PORTLAND, Ore. – Nicolas Batum hit four straight 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter and the Portland Trail Blazers erased a 16-point deficit to beat the Indiana Pacers 97-92 on Saturday night.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 25 points and 12 rebounds for the Blazers, who have won five straight despite being beset by injuries. Batum, who hit five of eight 3-point attempts, had 23 points.
Danny Granger scored 24 points for the Pacers, who have lost four straight. James Posey's 3-pointer with 5.9 seconds left pulled Indiana within 95-92, but Wesley Matthews hit a pair of free throws to clinch it.
It was Portland's fifth straight victory over Indiana.
The Blazers, already hurting because of the absence of three-time All-Star Brandon Roy, were without guard Andre Miller for most of the game. Miller left early in the first quarter because of gastroenteritis.
Roy, who had arthroscopic surgery on both knees on Monday, proclaimed before the game that he'd like to return this season, but would follow the advice of his doctors. The Blazers have set no timetable for his return.
Portland was also adjusting to the loss of center Marcus Camby, who had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on Thursday.
Indiana jumped out to a 35-19 lead after A.J. Price's 3-pointer. But Portland pulled to 38-30 on Rudy Fernandez's 3-pointer. Fernandez played for a time at point guard, a rarity for him this season.
The Blazers continued to chip away at Indiana's lead. Matthews' running 6-footer and free throw narrowed it to 47-40, but the Pacers led 53-46 at the half.
Indiana also had first-half leads but wound up losing to the Clippers and the Warriors in the first two games of their West Coast road trip.
Portland closed to 66-62 on Aldridge's 16-foot baseline jumper, and the Pacers' shooting suddenly went cold. Batum's 3-pointer finally put Portland up 72-70 early in the fourth quarter. It was the first of Batum's four straight 3s — his last one in that stretch gave the Blazers an 85-77 lead.
His five total 3-pointers matched a career high.
Portland extended the lead to as many as 11 points, but Darren Collison's jumper closed Indiana within 90-87 with 1:48 to go. But Fernandez answered for the Blazers with a 3-pointer.
Notes: Pacers president Larry Bird attended the game. ... Blazers center Greg Oden, who recently spoke for the first time since season-ending microfracture surgery on his left knee, joined Roy in a suit on the Blazers' bench. It was Oden's 23rd birthday. ... Fernandez and Patty Mills were donating 50 percent of their profits from their merchandise sold this month to help with the flood relief effort in Australia. Mills is an Aussie. ... The Pacers wrap up the road trip Sunday night at Denver.
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