Blazers’ Road Trip Puts Rider On Hot Seat

The first extended road trip for the Portland Trail Blazers should get off to a rousing start tonight in Minnesota, where Isaiah Rider could be in for a rude return.

Rider had some unflattering comments about his former teammates after he was traded to the Blazers this year, insinuating that the Timberwolves were satisfied with losing.

Some Minnesota players responded by saying Rider was a big part of the problem, and that the Timberwolves were well rid of him.

Rider’s problems since he arrived in Portland - failing to show up for an exhibition game and being cited for possession of marijuana - only adds to the fuel to his incendiary “homecoming.”

Rider says the more hostile attention he gets Tuesday night, the better.

“We’ve got a lot of people on our team who can play good ball and do a lot of things, so I won’t be the focal point,” Rider said. “They can stop me. I don’t care. Kenny (Anderson) can get 20 and Rasheed (Wallace) can get 20 and Cliff (Robinson) can get 20, and we win the game. So if you want to concentrate on me, it doesn’t matter at all.”

And when he’s showered with boos from the Target Center crowd, Rider said, “that just causes adrenalin rather than discomfort or anything like that.”

Rider already has had one game against Minnesota. Last Thursday, he was held to nine points and was benched by coach P.J. Carlesimo down the stretch as the Blazers beat the Timberwolves in Portland 94-93 on a desperation basket by Anderson at the buzzer.

Rider insisted after the game that he wasn’t upset about his minimal playing time, because the team won.

After he scored a season-high 23 in Portland’s 94-81 victory over San Antonio Sunday night, Rider said he’d accept another low-scoring game in Minneapolis.

“I’m not caught up in that Minnesota stuff,” Rider said. “We’re the better team. We’re going to go further in the playoffs. That’s the bottom line to me and that’s the ultimate satisfaction.”

The trip also includes stops in Cleveland Wednesday, New Jersey Friday and Indiana Sunday. Given the erratic nature of Portland’s play, the Blazers could win all four or lose all four, Carlesimo said.