Post by DiamondThief on Dec 3, 2014 15:13:32 GMT -8
Indiana Pacers at Portland Trail Blazers
What: The Pacers make their only appearance of the season in the Rose City to take on the Blazers.
When: Thursday, Dec. 4, 7 p.m.
Pacers Media: TV - FSI; Radio - 1070 The Fan
Blazers Media: TV - CSNNW; Radio - Rip City Radio 620 AM.
Note: The teams will play both games in their season series within a 10-day span.
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The Pacers (7-11, 3-6 on the road) are coming off a 116-99 road loss to the Suns on Dec. 2. They are lead by forward Chris Copeland, guard Donald Sloan and center Roy Hibbert, power forward Zach Randolph and point guard Mike Conley. The Grizzlies are averaging 93.7 (23rd in the NBA) and giving up 96.4 (sixth). The Blazers (14-4, 9-2 at home) are coming off a 105-103 road win over the Nuggets on Dec. 2. They are led by power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, and guards Damian Lillard and Wesley Matthews. The Blazers are averaging 104.3 points (sixth) and giving up 96.6 (eighth).
Blazers' Robin Lopez; Pacers' Roy Hibbert
Indiana Pacers
PROJECTED STARTERS
SF - 44 Solomon Hill
PF - 21 David West
C - 55 Roy Hibbert
SG - 2 Rodney Stuckey
PG - 15 Donald Sloan
RESERVES
G - 0 C.J. Miles; 32 C.J. Watson
F - 5 Lavoy Allen; 22 Chris Copeland; 9 Damjan Rudez; 4 Luis Scola
C - 28 Ian Mahinmi; 42 Shayne Whittington
INJURY REPORT
G - 3 George Hill (knee) - out
F - 13 Paul George (leg) - out
HEAD COACH
Frank Vogel
STATISTICAL LEADERS (per game)
Points - David West 14.0
Rebounds - Roy Hibbert 8.0
Assists - Donald Sloan 5.0
Blocks - Hibbert 2.7
Steals - George Hill 0.9
FG - Luis Scola 48.6%
FT - Rodney Stuckey 83.7%
3PT - Chris Copeland 35.2%
Portland Trail Blazers
PROJECTED STARTERS
SF - 88 Nicolas Batum
PF - 12 LaMarcus Aldridge
C - 42 Robin Lopez
SG - 2 Wesley Matthews
PG - 0 Damian Lillard
RESERVES
G - 5 Will Barton; 25 Steve Blake; 23 Allen Crabbe
F - 18 Victor Claver; 41 Thomas Robinson
C - 19 Joel Freeland; 35 Chris Kaman; 11 Meyers Leonard
INJURY REPORT
G - 5 Will Barton (gastritis) - probable
G - 3 CJ McCollum (fractured finger) - out
F - 1 - Dorell Wright (upper respiratory illness) - out
HEAD COACH
Terry Stotts
STATISTICAL LEADERS (per game)
Points - LaMarcus Aldridge 22.4
Rebounds - LaMarcus Aldridge 9.6
Assists - Damian Lillard 6.7
Blocks - Robin Lopez 1.7
Steals - Damian Lillard 1.4
FG - Robin Lopez 55.0%
FT - Damian Lillard 88.6
3PT - Meyers Leonard 57.1
Angi's Take
The teams split the season series last year, with each team winning on its own court. The Pacers are desperately missing Paul George, who fractured his tibia and fibula during the U.S.A. team activities over the summer, and is likely out for the season. While the team does have some talent, there is a level of dysfunction as to how to best use it. West has played in just three games, but leads the team in scoring. A couple of years ago, Hibbert was considered one of the best three centers in the league. Since then, he has dropped off and is averaging just 8 rebounds a game. Sloan is an emerging point guard and Stuckey is barely serviceable in place of George. Miles, Scola and Copeland are solid backups. The Blazers come in having won 11 of their last 12 games. Aldridge scored a season-high 39 points and grabbed 11 rebounds Tuesday night at Denver, pretty much carrying the Blazers for much of the game. Batum dished out a season-high 13 assists. Lillard is a threat to go off at any point during a game, while Matthews can provide a scoring punch and lockdown defense. Lopez and Freeland are called upon to do the dirty work, while Kaman and Blake lead a much-improved second unit (Blake scored a season-high 12 points against the Nuggets). This is the final home game before the Blazers head out on a five-game road trip. They play nine of their next 12 on the road so getting a win here would be a great send off. The Blazers should be able to win this if they make the Pacers work for their shots and control the boards. Matchup to watch: David West vs. LaMarcus Aldridge.
Officials
Scott Foster, Curtis Blair, Leroy Richardson
Quotable
Pacers coach Frank Vogel on his team's loss to the Suns: "Their starters outplayed our starters today, in the first half and the second half and to start the third quarter and build the lead back up. Our bench came in and outplayed their bench again and that closed the gap a little bit but their two guards just got going and we turned the ball over too much in the second half."
Blazers coach Terry Stotts on Aldridge vs. the Nuggets: "He had a full game in the first half. His stroke was going really well and I think the fact we had so many threes the last time and they were doubling him, they wanted to play him straight this time. So he carried us, not only with his jump shot, but then late going to the post, getting to the free throw line. He was good all night."
Featured Tweets
Extra
The preview of this game on the Pacers' website calls Aldridge "arguably the best power forward in the NBA today." The L-Train scored a league-best 39 points against the Nuggets on Tuesday.
Match-Up Meme
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Graphic courtesy of David.
