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--> --> Cheeks leaning toward starting Brunson TUALATIN (AP) - Portland Trail Blazers coach Maurice Cheeks said he is leaning toward starting Rick Brunson at point guard instead of Damon Stoudamire against Indiana on Tuesday night, but the coach continues to wrangle with the most vexing choice of his debut season. When asked by a reporter who would start against the Pacers, Cheeks said he didn't know yet, but indicated that Brunson would make his second straight start. "That's the way I'm looking right now," Cheeks said, but added: "You never know. It might change." Brunson played the first 8:11 of Friday night's 97-90 win over Denver before Stoudamire came in and provided an immediate spark. He finished with 10 points, nine assists and seven turnovers in 28 turnover-free minutes. "I still consider him the starting point guard, whether he's starting at this particular time or not," reserve forward Shawn Kemp said. "He's the best point guard that we have here on this team, and as long as he's able to prove that in practice every day, then the players will still stay behind him." Injuries have slowed the team to a 7-7 start, but Cheeks said he expected Bonzi Wells to be back in the starting lineup at small forward against the Pacers. Wells, who has come back from a torn ligament in his left knee to become the Blazers' leading scorer at 20.5 points per game, sat out Friday night with a sore right knee. Derek Anderson, who has been bothered by a sprained ankle all season, will start at shooting guard, but he missed his second straight practice Monday. "I'm just going to give my team the best I can," he said. Anderson scored 17 points in the season-opening loss to the Lakers, but left midway through the third quarter after twisting his right ankle. He missed the next three games but has averaged 16.1 points in his last 10. Anderson missed 10 of his 13 shots against the Nuggets, however, and says the ankle has consistently troubled him. "One day it's tender, the next day it's good," he said. Finally, Scottie Pippen shot baskets on the side Monday but did not take part in full-court drills for the second straight practice. He said Sunday that X-rays revealed damaged cartilage in his right knee, and even though the swelling has gone down, he might need surgery. Pippen was hurt in a loss to the Knicks on Nov. 12 and has missed the past five games. Before the season, Cheeks was asked several times whether he might have too many talented players on his roster. He said it was a nice problem to have, even though the same kind of gridlock resulted in jealousy and bitterness among several players last year. Now, Cheeks is relying on everyone who can suit up. "All I keep hearing is that we have a ton of players. Everybody wants to play; (I'm) trying to find all these minutes for all these players," Cheeks said. "It's fortunate for us that we've had players that will be able to step in and play, or else our record would be a lot worse than what it is. "Everybody that we have on our roster, we've needed." Stoudamire, Pippen, Erick Barkley and Brunson all have started at point guard, and the Blazers have had all of their key players available for only two games - at Indiana and Detroit on Nov. 10-11. With Pippen playing the point, Stoudamire - who had just come back from missing two games with his own injured right knee - played a total of 36 minutes and scored just five points in those games. Two days later, the team placed him on the injured list at his request. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing