by Jordan Morey
On the final leg of a five-game road trip, the Indiana Pacers’ high-powered offense ran out of gas.
The Chicago Bulls (35-38) led the Pacers (41-33) by 21 points at intermission, holding Indiana to a season-low 43 points in the first half, and the Blue & Gold never recovered in a 125-99 Central Division loss on Wednesday at United Center. The 99 points are the fewest by the Pacers in a game this season, and the team matched a season-worst 40 percent shooting.
With the win, the Bulls claimed their season series against Indiana 3-1 and ended a three-game losing streak. The Pacers finished their road trip 3-2.
Despite the loss, the Pacers remain in sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings, ahead of the Miami Heat (39-33) and Philadelphia 76ers (39-34). The Sixers lost to the Los Angeles Clippers 108-107 on Wednesday.
The Bulls used a 22-5 run midway through the second quarter, outscoring the visitors 37-20 in the frame, to lead 64-43 at halftime. Indiana then managed two scoring sprees early in the third quarter to cut the deficit to single digits, but the Bulls ultimately led by 13 going into the fourth quarter and never looked back.
Overall, the Bulls made 49 of 98 shots (50 percent), while the Pacers shot 34-for-85 (40 percent). Chicago won the rebounding margin 54-40 and outscored Indiana 60-38 in the paint.
Chicago guard DeMar DeRozan led all scorers with 27 points on 9-for-18 shooting, Nikola Vucevic recorded 22 points and 12 rebounds, Coby White posted 18 points and seven boards, and Andre Drummond notched 14 points and 11 rebounds off the bench for the Bulls.
Five Pacers scored in double figures, led by Andrew Nembhard’s 18 points, Pascal Siakam’s 14 points, and Tyrese Haliburton’s 13 points.
FIRST QUARTER
In a low-scoring first quarter, the Bulls used a 10-2 run late to edge the Pacers 27-23.
Indiana led 15-11 seven minutes into the game thanks to a pair of 3-pointers by Haliburton and five points by Nembhard, but an Alex Caruso 3-pointer ignited the big Chicago run to make it 21-17 Bulls with 1:34 on the clock.
While the Pacers narrowed the deficit to two points shortly after, thanks to free throws by Siakam and a basket by Myles Turner, the teams traded baskets in the final 1:12 as the Bulls maintained the four-point lead.
SECOND QUARTER
The Bulls outscored the Pacers 37-20 in the second quarter, outshooting the visitors 70 to 35.3 percent, to push the lead to 21 points.
Chicago built its lead up to 38-31 with 9:18 left in the second frame thanks to an 8-3 run, capped by a 3-pointer from White, forcing a Pacers timeout.
After trading baskets for the next couple of minutes, the Bulls strung together a 14-2 run on five points by Vucevic and baskets by White, Caruso and Dosunmu to put the Bulls ahead 56-39 with 3:10 left in the half.
Siakam split free throws to end a 10-0 Bulls run, but the Bulls finished the half on a 7-3 run to lead 64-43.
THIRD QUARTER
The Pacers opened the third quarter on a 7-0 string before a 12-2 scoring spree, highlighted by seven straight points by Haliburton, cut the deficit to 71-64 with 4:14 left in the third quarter.
However, in the final 3:33 of the third quarter, the Bulls offense got rolling again, outsourcing the Pacers 16-7 to lead 87-74 going into the final frame.
FOURTH QUARTER
Chicago started the fourth quarter with a 7-3 run to go back ahead by 11 points before an 11-2 run midway through the period, thanks to two baskets by White, gave the Bulls a 110-87.
Out of a timeout, with 5:27 to play, the Pacers emptied the bench.
Indiana returns home Friday to host the Los Angeles Lakers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse before welcoming the Brooklyn Nets to the Circle City on Monday, April 1.
Inside the Numbers
Indiana’s bench outscored Chicago’s reserves 36-29.
T.J. McConnell had 12 points off the bench for Indiana. He has scored in double digits in eight straight games.
Indiana’s largest lead was four points and Chicago’s was 29 in the game.
Isaiah Jackson recorded six points, six rebounds and two blocks in eight minutes for the Pacers.
The Pacers had 13 turnovers and the Bulls gave the ball up seven times.
The Pacers had 25 total assists in the game.
Indiana recorded 11 fast-break points to the Bulls’ nine.
No Pacers player recorded double-digit rebounds or assists.
You Can Quote Me on That
“The game was back and forth early, and then they just got a little bit of separation and we couldn’t maintain a compete level that was high enough.” – Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle on the loss
“I don’t care about 100 points. What matters is our spirit and just learning how you have to compete against these teams that are desperate. Give Chicago a lot of credit, they were very determined.” – Carlisle on the loss
“In the third quarter, when we got some traction, it was happening because our intensity level defensively picked up and we were able to get downhill. We just need to get home and get ready for the next one.” — Carlisle on the loss
“I just felt like we didn’t make a lot of shots and didn’t play in transition. They kind of dictated the pace tonight. We need to do a better job of getting stops so we can run.” — Tyrese Haliburton on the loss
“I felt like they got a lot of offensive rebounds and that set the tone.” — Haliburton on the loss
“It’s the way they play their concepts. … They honestly have some pretty good individual defenders, too. It makes it easier to execute those coverages.” — Andrew Nembhard on the Bulls’ defense
Stat of the Night
The Pacers scored a season-low 43 points in the first half and 99 points overall in their loss to the Bulls on Wednesday. It’s the first time this season the Pacers have scored under 100 points this season, and the fewest since putting up 101 points against Boston on Jan. 6.
Noteworthy
- Pacers starting forward Aaron Nesmith returned to the floor on Wednesday after missing Monday’s game in Los Angeles with a right knee bruise.
- The Pacers played five games in nine days on the road. Five of their final eight games on the schedule are at home, including the next two.
- Chicago has won three of their last four season series against Indiana.
Up Next
After a five-game road trip, the Pacers will return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to host LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, March 29 at 7:00 PM
Originally posted on pacers.com