The Portland Trail Blazers are barely touching down in the Northwest before flying East again.
Following a dramatic win on Tuesday in Denver on a game-winning lay-up by Robin Lopez, the Blazers face the Indiana Pacers (7-11) Thursday. It’s the last home game before the team embarks on a five-game road trip.
The Blazers had the day off today following Tuesday’s game, where they rallied from 10 points down in the fourth quarter.
LaMarcus Aldridge scored 39 points, a new season high, to go with 11 rebounds. He also had the game-winning assist to Lopez.
Portland and Indiana split the season series last year in two very close and competitive games.
The Pacers aren’t nearly the same team they were last season.
The Pacers had dimmed expectations after a disastrous summer. Many were predicting the Pacers to be one of the league’s worst teams after losing All-Star forward Paul George to a gruesome leg injury and starting guard Lance Stephenson to free agency.
They’ve lost three of their last five games but have had some players return from injury. Among those coming back to the line-up in recent games is their locker room leader and starting power forward, David West.
West saw an increase in minutes from his previous two outings in their 116-99 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.
Head coach Frank Vogel received a contract extension prior to the season. The Pacers’ starting line-up was the only line-up to play more than Portland’s last season.
This season Vogel has been mixing and matching a group of mostly unknowns to keep them within reach of one of the final playoff spots in the lowly Eastern Conference.
Thursday’s meeting will be the first of two the teams will have over the next nine days.
The Blazers will be in Indianapolis on Dec. 13 for the final game of their upcoming road trip.
