Trail Blazers at Pacers
The Portland Trail Blazers lit up the Indians Pacers from the outside in their first meeting this season and look to pile up the points again when the teams square off Sunday in Indianapolis. The Trail Blazers hit 18 3-pointers - a record for a Pacers' opponent - in 36 attempts en route to a 123-111 victory at home Dec. 3.
Portland went 7-12 after that win to fall seven games below .500, but has won 12 of its last 14 after opening a six-game road trip with a 103-95 victory over Chicago on Saturday. Damian Lillard, who had five triples in that previous encounter with the Pacers, scored 31 points as the Blazers won their fourth in a row on the road. Indiana is 1-1 on a three-game homestand after suffering a 96-95 loss to Charlotte, which got a basket from Kemba Walker with 2.4 seconds left to nullify the Pacers' comeback. Indiana would love to pick up a victory before it plays six of seven on the road, with the home game against powerhouse San Antonio.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, CSN Northwest (Portland), FSN Indiana
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (31-28): Portland's win in Chicago was even more impressive given the dismal shooting effort of C.J. McCollum, who was 1-of-12 from the floor and missed all five of his 3-point tries while scoring a season-low six points. Allen Crabbe picked up some of the slack with 11 points off the bench and will be watched closely by the Pacers after hitting 4-of-5 3-pointers in the win over Indiana earlier this season. The Blazers got past the Bulls on the strength of a 22-10 disparity in made free throws, and Lillard has hit 29 in a row over his last three games.
ABOUT THE PACERS (31-27): Rodney Stuckey returned after more than a month off Friday to contribute four points, five rebounds and a steal in 12 minutes and will have his minutes capped at 15 on Sunday. While he works his way back into the rotation, forward C.J. Miles is nearing a return from a calf strain, although he is expected to miss his fourth straight game Sunday. Their ailments have helped to open a door for 19-year-old rookie Myles Turner, who has scored in double digits in nine straight games while shooting 50 percent or better in eight of them.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Lillard has scored 30-plus points in six of his last seven contests.
2. Pacers SF Paul George has made at least 10 field goals in three straight games, tied for the longest such run of his career.
3. Portland is 5-1 in its last six games against Indiana.