Portland: LaMarcus Aldridge scored 28 points as the Portland Trail Blazers downed Indiana 106-102, snapping the Pacers’ NBA win streak at seven games on Monday despite a career-high 43 points by Paul George.
Damian Lillard added 26 points for Portland and Aldridge contributed 10 rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who matched San Antonio for the best record in the Western Conference at 15-3 with their second win in a row after an 11-game win streak was ended on Wednesday at Phoenix.
Indiana, who opened the season with nine wins in a row, can still claim an NBA-best 16-2. The only other team in the Eastern Conference with a strong winning record are defending NBA champions Miami at 14-3.
The Pacers had 16 points and 14 rebounds from Roy Hibbert, 12 points from David West and 11 assists from George Hill but suffered their first defeat since falling 110-94 at Chicago on November 17.
George had 24 points in the first half, which ended with Indiana leading 46-45, and he netted 17 points in the fourth quarter, when the Trail Blazers outscored the Pacers 34-30.
