Trail Blazers take on the Pacers for cross-conference matchup
Indiana Pacers (44-26, fourth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (42-27, fourth in the Western Conference)
Portland; Monday, 10:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Portland and Indiana face off in non-conference action.
The Trail Blazers have gone 25-9 in home games. Portland ranks second in the Western Conference with 36.3 defensive rebounds per game, led by Jusuf Nurkic averaging 6.9.
The Pacers have gone 17-17 away from home. Indiana is eighth in the NBA with 25.9 assists per game, led by Darren Collison averaging 6.0. The Trail Blazers won the last meeting between these two teams 103-93 on Oct. 29. Zach Collins led Portland to the win with a 17-point performance.
TOP PERFORMERS: Damian Lillard leads the Trail Blazers scoring 26.1 points per game and averaging 4.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists. CJ McCollum has averaged 23.6 points and 4 rebounds while shooting 50.5 percent over the last 10 games for Portland.
Domantas Sabonis leads the Pacers with 9.1 rebounds and averages 14.3 points. Wesley Matthews has averaged 2.4 made 3-pointers and scored 12 points over the last 10 games for Indiana.
LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 4-6, averaging 104.7 points, 40.5 rebounds, 24.1 assists, 8.5 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.2 percent from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108 points on 45.9 percent shooting.
Trail Blazers: 6-4, averaging 116.4 points, 47.7 rebounds, 22.4 assists, 7.2 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.1 percent from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112 points on 46.4 percent shooting.
Trail Blazers Injuries: CJ McCollum: out (left knee strain).
Pacers Injuries: Victor Oladipo: out for season (ruptured right quadricep tendon).
