Lockout At Right Time For Musselman

The Trail Blazers have been on a youth movement in recent years, 
but nothing like this.

Max Taylor Musselman, the team's latest addition, arrived on Sept. 
28. He has a long-term contract as the first child of assistant 
coach Bill Musselman, 58, and his wife, Julie.

Musselman's daughter and other son are grown. Eric, 33, is an 
assistant coach with the Orlando Magic. Nicole, 27, lives in Dallas. 
Musselman talks to them on the phone almost daily. He and Eric often 
discuss basketball for hours.

"I was apprehensive about having another kid," Musselman said, "but 
I just love him. There's nothing like kids."

Considering everything, "having him doesn't make me feel young or 
old," Musselman said.

A little busier, yes. And thankful, in a way, for the NBA lockout. 
It has given Musselman more time to bond with his new son, whom he 
describes as "easy going, always smiling."

"The lockout has come at the right time. I'm getting a little bit of 
rest, anyway," Musselman said.

Not that Musselman and the Blazers' other coaches haven't been 
working. He recently returned from scouting visits to Indiana, 
Xavier, Texas, Texas Christian and a handful of Continental 
Basketball Association sites. The longer the lockout goes, the more 
trips he will take.

It might be awhile before Musselman has enough time to show off Max 
to his big brother and sister.

Eric has one child, 2-year-old Michael.

"My son and my brother are going to kind of grow up together," Eric 
said. "And down the road, I imagine I could be part brother and part 
father figure to Max."

Others around the league also are curious to see Musselman and his 
new offspring.

"When I told (Orlando coach) Chuck Daly (age 68) about Max, Chuck 
said, 'Tell your dad he is my new hero,' " Eric Musselman said. 

ON HIS TOES:

Arvydas Sabonis is getting ready to play for Lithuania on Wednesday 
in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Saturday at home against the Netherlands, and 
Dec. 2 in Estonia.

The Blazers naturally are concerned about the possibility of injury, 
according to Sabonis' agent, Herb Rudoy.

"The Blazers can't do anything about it because Sabonis is a free 
agent. And they understand his patriotism," Rudoy said.

Not all of Sabonis' injuries have come on the court, anyhow. This 
summer, for example, he reportedly broke three toes playing soccer 
in Lithuania with his brother, Andrius. The injury took place when 
the two kicked the ball simultaneously.

Sabonis, who will be 34 on Dec. 19, scored a team-high 24 points and 
had six rebounds in 31 minutes Saturday as Lithuania won an 
exhibition game at home 91-56 over the Ukraine.

"He is in great shape. He looks perfect. He is programmed to be 
playing in November," said Sarunas Marciulionis, a former Lithuanian 
teammate and NBA guard who is helping coach the team.

Sabonis told Lithuanian media: "I'm bored. I just want to play 
basketball." Marciulionis said the main reason Sabonis is back with 
the national team is because "he is Lithuanian" and the team needs 
him to keep alive its bid for a berth in the 2000 Olympics. Star 
forward Arturas Karnishovas, formerly of Seton Hall, probably will 
miss all three games because of a sprained ankle.

Said Algimantas Pavilonis, president of the Lithuanian Basketball 
Federation: "Only one thing can stop Sabonis, and it's the end of 
the lockout. In this case, he'll have to return to Portland in 48 
hours." 

THIS AND THAT:

Sports Business Journal ranked 94 North American stadiums and arenas on
concession prices and had the Rose Garden at No. 72. Only eight NBA arenas
had lower prices, according to the magazine. The Rose Garden's $1 hot dogs
were the cheapest anywhere except the Skydome in Toronto, where a hot dog
costs $1 Canadian, or about 75 cents U.S. . . . During halftime of the
University of North Carolina's season opener, Rasheed Wallace and Jerry
Stackhouse became the 28th and 29th players to have their jerseys honored
by the Tar Heels. Only six North Carolina players have had their jerseys
retired.