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| PACERS | vs. | BLAZERS |
 J. Tinsley |
Point Guard |
 S. Blake |
 D. Granger |
Shooting Guard |
 B. Roy |
 M. Dunleavy |
Small Forward |
 M. Webster |
 T. Murphy |
Power Forward |
 L. Aldridge |
 J. Foster |
Center |  J. Przybilla |
 M. Daniels |
Sixth Man |
 T. Outlaw |
 J. O'Brien |
Coach |  N. McMillan |
Pacers hope to extend Portland success
Tonight 10 p.m., road TV: FSN-Indiana Radio: WIBC 1070-AM |
When the schedule was first released, the Pacers' first trip to Portland had the look of a family reunion. Tonight's matchup, however, has lost most of that particular luster.
For Portland, Indianapolis native and No. 1 overall pick Greg Oden is out for the season with a knee injury. Fellow local prep star Josh McRoberts has been nailed to the end of the bench. Popular former Indiana reserve James Jones has been plagued by a knee problem.
Indiana's resident ex-Blazer, Jermaine O'Neal, may not play for the fifth consecutive game due to swelling in his left knee.
Even so, it's an important game for the Pacers, who bring a two-game road winning streak into the Rose Garden and have the opportunity to return to .500. Indiana won for the third time in four games Tuesday night in Denver, 112-110. The Pacers (7-8) have won the last seven meetings with Portland (5-9).
Mike Dunleavy had a season-high 30 points and Shawne Williams added 21 and a career-high 11 rebounds as Indiana managed to stave off a late Denver rally helped along by a controversial foul call against Dunleavy on a 3-point attempt by J.R. Smith with 2.7 seconds left. Smith had a chance to tie the game with three free throws but missed the third.
"It was ridiculous. It wasn't a foul," Dunleavy said. "He kicked me, and you just can't make that call. You have to take a guy out and you can't have a guy flop like that. It all works out and karma comes out on top, and we deserved the win."
The Pacers are making the second stop on a Western Conference road trip that brings four games in five nights. Portland is the first sub-.500 opponent they've faced since Nov. 14 in Washington. In their last seven games against teams at .500 or better, the Pacers have gone 4-3.
Portland has lost six of its last seven, including an 85-74 loss to the Orlando Magic on Monday. The 74 points were a season low and the 39.5 percent field goal shooting was its second-worst of the season.
KEY TO THE GAME
Completing their sixth set of back-to-back games, the Pacers will need strong minutes from the second unit. Coach Jim O'Brien has shortened the rotation to as few as eight players recently but the team likely will need the usual input from steady Marquis Daniels but stronger contributions from reserves that have been more inconsistent including David Harrison, Kareem Rush and Travis Diener.
TRENDS
Daniels has averaged 13.7 points on .521 shooting in his last seven games. … Mike Dunleavy is coming off his first game of at least 30 points in more than four years. … Jeff Foster has averaged 10.9 rebounds in the last eight. … Danny Granger failed to score in double figures for the first time this season in Denver Tuesday. … Rush has shot 10-of-35 overall and 2-of-14 from the 3-point line in his last eight. … Jamaal Tinsley has averaged 20.3 points, 10.0 assists, 6.5 rebounds and 2.25 steals in the last four. … Shawne Williams started and produced his first double-double of the season in Denver with 21 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. … Indiana has scored at least 100 points in seven straight games. It hasn't had an eight-game streak since 1994.
SERIES
The Pacers have won the last seven meetings by an average of 14.1 points. Overall, Portland leads 40-27 and is 25-9 at home.
INJURIES
Pacers - F-C Jermaine O'Neal (left knee swelling) is day-to-day; F Ike Diogu (torn left calf muscle) is out.
Trail Blazers - F James Jones (left knee), G-F Darius Miles (right knee) and C Greg Oden (right knee) are out.
