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Stellar second half from Roy helps Blazers outlast Pacers

Mar 5, 2009 - 6:41 AM PORTLAND, Oregon (Ticker) -- The Portland Trail Blazers simply had no answer for the offensive assault by the Indiana Pacers ... until the fourth quarter.

Brandon Roy scored 24 of his 28 points in the second half as the Trail Blazers escaped with a 107-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.

Roy was fouled while driving the lane and converted a pair of free throws with 1.7 seconds left to provide the final margin.

"That was just freelance," Roy said. "Everybody was going to get spacing and shoot if he got it. My biggest thing - if its tied, I'm going to try to get to the basket and get something at the rim. There was contact. He tripped me. I was fortunate to make the free throws.

"I was a little surprised (by the foul call). I'm happy he made it, we needed this win."

Former Blazer Jarrett Jack missed a desperation three at the buzzer as Portland held on for its third straight win.

"(Blazers forward) Travis (Outlaw) jumped out at me, and I just tried to get the shot off in time," Jack said. "They are a great team, they especially play great at home."

Marquis Daniels led five players in double figures with 28 points for the Pacers, who shot 56 percent (35-of-63) from the field through three quarters, but couldn't outlast Roy and the Trail Blazers in the final session.

"It started with our defense," Roy said. "We were able to get stops. It helped us get better ball movement on offense. That's a tough team.

"We never quit, we never put our heads down. I give them credit. We just outlasted them."

Portland was down by eight points entering the fourth quarter and Troy Murphy pushed the lead to 88-78 with a layup 1:41 into the session.

However, Portland put together a 14-0 run, taking its first lead since the opening points of the game when Steve Blake hit the first of back-to-back 3-pointers to cap the surge.

"I was struggling a little bit, my legs felt a little heavy until the fourth quarter," Blake said. "They got it going and I was able to make those shots."

The Pacers didn't go quietly, battling back to take a 99-97 lead on T.J. Ford's jumper with 2:45 left to play.

"They're a very talented basketball team," Indiana coach Jim O'Brien said. "They have one of the great players in the league in Roy and Travis Outlaw is a great scorer.

"I don't think there was anything we did to lose the game, they just beat us. They found a way to get a 'W', which is what good basketball teams are supposed to do."

Roy tied the score with a jumper of his own on the ensuing possession and, after the teams traded baskets, the two-time All-Star scored four straight points to give the Blazers a 105-101 lead.

Daniels was fouled while taking a 3-pointer with 19 seconds remaining and hit the first two to narrow the deficit to 105-103.

Following a timeout by the Blazers, Blake lost the ball at midcourt and Daniels picked it up and finished an uncontested dunk to tie the score.

"Wish I knew (how I lost the ball)," Blake said. "I turned to go and the ball just didn't come with me, as simple as that."

LaMarcus Aldridge and Outlaw each had 21 points for Portland, which improved to 6-2 since rookie center Greg Oden went down with a bone chip in his left knee on February 18.

"First half everybody was just watching. Second half we had more work," Aldridge said. "Our guys found their rhythm."