INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Paul George scored a season-high 37 points to lead the Indiana Pacers over the Portland Trail Blazers 118-111 on Saturday night.
George made five 3-pointers, and Thaddeus Young hit six 3s while getting 24 points and nine rebounds. Myles Turner added 14 points for the Pacers, who had lost five straight regular season games to Portland.
C.J. McCollum made a career-high seven 3-pointers and had a season-best 34 points for the Trail Blazers. Damian Lillard had 33 points behind five 3s.
George scored 13 straight points in the fourth quarter for Indiana. He was fouled on the go-ahead basket with 4:36 remaining and completed the three-point play to give the Pacers a 108-105 lead.
Indiana didn’t even take its first lead until Al Jefferson was fouled on a basket and made the bonus free throw to put the Pacers ahead for the first time 99-98 with 8:34 left in the fourth quarter. Then McCollum scored seven straight points to give the Trail Blazers the lead again before George took over.
The Pacers trailed by 20 points at one point after Portland didn’t waste much time taking a lead right from the start.
Lillard, who scored 28 points in Portland’s 131-109 win over Indiana on Nov. 30, had a big first quarter with 19 points and five 3-pointers.
He made back-to-back 3s to put the Trail Blazers ahead 26-11 with 5:59 remaining in the first and McCollum’s 3-pointer with 8:09 left in the second quarter gave the Trail Blazers a 58-38 lead.
George made back-to-back 3-pointers with under a minute to go in the first half. His 3 with 25.3 second remaining put the Pacers within seven to trail 71-64 at the half.
TIP-INS
Trail Blazers: Their 44 points in the first quarter were the most Portland has scored in a quarter this season. ... Portland finished with 16 3-pointers. ... Lillard had nine assists. ... Mason Plumlee had eight points and nine rebounds.
Pacers: Jefferson finished with 10 points off the bench. ... Monta Ellis had 10 points and five assists.
UP NEXT
Trail Blazers: Monday they travel to Los Angeles to play the Clippers.
Pacers: Monday they host Charlotte and try to snap a four-game losing streak to the Hornets.