Pacers Vs Trail Blazers Preview as Indiana Seeks to End Eight-Game Skid
Sunday at 9 p. m. ET the Indiana Pacers travel to Portland for a key late-season matchup in which the pacers vs trail blazers matchup puts Indiana’s eight-game losing streak on the line and Portland’s playoff positioning in focus. This game is the first of two meetings between the clubs this season.
Why now: Indiana’s skid and Portland’s proximity to a Play-In spot make this meeting consequential with roughly a month remaining in the season. The Trail Blazers sit 30-34 and hold the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference, six games ahead of the No. 11 seed, while the Pacers own one of the league’s worst records and are trying to halt a rapid slide.
Pacers Vs Trail Blazers: Injury report and availability
Indiana’s injury list features a mix of questionable and long-term absences. Andrew Nembhard is listed as questionable with neck and lower back soreness after a 17-point, eight-assist outing in Friday’s loss. Aaron Nesmith (right ankle sprain) and Pascal Siakam (left wrist sprain) are both listed as probable. Indiana also has season-long absences listed, including a player out for the season with a knee injury and another out for the season with an Achilles injury; an additional Pacers player is out with an ankle issue.
Indiana’s skid meets Portland’s push and team trends
Indiana is trying to stop an eight-game slide while carrying one of the poorest records in the league. The Pacers are 5-26 on the road and 6-5 in games decided by fewer than four points. Portland has been steadier at home, going 16-15, and ranks eighth in the league with 45. 7 rebounds per game, paced by Donovan Clingan’s 11. 5 rebounds per game. The Trail Blazers are shooting 45. 0% from the field this season, which is 4. 0 percentage points lower than the 49. 0% opponents are shooting against the Pacers; Portland averages 111. 4 points per game.
Matchup history and roster timelines since Feb. 22
Sunday’s meeting is the first of two between the clubs this season; Portland has held the edge lately, going 6-4 in the last 10 games against Indiana and 16-6 against them since the 2014-15 season. Deni Avdija has been out of action since Feb. 22 after leaving a game against the Phoenix Suns after one minute with a lower back injury and is listed as questionable to return for this game. Portland has been managing additional absences: Kris Murray has been out since Mar. 1 with an illness and is questionable, and Damian Lillard, re-signed last summer after being waived by Milwaukee to make room for Myles Turner, is not expected to suit up this season due to an Achilles tear.
Sunday’s matchup also carries a short-term scheduling angle: with roughly a month left in the season, every game has heightened impact on seeding and Play-In hopes, especially for a 30-34 Trail Blazers squad trying to protect its No. 10 position.
Next confirmed event: Indiana at Portland, Sunday at 9 p. m. ET. If Andrew Nembhard is unavailable, the Pacers’ backcourt rotations and playmaking responsibilities are expected to shift for the game.
