Lillard guides Blazers to 123-111 win over the Pacers
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Damian Lillard had 26 points and backcourt partner CJ McCollum added 21, and the Portland Trail Blazers snapped Indiana's six-game winning streak with a 123-111 victory Thursday night.
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 12 rebounds for the Blazers, who had a season-high 18 3-pointers in their seventh-straight victory at home against the Pacers.
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C.J. Miles had 27 points, including eight 3-pointers, for the Pacers who were 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 quarter, the Pacers narrowed it to 105-103 midway through the final quarter. Lillard and Allen 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. Another 3-pointer from Lillard appeared to seal it, but it didn't count because of a shot-clock violation. Al-Farouq Aminu hit one for the final margin.
Paul George of the Pacers was cold, hitting four of 17 from the field for 11 points, with nine missed 3-point attempts. George had 30 or more points in each of his previous four games.
Earlier in the day George was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month. He averaged 27.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists in the first month of the season. It was the second time he's won the honor.
The Pacers jumped to a 10-0 lead and then pushed it to 28-16 on Jordan Hill's short jumper. The Blazers closed to 31-28 by the end of the first quarter.
McCollum's 3-pointer tied the game at 33 but Portland couldn't pull ahead, and then Lillard's 3-pointer tied it again at 54, and again Indiana answered to lead 59-56 at halftime. Hill led all scorers with 13, while Lillard and McCollum had 12 each.
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.
Portland was coming off a disheartening loss to Dallas on Tuesday night that saw the team lose a 7-point lead with 1:43 left in regulation and fall 115-112 in overtime.
TIP-INS
Pacers: Monta Ellis left for the locker room early in the second half. The Pacers later said he had a right shoulder contusion. He did not return.
Trail Blazers: It was the first meeting of the season between the teams. The Blazers won both meetings last season.
UP NEXT
The Pacers visit Utah on Saturday.
The Trail Blazers visit Minnesota on Saturday.
