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Blazers, Pacers tangle in Indy

Feb 4, 2011 - 3:59 PM (Sports Network) - The Portland Trail Blazers will resume a three-game road trip Friday when they face off with the Indiana Pacers at Conseco Fieldhouse.

The Blazers dropped the opener of their trek in Denver on Wednesday when Nene scored 22 points and pulled down 10 rebounds as the Nuggets snapped a two-game losing streak with a 109-90 victory over Portland.

Wesley Matthews, despite spraining his ankle, scored 19 points and LaMarcus Aldridge had 18 for the Blazers, who couldn't parlay the momentum of their 99-86 win over the NBA-leading Spurs on Tuesday into any more success, losing for the third time in four games. Portland also got 17 points from Nicolas Batum.

The Blazers, of course, are already without oft-injured center Greg Oden for the season along with swingman Brandon Roy and big man Marcus Camby, who are both nursing knee injuries. Matthews is listed as questionable for tonight.

"I heard some pops, heard and felt some pops," Matthews said of his injury. "It calmed down and I was able to return."

The Pacers, meanwhile, stayed perfect under interim coach Frank Vogel on Wednesday when Danny Granger scored 11 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, and Indiana edged lowly Cleveland, 117-112, at Quicken Loans Arena, sending the Cavaliers to their 22nd consecutive loss.

Darren Collison contributed 22 points and nine assists while Mike Dunleavy scored 15 for Indiana, which is 2-0 under Vogel and will be shooting for a season-high third straight victory tonight. Roy Hibbert, Tyler Hansbrough and Paul George each scored 13 points for the Pacers.

"It was a huge win," Vogel said. "It came down to balance. We had six guys in double-figures and the seventh guy (Josh McRoberts) helped in so many ways that are not in the points column."

The Blazers, who topped the Pacers 97-92 in Rip City back on Jan. 22, have won two straight in Indianapolis after losing their previous five. Portland will be attempting to sweep the home-and-home series between the two clubs for a third straight season tonight.