 STRAIGHT --- The Blazers have clinched their 15th straight playoff berth, the NBA's longest current streak, and their 20th in the last 21 years. Only four times in league history have teams had more consecutive post-season appearances than the Blazers: 22---Syracuse/Philadelphia (1950-71); 19---Boston (1951-1969), 17---Los Angeles Lakers (1977-1993), and 16---Minneapolis/Los Angeles (1959-74). Portland, with four regular season games remaining, occupies the West's fifth spot. ANOTHER WINNING YEAR --- The Blazers, with 46 victories (the most wins in three seasons), have their 18th winning record in the last 21 years. That's the second best mark of any team in the NBA over the 21 seasons. Only the Los Angeles Lakers have done better, turning in 19 years with records over the 50% mark during the same time span. Behind the Blazers are Boston and Houston, 15 each; Philadelphia and Seattle, 14 each; Milwaukee and San Antonio, 13 each, and Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit and New York, all with 12. 22 IN A ROW --- Portland has won more than 37 games for the 22nd consecutive season. The closest any NBA team can come to that consistency is Seattle which now has at least 31wins in each of the last 22 seasons. THE BLAZERS-NUGGETS SERIES --- Portland has won a series high seven in a row over Denver and leads in the all-time matchup between the two teams, 56-37. The last Nuggets win came on their last visit to Portland's Memorial Coliseum on March 26, 1995; the score read 102-98. The Blazers, who have already taken the season series from Denver, can make it a sweep for the second consecutive year and the third time in the history of competition between the two teams with a victory Wednesday. Portland owns a 37-9 advantage in games with Nuggets in Portland, has won three in a row and 12 of the last 13. The Nuggets, 0-3 in visits to the Rose Garden, have a 28-19 edge in games in the Mile High City, but the Blazers have a five-game win streak going there, including victories of 115-104 and 110-104 this season. SO FAR THIS SEASON --- Portland held Denver to an all-time opponent low point total in their 105-65 victory in the first meeting this season. The Nov. 23 game in the Rose Garden saw the Blazers equal their biggest win margin ever over the Nuggets while holding them to an all-time opponent low 20 field goals. Four starters turned in plus 20-point games as the Blazers won the rematch in Denver 12 days later, 115-104. Kenny Anderson led the scoring parade with 26 points, Arvydas Sabonis had 22 and Clifford Robinson and Isaiah Rider 21 each. Last week, Portland survived a record long-range attack by the Nuggets in the Mile High City to pull out a 110-104 win. Denver made a Blazers opponent record 11 three-pointers in the first half to stake the Nuggets to a 61-58 halftime lead. But Portland's defense clamped down in the second half as the Blazers made it seven in a row over the Nuggets. In the three games so far, the Blazers have outscored the Nuggets by 19 points a contest, pounded out a 20-rebound per game margin and shot 50.2% from the field while limiting Denver to 41.7%. Rider (19.7 ppg), Robinson (18.3) and Anderson (18.0) lead six Blazers in double-figure averages in the series thus far. Bryant Stith is Denver's leader with a 21.5 points a game. THE LAST TWO GAMES STOPPING THE SPURS --- The Trail Blazers finished a four-game sweep of San Antonio, their first since 1988-89 and only the third ever, with a 98-81 victory in the AlamoDome Thursday. The win wrote a 2-1 finish to a four-day road trip. All five starters turned in double-figure scoring numbers, led by Rasheed Wallace's 19 points. Arvydas Sabonis, back after missing two games with a bruised thigh, had his 14th double-double of the season---18 points and 12 rebounds, and Kenny Anderson added his 12th dub-dub---15 points, 11 assists. Anderson tied his career high with six steals to lead the Blazers in a season-high 15 swipes for the game. Perdue and Jaime Feick topped the Nuggets with 13 points each. Portland shot 49% from the field (39-80) while holding the Spurs to 38% (31-82). The Blazers outscored San Antonio, 60-38, in the paint and had a 22-2 advantage in fast break points. A LOSS IN DALLAS --- Portland fell behind early, rallied and took a six-point lead into the final stanza but couldn t hold it and went down, 87-82, in Dallas Tuesday. It was the Blazers third loss in five games in April after winning 14 of their previous 16 games. The Mavericks broke an 11-game losing streak and kept Portland from sweeping the season series for the second straight season. After being outscored 26-12 in the first quarter, Portland made up lost ground and surged to a 10-point lead late in the third stanza. The margin was 66-60 going into the final 12 minutes. Clifford Robinson, with 15 points, led five Blazers in double-digit numbers; Sasha Danilovic scored a season-high 22 points and sparked a fourth quarter rally to lead the Mavericks. Portland shot just 37.8% from the floor on 28 of 74---equalling its third lowest field goal total of the season. Dallas converted 43.7% of its attempts (31-71) and outrebounded the Blazers 40-37. THE OFFENSE --- Portland has the 12th most productive offense in the league, averaging 98.8 points a contest . . . The Blazers have a .463 field goal percentage after 79 games, the NBA's ninth best mark . . . In winning 46 games, the Blazers margin of victory is 12.4 ppg, with the cushion being 10 points or more in 25 contests and 20 or more nine times . . . Portland's overall point differential of +3.3 is the league's ninth best mark . . . Of the Blazers 33 losses, 18 have been by six points or less, nine have been by three or under and six have been one pointers . . . Portland is 25-11 in games decided by 10 points or more but 11-13 when the difference is four points or under and 3-8 when its two or below. THE DEFENSE --- Portland has the NBA's sixth toughest defense to shoot against, holding foes to .438 field goal accuracy in 79 games, which is below the club's all-time defensive mark of .442 . . . Its defensive average of 95.4 ppg is the 11th 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 field goal mark 19 times and below 45 percent 44 times . . . In winning 46 games, the Blazers have held 34 opponents under 100 points and overall have allowed only 26 of 79 to top the century mark. THE REBOUNDING --- The Blazers rank third in the NBA in total rebounding percentage---the share of total misses in a game a team claims---(.523), are second in defensive rebounding percentage (.721), and are fifth in offensive rebounding percentage (.325) . . . The Blazers have an overall advantage of 4.7 rebounds per game and a 3.4 per game margin on the defensive glass . . . Portland has outrebounded 56 of 79 opponents and 13 times has claimed 50 or more misses in a game . . . The Blazers are among the top five rebounding teams in the league for the 10th consecutive year despite not having an individual among the league's top 30. BALANCE --- Portland is 12th 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 17.7 ppg, are averaging in double figures and each of the six has led the team in scoring at least four times . . . The Blazers balance on the glass is even more pronounced: Arvydas Sabonis (7.8 rpg), Chris Dudley (7.3 rpg) and Rasheed Wallace (6.8 rpg) are Portland's leaders but none of the three rank among the NBA's top 30 boardsmen . . . One reason for Portland's continued position among the NBA's rebounding elite is balance. No fewer than 10 different Blazers have grabbed game rebounding honors this season. AMONG THE NBA LEADERS ---Rasheed Wallace, 4th in field goal percentage, .555 (363-654) ---Gary Trent, 9th in field goal percentage, .536 (345-644) ---Arvydas Sabonis, 28th in field goal percentage, .498 (312-627) ---Kenny Anderson, 10th in steals (1.96), 14th in assists (7.2), 30th in scoring (17.7), 29th in minutes (37.8) ---Isaiah Rider, 28th in 3-point percentage, .383 (98-256), 40th in scoring (16.2); 39th in free throw percentage, .812 (207-255) ---Chris Dudley, 23rd in blocked shots (1.22), 38th in rebounding (7.3) ---Clifford Robinson, 26th in minutes played (38.1), 39th in blocked shots (0.83) WALLACE MOST IMPROVED! --- Second-year forward Rasheed Wallace, a key to the young Trail Blazers 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 with the Blazers. Rasheed is the team's fourth leading scorer and third leading rebounder, is averaging 15.2 points and 6.8 rebounds a game, and shooting 55.5% from the field, the NBA's fourth best mark. That is up from 48.7% in 65 games with the Bullets last season. Rasheed has bettered his career high points scored in a game eight times, including an all-time best 38 at Sacramento Dec. 21. SIMILARITIES --- There are similarities between the 1997 Blazers playoff-bound edition and the team of 20 years ago that won it all, giving Portland its first major sports championship and launching Blazermania. The 1976-77 season started with only four Blazers on the roster from the previous season, exactly the same number that were on hand to begin 1996-97. The 1976-77 team finished the regular season at 49-33; with three games remaining the current Blazers are 46-33. In 1977, two Trail Blazers---Bobby Gross and Bill Walton---finished sixth and seventh among the NBA's field goal percentage leaders; the current team also has two in the top 10---Rasheed Wallace (4th) and Gary Trent (9th). This is the first time since 1976-77 two Blazers have been among the top 10 shooters in the league. The 1997 edition heads into the playoffs as the league's second youngest team (averaging 25.85 years on April 1); Portland and Philadelphia, the club the Blazers beat in six games to win the championship, shared that same honor in 1977 with each averaging 24.58 years per player. The 1977 team was 44-21 with Bill Walton in the lineup and 5-12 when he was sidelined with injuries; this year s team is 40-26 with center Arvydas Sabonis playing and 6-7 when he has been out. ATTENDANCE IN TOP THREE --- Portland had its seventh sellout of the season for Phoenix on April 5 and has averaged 21,268 fans in its last 13 home games. Despite playing in the league's sixth smallest market, the Blazers rank behind only Charlotte and Chicago in home attendance. All 39 Blazers home games thus far have been in the 20,000-plus category. Total attendance so far is 809,813 with an average of 20,764. KIDS MAKING MIRACLES A FINALIST --- Kids Making Miracles, a volunteer organization of hundreds of Oregon and Southwest Washington grade and high school students committed to raising $1 million to build a state-of-the-art health care facility at Portland's Doernbecher Children s Hospital, has been named one of four finalists for the NBA's 1997 TeamUp Award. The TeamUp Award is a feature component of the NBA program of the same name that encourages youth-sponsored programs working to improve communities through volunteer involvement. The Trail Blazers are helping build public awareness of the Kids Making Miracles effort. Blazers guard Kenny Anderson, honorary campaign chairman, has pledged $20 for every assist he dishes out this season. To date, Kenny's 565 assists have netted $11,300 for the drive which now has passed the $600,000 mark. Other finalists for the 1997 TeamUp Award were in Cleveland, Miami, Vancouver, B.C., and Sheldon, Texas, the 1997 Award winner. P.J. MOVES UP TO THIRD --- P.J. Carlesimo, whose team has won 17 of its last 22 games, is now the Blazers third winningest coach with a 134-109 record (55.1%). Ahead of him are Jack Ramsay (453-367, 55.2%), and Rick Adelman (291-154, 65.4%). Mike Shuler posted a 127-84 record (60.2%) in his two-plus years with the Blazers. In his first two seasons, Carlesimo had identical records of 44-38. TOMORROW NIGHT IN VANCOUVER --- After Wednesday's game against the Nuggets, the Blazers fly north to meet the Grizzlies Thursday in Vancouver (7 p.m., KEX Radio) in the next-to-last regular season game and their last on the road. Portland wraps it up Sunday in the Rose Garden against the Los Angeles Lakers (12:30 p.m., KEX Radio, NBA on NBC-TV regional game). THE BLAZERS KENNY ANDERSON --- Thursday at San Antonio: 15 pts (6-16 fgs, 0-3 3pt, 3-4 fts), game-high 11 assists, 2 rbs, 6 steals (tieing his career high), 38 minutes----his 12th double-double of the season . . . Tuesday at Dallas: 10 pts, team-high 8 rbs and 9 assists, 1 steal, 40 minutes . . . Monday at the Nuggets: 14 pts, game-high 9 assists, 5 rbs, 1 steal, 1 block, 33 minutes . . . Has turned in 30 plus-20 scoring games . . . Scored a season-high 35 points Feb. 15 at Houston . . . Dished out a season-high 15 assists, scored 22 points and had only one TO in 43 minutes at Phoenix Jan. 24 . . . Scored 34 points in a season-high 49 minutes Dec. 13 at the Lakers . . . Team leader in scoring 24 times and in assists 53 times . . . Team's leading scorer with 17.7 ppg, the assists leader (7.2), and tops in steals (1.96) . . . 30th in the NBA in scoring, 14th in assists, 10th in steals, 29th in minutes played (37.8) . . . One of 25 players in the league averaging at least 4 assists and 4 rebounds a game (7.2 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 . . . vs. DENVER THIS SEASON: Averaged 18.0 pts, 8.7 assists, 5.3 rbs, 1.0 steals, 35.0 minutes in three starts. STACEY AUGMON --- Thursday at San Antonio: 2 pts (1-3 fgs), 3 rbs, 1 steal, 14 minutes . . . Tuesday at Dallas: 4 pts, 1 rb, 13 minutes. . . Monday at the Nuggets: 0 pts, 3 rbs, 2 assists, 16 minutes . . . Tied season high with 13 pts at the Clippers Mar. 16 . . . 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 Pistons, averaged 4.5 pts and 14.6 minutes . . . Played his first five NBA seasons with Atlanta before being traded to Detroit last summer . . . In five seasons with Atlanta, played in 390 games, started 355, and averaged 13.7 ppg . . . 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 . . . vs. DENVER THIS SEASON: 0 pts, 3 rbs, 2 assists in 16 minutes of Game 3. MARCUS BROWN --- Placed on injured list March 7 (strained left groin) . . . Last appearance March 5 at Phoenix: 0 pts, 1 rb, 3 minutes . . . Equalled his career-high 13 pts in a career-high 26 minutes Feb. 24 vs. Chicago . . . Scored a career-high 13 pts 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 the 4th quarter, a three-pointer (his first attempt) from the left side . . . Activated Dec. 27 after spending the first 29 games of the season on the injured list (strained right groin) sustained in practice Oct. 29 . . . Portland's 2nd round draft pick (46th overall) in the 1996 NBA Draft . . . Nation's second leading collegiate scorer in 1995-96 at Murray State with a 26.4 average . . . vs. DENVER THIS SEASON: On injured list for all three meetings. MITCHELL BUTLER --- Thursday at San Antonio: 0 pts (0-1 fgs), 1 assist, 1 steal, 13 minutes . . . DNP (coach's decision) previous two games . . . Scored a season-high 17 pts in 27 minutes Mar. 14 vs. Cleveland . . . Placed on injured list Feb. 24 (effusion of the left knee) . . . Had season-high 8 rbs in a 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 last summer . . . Not drafted, he was signed as a free agent by the Bullets in 1993 after appearing in more games than any player in UCLA history . . . vs. DENVER THIS SEASON: 5 pts, 7 minutes of Game 1. On injured list for Game 2, DNP (coach's decision) in Game 3. CHRIS DUDLEY --- Thursday at San Antonio: 6 pts (1-2 fgs, 4-4 fts), 8 rbs, 1 block, 17 minutes . . . Tuesday at Dallas: 4 pts, 7 rbs, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 30 minutes in 14th start . . . Monday at Nuggets: 11 pts, team-high 13 rbs, 1 assist, 28 minutes, registering his second double-double of the season . . . Saturday vs. Suns: 2 pts, team-high 11 rbs, 1 steal, 23 minutes . . . Has missed only three of Portland's last 247 games . . . Grabbed a season and game-high 15 rebounds in a season-high 43 minutes Feb. 4 vs. Chicago . . . Scored a season-high 12 pts Jan. 28 at Toronto . . . Blocked a season-high five shots at Golden State Dec. 1 . . . Second on team in rebounding (7.3 rpg) and leader in blocked shots (1.21) despite starting just 13 games . . . Ranks 23rd in the league in blocks and 37th in rebounding . . . Blazers leader in rebounding and blocked shots past two seasons . . . 10th year in the league, Portland's longest tenured player . . . 1996 winner of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award presented by the Professional Basketball Writers Association in recognition of outstanding community service and charitable work . . . vs. DENVER THIS SEASON: Averaged 6.3 pts, 9.7 rbs, 0.7 assists, 1.3 blocks, 23.3 minutes in three games and shot 58.3% from the field (7-12). JERMAINE O'NEAL --- Thursday at San Antonio: DNP (coach's decision) . . . Tuesday at Dallas: 6 pts, 2 rbs, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 10 minutes . . . Monday at Nuggets: 0 pts, 2 rbs, 1 block, 7 minutes . . . Grabbed a career-high 8 rbs at Utah Feb. 13 . . . Scored a career-high 20 points in a career-high 25 minutes at Seattle Jan. 22 . . . Scored 10 pts in 11 minutes vs. Detroit Jan. 14 . . . Had a career-high 3 blocked shots vs San Antonio Dec. 29 . . . Became the youngest player ever to play in an NBA regular season game on Dec. 5 at Denver, entering the contest at 7:24 of the 2nd period. He was 20 days younger than Kobe Bryant when he played his first game with the Lakers . . . Scored his first regular season points on a field goal at Denver Dec. 5 . . . Spent season's first 17 games on the injured list . . . Scored the first points as a pro on his 18th birthday Oct. 13 in a pre-season game vs. Sacramento . . . Portland's 1st round pick (17th overall) in the 1996 NBA Draft out of Eau Claire H.S. in Columbia, S.C. . . . vs. DENVER THIS SEASON: Averaged 1.0 pts, 1.0 rbs, 0.5 blocks, 5.0 minutes in two games. On injured list for Game 1. ISAIAH RIDER --- Thursday at San Antonio: 12 pts (5-9 fgs, 0-1 3pt, 2-2 fts), 3 assists, 24 minutes . . . Tuesday at Dallas: 12 pts, 3 rbs, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 35 minutes . . . Monday at Nuggets: Team-high 28 pts, 2 rbs, 2 assists, 34 minutes . . . Has averaged 17.7 pts and shot 54% from the field, 44% from long range and 86% from the line in last 22 games . . . Is Blazers free throw percentage leader (81.2%) and has made 22 in a row and 36 of his last 37 . . . Registered personal and team season-high 40 pts (13-19 fgs, 2-2 3pt, 12-13 fts), in 43 minutes vs. Boston Feb. 16---two points off his career high. Only the second Blazer to top the 40-point mark in two seasons . . . Made 15 of 18 free throws, both career highs, while scoring 30 points in Jan. 16 win at the Lakers (the free throws and FTAs were the most ever by a Blazer vs. the Lakers) . . . Grabbed a season-high 11 rbs vs. Seattle Dec. 18 . . . Dished out a career-high 11 assists Nov. 26 at Houston . . . Ranks 40th in the league in scoring (16.2 ppg) and 28th in three-point 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 1st round draft choice (5th overall) from UNLV . . . Averaged 18.8 pts in 229 games for the Wolves in three seasons . . . 1993-94 NBA All-Rookie first team . . . Winner of the Gatorade Slam-Dunk contest at the 1994 NBA All-Star Weekend . . . vs. DENVER THIS SEASON: Averaged team-best 19.7 pts, 3.0 rbs, 1.3 assists, 29.7 minutes and shot 59.5% from field (25-42). CLIFFORD ROBINSON --- Thursday at San Antonio: 11 pts (5-12 fgs, 1-4 3pt), 4 rbs, 4 assists, 4 steals (tied season high), 1 block, 36 minutes . . . Tuesday at Dallas: Team-high 15 pts, 6 rbs, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 38 minutes . . . Monday at Nuggets: 23 pts, 7 rbs, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 37 minutes . . . Made all six of his treys in second quarter splurge in March 28 win over Vancouver, a Blazers all-time record for a quarter and a half, and equal to the NBA's second best effort ever in a quarter (he finished with 26 pts) . . . Held scoreless at Washington Mar. 22 for the first time in 549 games, going back to April 11, 1990 of his rookie season . . . Registered a season and team-high 10 rbs, a team-high 6 assists, plus 15 pts and 4 steals in 41 minutes Feb. 2 vs. Minnesota . . . Second on the team in assists with a 3.2 average---Has led the club in assists 13 times, compared with 11 times 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 seaosn-high 51 minutes (just two shy of his career high) vs. Indiana Nov. 3 . . . Ranks 26th in the NBA in minutes played (38.1) . . . Leading scorer the past two seasons and averaged 21.1 pts in 1995-96, the league's 16th highest . . . Is in the top six in 15 of 17 Portland career categories, including fourth in scoring (10,359 pts), fourth in games played (640), second in three-pointers made (490), and second in blocked shots (724) . . . vs. DENVER THIS SEASON: Averaged 18.3 pts, 4.0 rbs, 3.9 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.0 blocks, 39.0 minutes in three starts. RUMEAL ROBINSON --- Thursday at San Antonio: 2 pts (1-4 fgs), 4 assists, 10 minutes . . . Tuesday at Dallas: 4 pts, 2 assists, 1 steal, 8 minutes . . . Monday at Nuggets: 5 pts, 4 rbs, 4 assists, 15 minutes . . . Had season highs of 22 minutes and 3 steals and equalled season highs with 5 assists and 4 rbs Mar. 28 vs. Vancouver . . . Signed for the remainder of the season March 6 . . . at Chicago Feb. 24: scored 2 pts in 14 minutes in his first game gack with the Blazers after signing to a 10-day contract the same day . . . Began the season with the Lakers and played in 15 games, including three starts . . . Scored a season-high 10 pts vs. San Antonio Nov. 19 . . . Traded, along with Cedric Ceballos, to Phoenix for Robert Horry and Joe Kleine on Jan. 10 . . . Played 11 games for Suns before being waived Feb. 15 . . . Played in 43 games with Blazers last season, averaging 5.7 pts 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 . . . vs. DENVER THIS SEASON: 5 pts, 4 rbs, 4 assists, 15 minutes of Game 3. ARVYDAS SABONIS --- Thursday at San Antonio: 18 pts (7-11 fgs, 4-6 fts), team-high 12 rbs, 1 assist, 3 blocks, 31 minutes---team-best 14th double-double . . . Missed previous two games with contusion, left quadricep . . . Saturday vs. Suns: 5 pts, 8 rbs, 3 assists, 2 steals, 19 minutes before having to leave game at the 4:43 mark of the 3rd quarter with a bruised quadricep . . . Feb. 19 at Orlando: 8 pts, 5 rbs in 21 minutes in his first action since Jan. 22 . . . Placed on injured list Jan. 24 after sustaining a deeply bruised calf in a 4th quarter collision in Jan. 22 game at Seattle . . . Tallied 22 pts in a career high-equalling 41 minutes Jan. 19 at Utah . . . Has led Blazers in scoring on nine occasions, in rebounding 29 times and assists four times . . . Scored career-high 33 pts and had a career-high equalling 11 field goals and a career-high 14 fts Jan. 4 at Dallas . . . Played a career-high 41 minutes Dec. 12 at the Lakers . . . Grabbed a career-high 17 rbs at Minnesota Nov. 7 . . . Team's leading rebounder (7.8 rpg) and blocked shots (1.23) . . . On the NBA 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 . . . vs. DENVER THIS SEASON: Averaged 16.5 pts, 10.5 rbs, 3.5 assists, 0.5 steals, 1.0 blocks, 27.0 minutes in two starts and shot 55% from the floor (11-20). DND for Game 3 (bruised quadricep). GARY TRENT --- Thursday at San Antonio: 10 pts (4-8 fgs, 2-2 fts), 7 rbs, 1 steal, 1 block, 22 minutes . . . Tuesday at Dallas: 13 pts, 5 rbs, 1 steal, 26 minutes . . . Monday at Nuggets: 8 pts, 4 rbs, 1 block, 29 minutes in his 28th start of the season . . . Equaled career high with 7 assists March. 28 vs. Vancouver . . . For fourth time in seven games matched career high with 24 points at Minnesota Feb. 2 . . . Jan. 24 at Phoenix: Matched career high with game-high 24 pts and tied career best with 13 rbs (10 fgs also career high) . . . Scored career-high 24 pts in 32 minutes at Seattle Jan. 22 . . . Played a career-high 44 minutes Jan. 2 at Houston . . . Claimed game and career-high 13 rbs Nov. 26 at Denver . . . Firing at a 53.6% clip from the field (345-644), the NBA's ninth best mark . . . 1st round draft pick (11th overall) by Milwaukee in 1995 . . . Portland acquired his draft rights in an exchange involving Shawn Respert's draft rights . . . vs. DENVER THIS SEASON: Averaged 10.7 pts, 6.7 rbs, 0.7 assists, 0.3 blocks, 24.3 minutes in three games including one start. RASHEED WALLACE --- Thursday at San Antonio: Game-high 19 pts (8-12 fgs, 3-4 fts), 5 rbs, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 32 minutes . . . Tuesday at Dallas: 10 pts, 3 rbs, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 26 minutes . . . Monday at Nuggets: 17 pts, 7 rbs, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 32 minutes off the bench . . . Has 15 20-plus scoring games and seven double-doubles . . . Played career-high 45 minutes in Feb. 26 OT loss to New York . . . Tied career high with 14 rbs and set new career high with 15 free throw attempts Feb. 15 vs. Houston . . . Activated Feb. 4 vs. Chicago after missing 19 games on injured list . . . Placed there Dec. 27 after undergoing surgery on left thumb fractured in Dec. 23 game vs. Washington . . . Tallied a career-high 38 pts on career-high 17-of-25 fgs in 40 minutes at Sacramento Dec. 21 . . . Previous high of 32 pts (15-20 fgs) came on Nov. 5 at Golden State, the first 30-plus game of his career . . . Converted a career-high 11 free throws (15 attempts) Dec. 13 at the Lakers . . . Grabbed season-high 13 rbs vs. Vancouver Dec. 12 . . . No. 4 among NBA's top field goal percentage shooters (55.5% on 363-654) . . . 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 as a rookie with the Bullets last season and averaged 10.1 ppg . . . Selected in the 1st round (4th pick overall) by Washington in the 1995 NBA Draft . . . Second team sophomore All-American at North Carolina before becoming an early entry draft candidate . . . vs. DENVER THIS SEASON: Averaged 12.7 pts, 6.7 rbs, 0.7 assists, 1.0 blocks, 26.7 minutes in three games, including two starts. DONTONIO WINGFIELD --- Thursday at San Antonio: 3 pts (1-2 3pt), 1 assist, 3 minutes . . . Tuesday at Dallas: 4 pts, 2 rbs, 14 minutes . . . Monday at Nuggets: 4 pts, 3 rbs, 9 minutes . . . Grabbed career-high 12 rbs and scored 14 pts at Boston Jan. 31 . . . Scored season-high 16 pts at Phoenix Jan. 24 . . . Played season-high 27 minutes vs. Lakers Jan. 6 . . . Placed on injured list Dec. 13 (sprained left thumb suffered in Dec. 12 game with Vancouver) . . . Averaged 3.8 pts and 2.4 rbs in 44 games with Portland last season . . . Signed as a free agent in 1995 after playing in 1994-95 with Seattle . . . 2nd round draft choice (37th overall) by Seattle in 1994 . . . An early entry draft candidate after one year of collegiate basketball at the University of Cincinnati . . . vs. DENVER THIS SEASON: Averaged 4.5 pts, 4.0 rbs, 9.0 minutes in two games. DNP (coach's decision) in Game 2. John Christensen Chuck Charnquist ************************************************************ Send subscribe/unsubscribe messages to majordomo@ripcity.com ************************************************************