THE SKINNY
The Pacers managed to win an away game in the 4th quarter. Never mind that it was against the lowly Cavaliers. The Pacers are now one game back from the playoffs and gunning for Charlotte and Philly. The injury-ridden Trailblazers come into Conseco after having beaten Indiana in Portland. The last matchups was only a few games ago, with the Trailblazers taking the Pacers by 5 points.
THE LINEUPS
Point Guard
Darren Collison finally showed his all-star potential by notching 22 points and 9 assists against the Cavaliers, while shooting over 50% from the field and snatching the ball away for 4 steals. Now he faces Andre Miller, who is not a quick, young guard like Ramon Sessions, but who is still a threat to score and can rack up the assists. Collison can win this matchup is he uses his quick feet and hands to challenge Andre Miller on both ends of the floor.
Shooting Guard
Wesley Matthews is first and foremost a scorer, but he also managed to dish out a career-high 9 assists against the Pacers last time around, teeing up Batum for several open shots. The Pacers needs to guard the wings better, because even without Roy, the Blazers have fearsome swingmen. Mike Dunleavy has quietly been shooting nearly 40% from 3, and he is better at home.
Small Forward
Granger hasn't been a revelation since the coaching change, with turnovers being a problem, but he went to the line 13 times against the Cavaliers, which increases his scoring efficiency. He also has been trying to be a better all-around player, and it shows in his better assist numbers. If he focuses on taking care of the ball and maybe adds some solid passing to his repertoire, he'll be hard to leave off any all-star team. Batum is a long, athletic forward who is similar to Granger, except he's a little more known for his defense than being a prolific scorer.
Power Forward
Josh McRoberts is Vogel's PF of choice, and is taking the lion's share of minutes. However, he needs to shoot better than the 2-8 he produced from the field against the Cavaliers. He has been one of the few Pacers who have been able to take care of the ball well in recent history.
Center
Hibbert has posted consecutive double-doubles, something he hasn't done since late November. Now he looks to take on a true defensive center in Przybilla, and come up with a good performance or the Pacers will have difficulty winning. With a lack of depth for the opposition, Hibbert should be looking to dominate.
THE BENCH
Tyler Hansbrough turned the ball over 4 times against the Cavaliers, and had a tough time overall during the night, yet still managed to rack up 14 points to go with 8 boards. His rebounding will help solidify the advantage the Pacers have inside. George is hitting his long-range shots and has had two consecutive double-double games. His promise is actually turning into very positive production. AJ Price has shot well and managed the game well but committed an uncharacteristic 5 fouls against the Cavs.
THE COACHES
Vogel is still undefeated, but now faces a team that has a better chance of beating the Pacers. Despite injuries, the Trailblazers hold a playoff spot and an above-.500 record.
THE INJURY REPORT
Pacers
Brandon Rush - Ankle: Out.
Danny Granger - Sinus: Maybe.
Blazers
Wesley Matthews - Ankle: Maybe.
Brandon Roy - Hardaway Syndrome: Out.
Greg Oden - Walton/Yao Complex: Out.
Elliot Williams - Knee: Out.
Marcus Camby - Knee: Out.
THE HEAVY MATTERS
-Stifle the wings and stop Aldridge. Defense needs to start on the perimeter in this game so the bigs don't get saddled with foul trouble.
-Close out the game. Most likely this will be a competitive one, and so the Pacers need to play for 48 minutes.
THE TRADITION
