Blazers Beat Pacers, But They Shouldn't Be Happy

The Portland Trail Blazers are escaping death after beating the Indiana Pacers by a score of 127-119 inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The Blazers dominated the game through three quarters, leading by as much as 22 points. However, the Pacers, who came into the matchup losing 14 in a row, played with a lot of heart down the stretch and cut the deficit to within three points. With just over a minute to go, Jrue Holiday nailed a 3-pointer in the corner, doubling Portland's lead from three to six points and serving as a dagger for the Pacers.

From there, the Blazers took care of business and walked away from the game without any major scars.

Blazers Nearly Choke vs. Pacers

Indiana Pacers center Ivica Zubac dribbles the ball as Portland Trail Blazers center/forward Robert Williams III defends. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Blazers have emphasized the need to perform better in first quarters, but they were able to do that against Indiana by scoring 37 points in the first quarter. They added 42 in the second to have 79 on the scoreboard before going to the locker room. They held a 17-point lead at that point.

That lead grew to as much as 22 points but that wasn't enough to put away the Pacers. The Blazers let their guard down and that is something they won't be able to do against stronger competition. Great teams likely would have put this game in the deep freeze much sooner than the Blazers did, so it's definitely cause for concern going forward.

Deni Avdija was the leading scorer for the Blazers with 32 points. He also added 11 rebounds for a double-double. Donovan Clingan was also dominant, dropping 28 points while grabbing 13 rebounds. Toumani Camara joined them in double figures with 17, while Holliday added 15.

The Pacers' leading scorer was Ivica Zubac, who had 18. Two-way forward Jalen Slawson had 17 in his second career start. They were two of eight Pacers players to score in double figures. Aaron Nesmith had 15, Quenton Jackson added 13, Jay Huff three posted 11, while Jarace Walker, Ben Sheppard, and Taelon Peter had 10 each.

What's Next For Blazers?

The Blazers will play the fourth matchup of the road trip as they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are shorthanded after losing Anthony Edwards to injury. Tip-off is scheduled for Friday at 5 p.m. PT inside the Target Center in Minneapolis. Fans can watch the game on Rip City Sports Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.