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Last updated on Tuesday, March 17, 2009
(INDIANAPOLIS, IN) - The Indiana Pacers will try to halt a three-game losing streak Wednesday night when the Portland Trail Blazers make their only visit to Conseco Fieldhouse.
The Pacers followed up a twelve point loss to Utah at the Fieldhouse one week ago with back-to-back double-digit road losses at Atlanta and at Toronto over the weekend.
Sunday's loss to the Raptors was particularly disheartening as Toronto and Washington are the only teams below Indiana in the eastern conference standings.
Despite their 28-and-40 mark, the Pacers are still in the middle of the playoff race. They trail the Milwaukee Bucks and the Chicago Bulls by two and-a-half games for the eighth and final playoff berth in the east.
Pacers Coach Jim O'Brien says it will take some time before Danny Granger gets back to his all-star form. Granger missed eleven games with a foot injury before returning in Sunday's loss at Toronto. Granger hit just three of eleven shots from the field and one of seven three-point attempts against the Raptors, finishing with ten points. He came off the bench in Toronto and played 18 minutes.
O'Brien says he may continue to use Granger sparingly as he works his way back into game shape.
The Trail Blazers will evaluate the availability of center Greg Oden for Wednesday night's game following a workout today in Indianapolis. Oden, the 2006 Indiana Mister Basketball from Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, has been sidelined since February 12th with a chipped kneecap.
The number-one overall draft pick in 2007 has yet to play professionally in his hometown after missing all of last season following microfracture knee surgery. Oden ran full-court sprints on Saturday and reportedly is close to returning.
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