PREMIUM
Rogers' NBA Late Show >> MASSIVE 25-9 (74%) NBA Run!
(NBA) Indiana vs. Portland,
Point Spread: 7.50 | -110.00 Indiana (Away)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: 7.50 | -110.00 Indiana (Away)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The 9-9 Indiana Pacers capped a four-game homestand by scoring 118 points in a rout of the Nets and then shocked the Clippers 91-70 in a defensive gem (Clippers were held to 31.4% shooting, including 4 of 24 on threes). They now open a five-game road trip in Portland, which won't end until Dec. 9 in Dallas. The 9-10 Portland Trail Blazers will be taking the court off a 130-114 drubbing by the Houston Rockets on Sunday.
Indiana: The Pacers' back-to-back recent home wins were achieved without the services of star forward Paul George (20.8-6.9-3.5), who has missed six of the past seven games and will also sit out Wednesday's contest with ankle and back injuries. The two wins were encouraging to veterans like PG Jeff Teague (14.7 & 7.6 APG) and backup center Al Jefferson (7.0 & 4.4). "For us to be shorthanded and they had their full team, we go out there and do what we did (Sunday), that shows a lot," Jefferson told reporters. "Like I told my teammates, we showed we can do it now, so we can't take a step back. We've got to keep going."
Portland: The Rockets scorched the Blazers with 56.1 percent shooting, including 47.2 percent (17 for 36) from three-point range. Portland owns the worst defensive efficiency rating in the NBA (109.80) and is giving up more points (113.7) than any team in the league other than Brooklyn (114.0). The Blazers are tired of talking about getting better at the defensive end. "We keep preaching it, but it's getting old," guard Allen Crabbe said. "At some point, it has to click. We keep telling ourselves we have to get better, but at some point, we have to get it going." Lillard (28.2) and McCollum (22.3) are the second-highest scoring duo in the NBA (next to Durant and Curry) but the team must improve defensively.
The pick: The Blazers are one of the better offensive teams in the NBA (rank 3rd at 109.7 PPG) but they have trouble stopping anybody. Cleveland blitzed them for 137 points, Golden State for 127, Houston for 126 and 130, even Phoenix for 121. "We talked about not taking steps back," head coach Nate McMillan said. "We've played some good games, and then you can't recognize the team the next game. We need to build some momentum at this point in the season." I'm not buying into that and I'm taking the points and making the Pacers an 8* play.
Indiana: The Pacers' back-to-back recent home wins were achieved without the services of star forward Paul George (20.8-6.9-3.5), who has missed six of the past seven games and will also sit out Wednesday's contest with ankle and back injuries. The two wins were encouraging to veterans like PG Jeff Teague (14.7 & 7.6 APG) and backup center Al Jefferson (7.0 & 4.4). "For us to be shorthanded and they had their full team, we go out there and do what we did (Sunday), that shows a lot," Jefferson told reporters. "Like I told my teammates, we showed we can do it now, so we can't take a step back. We've got to keep going."
Portland: The Rockets scorched the Blazers with 56.1 percent shooting, including 47.2 percent (17 for 36) from three-point range. Portland owns the worst defensive efficiency rating in the NBA (109.80) and is giving up more points (113.7) than any team in the league other than Brooklyn (114.0). The Blazers are tired of talking about getting better at the defensive end. "We keep preaching it, but it's getting old," guard Allen Crabbe said. "At some point, it has to click. We keep telling ourselves we have to get better, but at some point, we have to get it going." Lillard (28.2) and McCollum (22.3) are the second-highest scoring duo in the NBA (next to Durant and Curry) but the team must improve defensively.
The pick: The Blazers are one of the better offensive teams in the NBA (rank 3rd at 109.7 PPG) but they have trouble stopping anybody. Cleveland blitzed them for 137 points, Golden State for 127, Houston for 126 and 130, even Phoenix for 121. "We talked about not taking steps back," head coach Nate McMillan said. "We've played some good games, and then you can't recognize the team the next game. We need to build some momentum at this point in the season." I'm not buying into that and I'm taking the points and making the Pacers an 8* play.
