6 Portland Trail Blazers

Training camp was only a few days old when Maurice Cheeks, the Blazers' new coach, discovered exactly what he had gotten himself into. An intrasquad scrimmage escalated into a shoving match between guard Erick Barkley and forward Ruben Patterson, and Cheeks had to run onto the court to separate the combatants. This could easily be taken as an indication that the bickering Blazers of last season haven't changed their personality, but Cheeks is either too optimistic to see it that way or too much of a spin doctor to acknowledge it. "We've actually had a couple of those so far," Cheeks says of the altercation. "It's just a sign that guys are competing hard and not coasting just because it's preseason."

Cheeks, who helped mediate his share of Larry Brown- Allen Iverson conflicts during his days as a 76ers assistant, was given his first head coaching job in hopes that he would exert a calming influence on the talented but dysfunctional Blazers, who led the Pacific Division before plunging to fourth with 14 losses in their final 22 games, followed by a humiliating three-game playoff sweep by the Lakers. Battles over playing time and an inability to keep their hotheaded star, forward Rasheed Wallace, under control were Portland's undoing. Although they think they've made progress toward resolving both problems, the Blazers will have to prove that they've got their heads on straight before they can be considered serious championship contenders.

Cheeks dealt quickly with one personnel issue, naming Damon Stoudamire his full-time point guard. Though a starter, Stoudamire had often been on the bench during crucial stretches in favor of Greg Anthony, and matters became more complicated when the Blazers signed Rod Strickland for the last six weeks of the season. But Portland traded Anthony to the Bulls and didn't re-sign Strickland, and Cheeks made it clear to Stoudamire that the Blazers were committed to him. "He told me that he's going to give me the freedom to run the team," Stoudamire says. "This is the chance that I've wanted ever since I came here."

Stoudamire will have plenty of weapons at his disposal, including small forward Scottie Pippen, guard Bonzi Wells and shooting guard Derek Anderson. Still, the Blazers will go only as far as Wallace leads them. He led them in scoring and rebounding but attracted far more attention for leading the planet in technical fouls. His 41 T's topped his own NBA record by three, and he was ejected from seven games and suspended three times.

Cheeks and team president Bob Whitsitt both had off-season discussions with Wallace—and Cheeks surprisingly named him a co-captain—but team officials refuse to discuss whether they have taken any further steps to help him deal with his temper. The closest thing to an encouraging sign that Wallace intends to change his ways was his rather cryptic declaration at the beginning of training camp. "I've got something for all of you who were talking about me last year," he said. "Something for all of you throughout the season. You'll all find out."

Another Blazers big man, 6'10" Shawn Kemp, will try to show his own form of self-control. Kemp, who for the last three seasons has seen his weight balloon, missed the last month of the season when he entered rehab for substance abuse. But he arrived at camp with a vow to work his way back to his old self, although he still appears to be at least 25 pounds above the 256 he was listed at in his prime. The Blazers need Kemp, since he and 6'11" Dale Davis will probably share time at center now that 7'3" Arvydas Sabonis is likely to retire.

After the season Sabonis took some shots at the Blazers' lack of harmony, and they remain a team with a delicate psyche. Cheeks may help them get another 50-win season, but in the heat of the playoffs, Portland still looks vulnerable to a meltdown.

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