Trail Blazers’ Rider Suspended Again

The Portland Trail Blazers suspended Isaiah Rider for Thursday night’s game against Vancouver, the second one-game suspension for the troubled guard this season.

The suspension follows Rider’s decision to leave Tuesday’s shootaround early and his refusal to take part in Wednesday’s practice.

Rider said Thursday that he had a lengthy talk with Coach P.J. Carlesimo on Wednesday night and that he considered it “a brand-new day and now I’ve got to start all over again.”

Rider was suspended for the season opener Nov. 1 after he failed to show up for the team’s final exhibition game. The same week, Rider was arrested on a marijuana possession charge.

Rider has averaged 13.4 points and 4.5 rebounds this season.

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Michael Jordan says Dennis Rodman’s off-the-court activities are detracting from what should be his primary job--helping the Chicago Bulls repeat as NBA champions.

“He’s taken on a lot,” Jordan said. “Maybe it’s too much for him, too time consuming.”

Rodman has a new cable television show, a movie coming out in April and a commitment to write two books in 1997.

“He can’t be successful off the court unless he’s successful on the court,” Jordan said. “That’s one golden rule.”

Rodman, serving the second game of a two-game suspension because of a profanity-filled TV interview last weekend, won’t play tonight at New Jersey, but will return Saturday against the Charlotte Hornets.

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Philadelphia 76er rookie guard Allen Iverson will sit out at least the next two games to rest a persistently sore left shoulder. . . . The Seattle SuperSonics activated guard Nate McMillan and put forward-center Antonio Harvey on the injured list. . . . Spud Webb, a 5-foot-7 guard who played for the Minnesota Timberwolves last season, agreed to terms with the Italian first division club Mash Verona. Terms were not disclosed.