Last Updated: Oct. 29 at 6:50 PM
Matchup
After a disappointing finish in Friday's loss in Brooklyn, the Pacers (1-1) will look to bounce back on Saturday night in Chicago against the Bulls (1-0). Saturday's contest will be the first Central Division game for either team this season.
The Blue & Gold led the Nets by double digits late in the third quarter on Friday, but went cold in the fourth. The Pacers went just 6-for-21 from the field in the final period, allowing Brooklyn to surge ahead and hang on down the stretch for a 103-94 win.
Through two games, the Pacers have made it clear that they're going to push the tempo under new head coach Nate McMillan, but the results so far have been mixed. Indiana got up 98 shots on Friday night, but converted under 38 percent of them. That was a stark contrast to their strong offensive showing in Wednesday's overtime win over Dallas, when they shot 50.5 percent from the field.
50th SEASON CELEBRATION: Complete Coverage at Pacers.com/50 »
The Pacers will need better backcourt play on Saturday against the Bulls than they got in Brooklyn. Starting guards Jeff Teague and Monta Ellis combined for 39 points and 15 assists against the Mavericks, but struggled against the Nets. The duo managed just 15 total points on 7-of-25 shooting and turned the ball over seven times on Friday.
Strong play from Teague and Ellis is all the more important given that the Pacers may not have two key backups in Chicago. Point guard Aaron Brooks has missed the first two games of the season and was inactive on Friday due to a sore right knee. Shooting guard Rodney Stuckey suffered a right hamstring strain in the first quarter of Friday's loss and did not return.
Chicago parted ways with Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and Pau Gasol over the summer, but they re-loaded by bringing in Dwyane Wade, Rajon Rondo, and Robin Lopez. The new-look Bulls picked up a nice win in their season opener on Thursday, beating the Celtics, 105-99. Jimmy Butler led the way with 24 points and Wade chipped in 22 points, six boards, and five assists in his Bulls debut.
Projected Starters
Jeff Teague
Monta Ellis
Paul George
Thaddeus Young
Myles Turner
Rajon Rondo
Dwyane Wade
Jimmy Butler
Taj Gibson
Robin Lopez
Pacers: PG - Jeff Teague, SG - Monta Ellis, SF - Paul George, PF - Thaddeus Young, C - Myles Turner
Bulls: PG - Rajon Rondo, SG - Dwyane Wade, SF - Jimmy Butler, PF - Taj Gibson, C - Robin Lopez
Injury Report
Pacers: Aaron Brooks - out (sore right knee), Rodney Stuckey - out (right hamstring strain)
Bulls: None
Last Meeting
October 8, 2016: The Bulls rolled to a 121-105 win in Chicago, handing the Pacers their first loss of the preseason.
Jeff Teague led all scorers with 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting in the exhibition loss. Glenn Robinson III added 17 points and six rebounds, while rookie Georges Niang knocked down 4-of-6 3-pointers on his way to 16 points.
Taj Gibson led Chicago with 20 points and five rebounds, going a perfect 9-for-9 from the field. Jimmy Butler added 15 points, five assists, and four boards.
Noteworthy
- The Bulls took three of four games against the Pacers last season, including their last two meetings.
- Indiana has dropped three straight regular season games at the United Center and six of seven dating back to the 2012-13 season.
- Myles Turner has recorded double-doubles in his first two games of his rookie season. Turner had just four double-doubles in 60 games during his rookie season.
- Saturday's contest will complete the first of 17 sets of back-to-back games for the Pacers this season.
Broadcast Information TV & Radio Listings »
TV: FOX Sports Indiana - Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 93.5 FM/AM 1070 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Pat Boylan (studio host)
Tickets
The Pacers return home on Nov. 1 for a Tuesday night meeting with the new-look Los Angeles Lakers at 7:00 PM ET. Find Tickets »
Away Game Night Special
Select Pacers basketballs - 50% off. Game Night Specials can be purchased online the day of each away game from 10:00 AM - Midnight. Order Online »