The Indiana Pacers looked like stiff competition for the first Blazers opponent sans CJ McCollum; instead, Indiana just looked stiff most of the night. The Blazers outclassed the listless Pacers through three quarters, then desperately held on late to win an important game, 106-98 (box score).
- All Damian, all the time. Lillard continued his recent dominance, showing an all-around game including some nice defensive flashes. However, he didn’t need to shoot the majority of Portland’s shots, instead successfully spreading the offense around. He had 30 points on 16 shots, with 15 assists.