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Pacers shake off controversy, beat Bulls in OT
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By Conrad Brunner
Pacers.com
When their spirit could've been broken, it was instead strengthened.
Rallying from a potentially heartbreaking end of regulation with controversy at both ends of the floor, the Pacers dominated overtime and pulled out an inspired 115-108 victory over the Chicago Bulls Friday before a sellout crowd of 18,165 at Conseco Fieldhouse.
With Derrick Rose scoring 19 points in the fourth quarter, the Bulls wiped out a 15-point deficit but needed two breaks in the closing seconds to force overtime. The first was a foul against Darren Collison on a 3-point attempt by Rose, who made all three free throws to tie it at 102-all with 1.2 seconds left. The second was a no-call against Rose, who appeared to hit Danny Granger's arm as the Pacers forward was releasing a jump shot at the buzzer.
No matter.
The Pacers took over quickly in overtime, scoring the first seven points including a 3-pointer by Granter to open a 109-102 and hung on from there, holding Chicago to 1-of-11 shooting in the extra session.
Tyler Hansbrough scored 29 to lead the Pacers, adding 12 rebounds. Granger scored 19 and Darren Collison 17.
Rose matched his career high with 42 points, with 18 coming from the free-throw line, to lead Chicago.
IMPACT
The Pacers have won three of four from playoff teams this week to improve to 30-39 overall, 19-15 at home and 13-12 under interim coach Frank Vogel. They also snapped Chicago's eight-game winning streak, dropping the Bulls to 49-19, 19-15 on the road.
QUOTE MARKS
- "Huge win against a great basketball team. Chicago is playing as well as anybody in the league. … Our guys kept their composure and took care of business in overtime." – Vogel
- "It felt good to pull this out and lead the whole game and then be able to fight back and get the job done." – Pacers forward Josh McRoberts
- "This was a great one to win. We let it slip away in regulation to a tie but we didn’t let it slip totally away. We all buckled down, worked hard and reached out and picked up this good win." – Granger
- "We’re not backing down from any teams at any time. We not only know that we can play with them, but we know that we can beat them." – Pacers center Roy Hibbert
- "They were attacking us, we were back on our heels, then in the fourth quarter we got after them and it changed. Then overtime, we did a poor job." – Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau
- "That’s a team we could possibly see in the playoffs. I can’t wait to play them again." – Rose
STAT OF THE GAME
The Pacers became the first Central Division team in 13 games to defeat the Bulls this season. Chicago was trying to become the first team ever go to undefeated within its division.
HIGHLIGHTS
The Pacers controlled most of the game, leading by 13 in the first quarter (31-18), 17 in the second (62-45) and 20 in the third (79-59). They appeared to be coasting with a 95-80 lead with 8:41 left in the game.
But Rose, who had been sitting due to foul trouble, re-entered with 8:11 remaining and took over the game. He scored 10 in a row and 19 of Chicago's final 20 points in regulation. The Pacers led 102-98 after a Hansbrough jumper with 1:07 left but came up empty on their next two possessions while Rose went to the line and tied it up.
Hansbrough scored in the lane, then stripped Rose and fed Darren Collison for a fast-break layup that made it 106-102. Granger's 3-pointer pushed the lead to seven with 2:51 left, and Josh McRoberts scored inside for a 111-104 lead with 2:22 remaining.
Chicago scored the next four, including a drive by Rose for the Bulls' only bucket of overtime, to cut it to 111-108, but Rose fouled out reaching in as McRoberts was going up for a shot. McRoberts made both free throws with 24 seconds left and after Kyle Korver missed a quick three, Paul George closed it out at the line.
BY THE NUMBERS
Hansbrough's remarkable week continued with 12-of-19 shooting and he tied his career high with 12 rebounds to accompany his 29 points. Granger shot 4-of-11 but was 8-of-9 from the line and had six rebounds and three assists. Collison had a tough shooting night (7-of-18) but had eight assists. Hibbert had 15 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots. The Pacers shot 43 percent.
Rose did not shoot well, 11-of-27, but was 18-of-21 from the free-throw line. He had just two assists and four turnovers. Luol Deng scored 21 with 10 rebounds and Joakim Noah had 17 points but just three rebounds.
The Bulls shot 41 percent but were just 6-of-27 (.222) from the 3-point line.
NOTEWORTHY
- Hansbrough scored in double figures in a 12th straight game, the third longest streak by a Pacers player this season and the longest by any player other than GrangerGranger.
- Indiana's 115 points represent just the third time in the last 18 games that Chicago has allowed 100+ points to its opponent.
- Darren Collison had at least eight assists for a fourth straight game and seven or more in a fifth consecutive game.
- Tonight's win is the Pacers' first in four overtime contests this season. Chicago is 3-2 in overtime games this season.
- The Pacers' 26 second-chance points tonight are one point short of their season-high set at Detroit, 2/16.
- Indiana scored as many points in overtime (13) as it did in the fourth quarter. The team's 13 points in overtime are a season-high, while their 13 points in the fourth quarter were one point over their season-low for a fourth period.
- Derrick Rose's 18 free throws made and 21 attempts are both the most by any single player against the Pacers this season.
- Chicago's 10 assists are a season-low and Keith Bogans led the Bulls with three,
UP NEXT
The Pacers open their final extended road trip of the season Saturday in Memphis (8 p.m., WIBC 93 FM). Please note the game will not be televised locally.