Player of the game: Bonzi Wells, Portland's swingman, featured his jump shot to finish with 27 points on 13-for-18 shooting. He added nine rebounds and four assists.

Top reserve: Ruben Patterson reminded the Sonics ? as if they needed it ? of his contributions like last night's: 19 points (on 7-for-11 shooting), four rebounds and several floor burns.

Key to the game: Portland shredded Seattle's defense starting at the opening tipoff. The Blazers shot 64.9 percent in the first half, and barely cooled off to finish at 55.6 percent.

Dunk of the game: Vladimir Radmanovic took an outlet from Gary Payton, with Patterson on his heels. Any thoughts of a block vanished when Radmanovic surprised Patterson with a reverse dunk.

Next: Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. vs. the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center. PORTLAND ? Ruben Patterson hugged Gary Payton and received hearty greetings from several former Sonics teammates after the Trail Blazers' shootaround yesterday. The exchange with Payton indicates Patterson's outlook on his decision to leave Seattle last summer.

Although Patterson had spats with Payton last season and publicly criticized his leadership, Patterson said before the game he enjoyed and learned from the experience with his former teammate.

"I had two wonderful years in Seattle but I'm in Portland now," said Patterson, who entered yesterday's game averaging 12.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 26.9 minutes. "I saw the guys in the weight room. I hugged them and joked with them. We're still good friends. It's nothing personal. But when we play basketball, we're not going to be friends until it's over."

Patterson remains the same scraped-knees-for-a-loose-ball player, whose energy alters games. But he now seems more willing to accept a reserve role.

"I think he respects Scottie (Pippen) a lot," said Portland Coach Maurice Cheeks, "and wanted Scottie to start and he was going to come in and get his minutes."

Patterson left the Sonics after becoming a free agent last summer. The impetus was a conviction for third-degree attempted rape after a modified guilty plea.

Patterson says he has no regrets about the move.

"It's been good for me," Patterson said of his experience in Portland. "People here, the fans, love me. Everybody loves me. ... I don't knock anything that happened in Seattle. Seattle was a great city for me and my family. And coming here was a great situation for me."

McMillan can empathize

Nate McMillan doesn't plan to quit anything time soon. But the Sonics' coach says he can empathize with Jeff Van Gundy, who stunned the NBA yesterday by resigning as coach of the New York Knicks.

"As a head coach, you're always thinking that way," McMillan said of impending retirement. "Do you want to continue to deal with the amount of pressure that you put on yourself to be successful?

"You have to look at your family situation and how they are handling things, and the direction of the club. I definitely can understand how he feels, and his thoughts."

Notes

? Desmond Mason will participate in practice today for the first time since bruising his right knee last week. But Mason will be limited to shooting only.

? Jerome James (sprained right foot) will have a non-contact workout with the team tomorrow.