The Sabas Network: Ink and words and text...

The Sabas Network
http://www.sabonis.com

Arvydas Sabonis Articles.
Click on one of the following years.

home | pre-nba | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001

For veteran Sabonis, Familiarity breeds contentment.

by Jason Quick | The Oregonian | March 4, 2001

"It's difficult, you know. My knees are sore. But I think one year of normal play, two maybe." ARVYDAS SABONIS, ON HIS FUTURE

Trail Blazers center Arvydas Sabonis, who will be a free agent after the season, says he knows exactly which team he wants to sign his next contract with:

The Blazers.

"Why change?" Sabonis said. "This is a good team. I have good house. I'm secure here. There are good people around, everybody knows me, I know everyone. And I'm at age where change is bad."

Sabonis, who turned 36 in December, is in his sixth season with the Blazers and it is uncertain whether they will re-sign him. After the Blazers traded Jermaine O'Neal last summer, there is no heir apparent to Sabonis, though Dale Davis could move from his preferred power forward position to center.

Sabonis, who missed the first eight games this season recovering from surgery on his left knee, then missed three more games with a left knee sprain, said his body can still withstand another season. How many, he does not know.

"It's difficult, you know. My knees are sore," Sabonis said, patting his left knee. "But I think one year of normal play, two maybe. But it's difficult to say."

Coach Mike Dunleavy has tried to limit Sabonis to 22 to 24 minutes per game in hopes of keeping him fresh for the playoffs. Sabonis has missed 14 games because of injuries, and there were times when his body did not respond well to back-to-back games. But lately, Sabonis has had no troubles. In last week's back-to-back games in Houston and San Antonio, he played 25 and 23 minutes.

When asked about his knees, Sabonis grinned slightly. "They are like time outside: when sunshine good, when rain bad," he said. "No, I'm kidding you. Now that there's a month or so to go, you don't think about back-to-back games. You just play."

There is at least one scenario that could keep Sabonis from re-signing with the Blazers: If Portland wins the NBA championship, Sabonis said he will consider retiring.

"This is very good team now. There are so many people who are legends here," Sabonis said. "Every name is somebody in basketball. Everybody. I think a ring would be deserved for many players on our team. There are a lot of guys who have given a lot to basketball. And now we are all together, and we have a chance to win it. I think many people would be happy, and that many players feel it's their last chance."

Sabonis said he knows the list of big names might get even longer if the rumors are true that Rod Strickland will join the team on Monday. Sabonis' first season as a Blazer, 1995-96, was Strickland's last season in Portland. Sabonis is the only Blazer who played alongside Strickland in Portland.

"A good player. He pass that ball very good, you know," Sabonis said. "He play good inside game. He just plays. If he comes, he help our team much."

Sabonis said when he does retire, he will return to his native Lithuania.

"I love my country. For many years I have been away from my country -- 12 years," Sabonis said. "I want to go back and live a normal life. I want to see my mother and father and brothers, and not just talk on phone or see them a few times in summer."

But for now, Sabonis has his mind on Portland. He is one of the most important pieces of the championship puzzle because centers with his size (7-foot-3, 292 pounds) and versatility are rare. Not only can he score and defend inside, but he can draw the opposing center away from the key because he is a good perimeter shooter. On Thursday, he made 10 of 17 shots against the Los Angeles Clippers -- most of them from the outside -- and tied his season high with 23 points.

After the game, Clippers coach Alvin Gentry could not stop praising Sabonis and said he would have hated to coach against Sabonis in his prime, when he played for the Soviet Union. Sabonis led the Soviets to the gold medal in the 1988 Olympics, which included an 82-76 win over the United States in the semifinals.

"I'm older now," Sabonis said. "At that time I was skinny, light, running. But now I've had injuries and I don't know how many minutes I can play. And now that I'm older I'm playing more defense and shooting outside shots. Not as many hooks."

Sabonis has played much of this season while trying to help his wife through alcohol treatment after she was convicted of two DUI's. Sabonis would not say if it has affected his play.

"Look, this is personal thing," he said. "That's my family. It's not in the business of basketball."

Sabonis has not played as if it has hurt him. Entering Saturday's game against Golden State, Sabonis was averaging 10.5 points while playing 22 minutes.

"Like team play, I play too," Sabonis said. "Sometimes better, sometimes worse."

Sabonis said he does not want his statement about possible retirement blown out of proportion.

"I want to win it all," he said. "I would have to think afterward. Right now, all I think about is winning more games to get home-court advantage. Then, we do our business in playoffs. I don't have time to think about the future."

What's New | Career | Images | Articles | Club | Shop | Misc. | Contact