Trail Blazers use 2nd-half charge to top Pacers 103-93
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Zach Collins matched his career high with 17 points and C.J. McCollum also had 17 to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 103-93 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.
The Blazers have won three straight in the series and eight of the last nine against the Pacers.
Indiana was led by Victor Oladipo with 21 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Darren Collison had 17 points in the Pacers’ first home loss of the season.
It was an odd game.
Oladipo and All-Star guard Damian Lillard both were held scoreless until well into the second quarter and the Pacers appeared to be cruising early in the second half when they took a 57-49 lead.
But the Trail Blazers charged back quickly by scoring five straight points, retook during a 10-2 run and extended their 71-69 lead by starting the fourth quarter on an 8-2 run.
Indiana didn’t get closer than five the rest of the way.
Former Purdue star Caleb Swanigan recorded his first career double-double with 10 points and a career high 11 rebounds.
Thaddeus Young added 16 points for Indiana.
TIP-INS
Trail Blazers: Lillard finished with 16 points after failing to score until 1.7 seconds left in the first half. … Evan Turner, who once played for Indiana, had 13 points. … Portland committed 18 turnovers, a season-worst in regulation and finished more than 19 points short of their season but was 17 of 18 from the free-throw line and had a 50-35 rebounding edge. … The Blazers drew four offensive foul calls in the first six minutes of the game.
Pacers: Their free-throw shooting woes continued as the Pacers went 13 of 20 from the line and were 6 of 19 on 3-pointers. … Turner had 10. … Darren Collison had 17 points and was 0 for 1 on 3s after winning the league’s 3-point percentage title last season. He was shooting 36.4 percent from beyond the arc entering the game. … Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri received a blue No. 4 jersey between the first and second quarters in honor of becoming the NFL’s career scoring leader Sunday.
UP NEXT
Trail Blazers: Visit Houston on Tuesday, trying to snap a four-game losing streak in the series.
Pacers: Hope to snap a three-game losing streak at Madison Square Garden when they face the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
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