Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 7:00 PM ET at United Center
Game Preview
The Indiana Pacers (1-3) aim to get back on the winning track Wednesday when they take on the Chicago Bulls (2-2) at the United Center.
Both teams played on Monday, but only the Bulls registered a win.
In the team's first road game of the season, the Pacers lost to the Philadelphia 76ers, 120-106, to start the week.
The 76ers jumped to an 18-point lead by halftime before holding off a late rally by the Pacers to secure its first win of the season.
Guard Tyrese Haliburton led four Pacers in double-figure scoring with 19 points against the 76ers. Haliburton also dished 10 assists to log his third double-double of the season.
Pacers big man Jalen Smith also registered his second double-double of the season, finishing with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Rookie standout Bennedict Mathurin struggled early but finished strong in the game, scoring 15 of his season-low 17 total points in the second half for the Blue & Gold.
James Harden, the 2018 NBA MVP, led all scorers with 29 points and Joel Embiid scored 26 for the 76ers, who outscored the Pacers 50-26 in the paint.
Chicago enters the game coming off a big win against the reigning Eastern Conference-champion Boston Celtics (3-1).
In an up-and-down game Monday, the Bulls trailed by 19 in the first quarter but led by 16 at the half. Boston was able to cut the deficit to three points in the third quarter before the Bulls buckled in to hand the Celtics their first loss of the season.
DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 25 points, center Nikola Vucecic had 18 points and 23 rebounds and Ayo Dosunmu scored 22. In his second game back from injury, Zach LaVine, who was an NBA All-Star along with DeRozan and Vucecic last season, scored 19 points.
Through four games, the Pacers are averaging 117.8 per game but are giving up 121.5. The Bulls are on a scoring clip of 108 points per game while holding opponents to an average of 110 points.
Last season, the Bulls beat the Pacers in three of four games.
Projected Starters
Pacers: G - Tyrese Haliburton, G - Buddy Hield, F - Aaron Nesmith, F - Jalen Smith, C - Isaiah Jackson
Bulls: G - Zach LaVine, G - Ayo Dosunmu, F - Patrick Williams, F -DeMar Derozan, C -Nikola Vucevic
Injury Report
Pacers: Myles Turner - questionable (sprained left ankle), Daniel Theis - out (sore right knee)
Bulls: Lonzo Ball - out (left knee surgery)
Last Meeting
Feb. 4, 2022: Missing seven players, the short-handed Pacers came up short against the Bulls 122-115 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Chicago scored 40 points in the first quarter of the game, but the Pacers closed it to 65-62 by halftime and led 86-85 with 2:57 left in the third quarter.
A 10-0 run midway through the fourth quarter put the Bulls up 110-98, and the Pacers weren't able to mount a comeback from there.
Vucecic scored a season-high 36 points and pulled down 17 rebounds while DeRozan added 31 points for Chicago. LaVine was injured and didn't play for the Bulls.
Caris LaVert, who was traded three days later to the Cleveland Cavaliers, scored a season-high 42 points for Indiana and Terry Taylor finished with 21 points, 14 rebounds and five assists.
Most of the Pacers roster wasn't available to play in the game.
Goga Bitadze, Malcolm Brogdon, T.J. McConnell, T.J. Warren, Jackson and Turner all missed the game due to injuries while Domantas Sabonis was in health and safety protocols for the Pacers.
Brogdon, Warren and Sabonis are not on this year's Pacers roster.
In the game, the Bulls shot 54.4 percent but made just six 3-pointers. Indiana shot 49.5 percent and made 12 of 27 from beyond the arc.
Noteworthy
• Chicago and Indiana have split their last 10 meetings, but the Bulls have won four of the last five.
• Chicago finished with a 46-36 record for the 2021-22 regular season, good enough for the No. 6 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls then lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Milwaukee Bucks, who had edged them for the Central Division title, 4-1.
• Pacers forward James Johnson was drafted in the first round (16th pick) of the 2009 NBA Draft by the Bulls and spent two seasons with Chicago.
•Chicago leads the all-time series, 102-97.
Tickets
After a five-game road trip, the Pacers will return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to host Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat on Friday, Nov. 4 at 7:00 PM ET. Find Tickets >>
Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings >>)
TV: Bally Sports Indiana - Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Pat Boylan (studio host)