featured-image

Seven-Game Homestand Starts Thursday Versus Pacers

While it’s not the same without the fans, it’s still nice to get back to the Moda Center.

After playing two of their last three games on the road -- in Sacramento to be more specific -- the Trail Blazers will play their next seven at home over the course of the next two weeks. They begin the homestand Thursday night by hosting the Pacers in the second night of a back-to-back. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

SERIES HISTORY

ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 57-35PORTLAND HOME: Trail Blazers lead, 36-10INDIANA HOME: Pacers lead, 25-21LAST PORTLAND WIN: 139-129, 1/26/20 (Portland)LAST INDIANA WIN: 100-106, 2/27/20 (Indiana)CURRENT WIN STREAK: One (Indiana)

SERIES NOTES

• The Trail Blazers Jan. 14 game against the Pacers is the first of two meetings between Portland and Indiana this season. The second matchup will come during the second half of the season.

LAST SEASON: The Trail Blazers and Pacers split the season series in 2019-20, 1-1. Portland has won 10 of the last 12 matchups with Indiana, dating back to the 2014-15 season.

• Damian Lillard scored 50 points (14-23 FG, 8-12 3-PT, 14-16 FT) to go with six rebounds, 13 assists and one steal against Indiana on Jan. 26, 2020. Lillard is averaging 7.3 assists over his 15 career games against the Pacers, tied for his second highest average against any team.

• In two games against the Pacers last season, CJ McCollum averaged 28.0 points (45.8% FG, 42.9% 3-PT, 100% FG), 2.0 rebounds and 6.5 assists. McCollum has scored exactly 28 points in three of his last five games opposite Indiana.

• Domantas Sabonis averaged 23.5 points (59.4% FG, 81.8% FT), 12.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists in two games against the Trail Blazers last season, including a 27 point, 14 rebound, 11 assist triple-double on January 26th. It was his second career triple- double, with the first coming just a week prior against Denver.

• In two games against the Trail Blazers last season, Justin Holiday averaged 11.0 points (50.0% FG, 55.6% 3-PT, 100% FT), three rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.5 steals.

MILESTONE WATCH: Damian Lillard (4,993 career FGM) is seven made field goals away from becoming the third Trail Blazer ever to reach 5,000. Only Clyde Drexler (6,889) and LaMarcus Aldridge (5,121) have made more shots in a Trail Blazer uniform.

CONNECTION: Pacers assistant coach Kaleb Canales spent five seasons on the Trail Blazers coaching staff, including serving as the interim head coach for 23 games in the 2011-12 season.

LAST THREE GAMES

Game #11 - Portland 132, Sacramento 126 — Jan. 13, 2021, Golden1 Center, Sacramento

Portland's electric backcourt willed the Trail Blazers to a 132-126 comeback win against the Kings at Golden1 Center... The Trail Blazers tied a franchise record with 23 made three pointers... The two teams combined for 43 3PM, tied for the second-most in NBA history... Damian Lillard was once again the catalyst, finishing with 40 points (11-23FG, 6-15 3-PT, 12-12 FT), 13 assists and three steals in 42 minutes... Lillard is the first player in NBA history with 40+ points, 13+ assists and zero turnovers... CJ McCollum scored 28 points (10-23 FG, 6-16 3-PT, 2-4 FT) and tallied seven rebounds and 10 assists... Jusuf Nurkic added a season-high 18 points (6-8 FG, 6-9 FT), 12 rebounds, two steals and three blocks... Gary Trent Jr. finished with 16 points (6-8 FG, 4-5 3-PT) and four assists off the bench... De'Aaron Fox led the Kings with 29 points (9-18 FG, 5-8 3-PT, 6-8 FT), six rebounds and six assists... Buddy Hield added 26 points (9-21 FG, 8-18 3-PT), six rebounds and five assists for Sacramento.

Game #10 - Portland 112, Toronto 111 — Jan. 11, 2021, Moda Center, Portland

The Trail Blazers used a fourth quarter surge to win a nail-biter, earning their third consecutive win, 112-111 over the Raptors at Moda Center... Portland's bench outscored Toronto's 46-43, with both teams having two bench players in double-figures... Portland outscored Toronto 22-17 in transition... CJ McCollum led Portland with 30 points (10-19 FG, 5-11 3-PT, 5-6 FT), six rebounds and five assists... It was his 10th game with 20+ this season, tied for the league lead... Damian Lillard added 23 points (8-16 FG, 3-6 3-PT, 4-4 FT), seven rebounds and five assists in a game-high 40 minutes... Carmelo tacked on his first 20 point game of the season, including 13 in the final period... Enes Kanter scored 14 points on 7-of-8 shooting to go with six boards... Pascal Siakam led Toronto with 22 points (9-17 FG, 4-4 FT), 13 rebounds and 10 assists, recording his first career triple-double... Chris Boucher had 20 points, including a career-high five three-pointers.

Game #9 - Portland 125, Sacramento 99 — Jan. 9, 2021, Golden1 Center, Sacramento

The Trail Blazers led by as many as 31 points midway through the third quarter and eventually brought down the Kings, 125-99, at Golden1 Center ... Portland made 17 three pointers on the night, capping a franchise-best five game span with 87 total made three pointers ... It was Portland's largest win of the season ... CJ McCollum paced Portland with 37 points (13-22 FG, 6-11 3-PT, 5-5 FT), three rebounds, three assists and two steals in 29 minutes ... Damian Lillard had 17 points, four rebounds and six assists ... Enes Kanter recorded his fourth double-double, finishing with 11 points and 15 rebounds and becoming the only bench player in the NBA with four double-doubles this season ... Robert Covington added six points, eight rebounds, four assists and a steal in 28 minutes ... Marvin Bagley led Sacramento with 15 points (5-14 FG, 1-2 3-PT, 4-6 FT) and eight rebounds ... Tyrese Haliburton contributed 12 points and matched a career-high with eight assists for the Kings.

INJURY NOTES

F/C Zach Collins (left ankle stress fracture) is out for Thursday’s game versus the Pacers.

For the Pacers, Goga Bitadze (right ankle; sprain), Brian Bowen II (left groin; partial tear) and Jalen Lecque (left ankle; sprain) are doubtful while Jeremy Lamb (left knee; torn ACL), Victor Oladipo (not with team) and T.J. Warren (left foot; stress fracture) are out.

BROADCAST NOTES

Thursday’s game can be seen locally on NBC Sports Northwest. The game cam also be heard on Rip City Radio 620 AM and on all of the stations of the Deschutes Brewery Trail Blazers Radio Network.