Sabonis gets passing grade in first game

For a first game, it wasn't bad.

Trail Blazers center Arvydas Sabonis played the second and third 
quarters of Friday night's 104-86 exhibition win over the 
expansion Vancouver Grizzlies and he came up with 11 points, 11 
rebounds, two steals and an assist.

No one was suggesting he was ready to take on Shaquille O'Neal 
or Hakeem Olajuwon on pay-per-view, but at least two Grizzlies 
-- centers Bryant "Big Country" Reeves and Benoit Benjamin -- 
were impressed with the 30-year-old international star.

The first time Reeves just sat back in the key and let Sabonis 
have an open 18-footer, the big Lithuanian buried it.

"He was good," said Reeves, who appeared totally lost for long 
stretches in his own NBA debut.

"Tall, long arms, good shooter. . . . I think it was a good 
start for me to go against somebody like him," Reeves said of 
Sabonis.

Vancouver point guard Greg Anthony remembered seeing Sabonis on 
the Russian national team years ago when Anthony was at Nevada-
Las Vegas.

"Great passer, tremendous size, and a nice touch," Anthony said. 
"We thought he was a huge talent until his tore his achilles. I 
know a lot of people over here haven't really been able to keep 
abreast of what he's doing, but I think he'll be OK. He just 
needs some experience in the American style of play."

Sabonis' teammates gave him high marks, and noted with amusement 
that he was able to beat both Reeves and the notoriously slow 
Benjamin up and down the floor with ease.

"He probably was a little nervous, but I thought he did a good 
job," Cliff Robinson said. "He's really going to help us with 
his passing. He and Chris (Dudley) were also both very good at 
helping out on defense."

Even with Benjamin tried to woof a little, Sabonis maintained 
the same deadpan _expression. He did grimace when he seemed to 
twist a knee under the basket, and again when he couldn't sink a 
wide-open three-pointer.

"I wouldn't expect him to get rattled out there," Robinson said. 
"He's played a lot of international basketball. He's played in 
games where it's more football than basketball."

Jesus Benitez, a reporter from Madrid, was able to interview 
Sabonis after the game. It was Sabonis' first words to the media 
since the press conference to announce his signing.

"For a long time, I have not been in this situation," Sabonis 
told Benitez. "I was a little nervous, but I am really happy."

Nine years after the Blazers drafted him, he finally was able to 
put on that Portland uniform and say he played in the NBA, even 
if it was against an expansion team.

"I waited so long," Sabonis said.