Lillard, Blazers stop Pacers' 6-game winning streak, 123-111
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) The Blazers weren't going to let this one slip away down the stretch.
Damian Lillard had 26 points and backcourt partner CJ McCollum added 21, and Portland snapped Indiana's six-game winning streak with a 123-111 victory Thursday night.
''To be put in a situation like we were, where the game could have gotten away from us, and against a really good team, it was a good win for us,'' Lillard said. ''We did a lot of good things down the stretch. We've done it in games before, and then we went right back to not doing it. So I think now we've got to be consistent at it.''
The loss snapped the Pacers' four-game road winning streak. The Pacers haven't won five straight on the road since the final five road games of 2011-12.
Mason Plumlee added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Blazers, who had a season-high 18 3-pointers in their seventh straight victory at home against the Pacers. Allen Crabbe had a career-high 18 points, sparking Portland off the bench with 11 points in the fourth quarter alone.
Portland was coming off a disheartening loss to Dallas on Tuesday night that saw the team squander a seven-point lead with 1:43 left in regulation and fall 115-112 in overtime.
C.J. Miles had 27 points, including eight 3-pointers, for the Pacers. Indiana was playing the second of a back-to-back after beating the Clippers 103-91 in Los Angeles a night earlier.
After the Blazers led by as many as 11 points in the third, the Pacers narrowed it to 105-103 midway through the final quarter. Lillard and Crabbe hit consecutive 3s for Portland, but Miles hit his own to close the gap to 111-107.
Plumlee's dunk extended Portland's lead to 120-111 and Al-Farouq Aminu hit a 3 for the final margin.
Paul George hit just four of 17 from the floor for 11 points for Indiana, with nine missed 3-point attempts. He had 30 or more points in each of his previous four games.
Earlier in the day, George won the Eastern Conference Player of the Month award. He averaged 27.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists in the first month of the season.
''Coming in I felt a little sluggish,'' George said. ''It's just rough coming in late and trying to get your sleeping schedule right, but that's not an excuse. I've got to do better.''
The Pacers jumped to a 10-0 lead and then pushed it to 28-16 on Jordan Hill's short jumper.
McCollum's 3-pointer tied the game at 33 but Portland couldn't pull ahead, and when Lillard's 3 tied it again at 54, Indiana answered to lead 59-56 at halftime.
McCollum's jumper gave the Blazers their first lead at 60-59, and they gained more momentum when Lillard's 3-pointer put them ahead 74-71. Meyers Leonard's 3 stretched the lead to 86-97.
The Pacers got a scare late in the quarter when George crumpled to the court after a collision with Aminu. A trainer was looking at his right knee on the bench.
TIP-INS
Pacers: Monta Ellis left for the locker room early in the second half. The Pacers later said he got kneed in the back. He did not return and afterward coach Frank Vogel called him day-to-day.
Trail Blazers: It was the first meeting of the season between the teams. The Blazers won both meetings last season. ... Portland's 123 points were the most they've scored this season.
STOPPING GEORGE
The Blazers made a concerted effort to shut down George, who went into the game ranking second in the league for total 3-pointers with 56. That was on top of his run of 30-point games. His 11 points against the Blazers were a season-low.
''He was player of the month, been getting 30 on everybody so we knew that it wasn't going to be one guy to go out there and stop him,'' Lillard said.
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
George said there's a reason Portland has won seven at home against Indiana.
''They play well here. This is a team that plays well at home. They're always up and ready to play against us. It's a tough place to win. We know that every year we play here it's gonna be a rough one.''
UP NEXT
The Pacers visit Utah on Saturday.
The Trail Blazers visit Minnesota on Saturday.
