Pacers at Trail Blazers
The surging Indiana Pacers have already clinched a winning record on their current five-game road trip and they've won seven of their last eight overall. The Pacers will try to finish the trip with another victory before playing seven of their next eight at home when they visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.
Behind 33 points from T.J. Warren and 24 on 9-of-10 shooting from Doug McDermott, the Pacers rolled to a 129-118 win at Golden State on Friday, improving to 3-1 on the trip. Domantas Sabonis chipped in 16 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists while foiling the Warriors' gameplan on the defensive end. "We just needed to be patient, space the floor and get the ball out. Domas did a really good job in the post," Indiana coach Nate McMillan told reporters. "When they sent the double-team he did a good job getting that ball out and our guys on the weak side were able to knock down shots." The Trail Blazers could be exploited in a similar fashion after giving up 22 3-pointers in a 133-125 loss to Dallas at home Thursday night, their third setback in the last four games.
TIME: 9 p.m. ET. TV: NBA TV, FS Indiana, NBCS Northwest
ABOUT THE PACERS (30-16): Sabonis has seen statistical improvements in several categories, but it is his jump from 2.9 to 4.4 assists per game that has made such a difference in Indiana's attack. "It's great to have a player like that because Domas has really great vision and he's always looking to pass," McDermott told reporters. "He's a very unselfish player, so he's fun to play with. He sets screens and it's really a shooter's dream." McDermott has been benefiting from the team's solid ball movement of late, averaging 17 points in 23.5 minutes off the bench during the road trip while making 16-of-25 3-pointers.
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (19-27): Damian Lillard is doing his best to keep Portland in games amid the team's defensive issues, producing 108 points over his last two games while knocking down 19 3-pointers. "What an amazing player," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle told reporters after Lillard followed up a 61-point effort against the Warriors with 47 in Thursday's matchup. "He's virtually impossible to stop. He's got an iron will. He's obviously a great leader. When he's on the floor they're hard to beat no matter what." Lillard's backcourt mate, CJ McCollum, has missed three straight games with a sprained ankle.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Blazers SF Trevor Ariza scored 21 points Thursday in his first game with the team after being acquired in a trade with Sacramento.
2. Pacers PG Malcolm Brogdon (concussion protocol) missed Friday's game and is day-to-day.
3. Portland swept two meetings last season and won 10 in a row at home against Indiana, a streak that dates back to Nov. 28, 2007.