Indiana vs Portland Prediction: the Pacers to Perform Better

Indiana and Portland are 7th in their conferences, with the Pacers falling out of the top 6 just the day before. The Trail Blazers defeated their current opponent at home by 16 points, but will they do it again on the road?

In the last five games, Indiana has made at least 36% of its three-pointers and won 4 times. The game against Philadelphia was an ordinary one. Their offense was still steady, but they fell just a bit short. Rick Carlisle's team lost in overtime, 129-126. Seven Pacers players scored more than 10 points. Buddy Hield had an excellent shooting performance from beyond the arc, Bennedict Mathurin constantly fouled and made up for his lack of shooting from the field, and Tyrese Haliburton again had a double-double. The Indiana leader had 16 points and 12 assists. Myles Turner could have been more proactive offensively but was efficient and did a better job than usual, blocking five shots.

The Blazers are not known for their defense under the basket, but they have improved lately. In 4 games, Portland conceded less than 55 points from the paint. In 2 matches, the opponent has yet to reach 50. So far, the team has been alternating wins and losses, and getting a place in the top 6 will be difficult. Recently Chauncey Billups' team failed to cope with Minnesota, 106-131. Portland's leaders looked decent, but the role players were useless. Josh Hart was ineffective, and Nurkic had no long-range shots. Lillard could have been more productive, especially on long-range attempts. Jerami Grant was the best player, hitting four three-pointers and scoring 26 points on 8-of-14 shooting.

The Pacers lost to Portland this season when Tyrese Haliburton was out due to injury. Portland's roster was optimal except for the absence of Keon Johnson, Gary Payton, and Nassir Little. With Haliburton as a system player and key playmaker, Indiana should improve. The Trail Blazers made over 40% of their three-pointers last time out, and their opponent's problems at the arc could make a difference now. Still, the odds of winning are roughly even.

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