Chicago Bulls vs. Indiana Pacers Preview
The Chicago Bulls are set to battle the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis on Wednesday at 7 p.m. EST. Currently, the Bulls have a record of 23 wins and 23 losses, placing them ninth in the Eastern Conference, while the Pacers currently sit at the bottom of the standings with an 11-36 record in 14th place.
Season Matchup
This matchup marks the third encounter between the two teams this season. The previous game on December 6 saw Indiana triumph over Chicago with a solid 120-105 defeat, thanks in large part to Pascal Siakam’s stellar performance, scoring 36 points for the Pacers. Coby White contributed 22 points for the Bulls.
Team Performance
The Pacers have struggled this season, achieving only 7 wins out of 31 games played against other teams in the Eastern Conference, and a disappointing 5 wins while facing teams that boast winning records. By contrast, the Bulls have only managed a 3-7 record against their division rivals.
Defensively, the Bulls have been allowing an average of 119.9 points per game while falling short by 2 points in their scoring margin. Indiana averages 110.2 points per game, significantly trailing behind the Bulls’ defensive record, as Chicago allows nearly 120 points per game.
The Bulls have displayed some offensive strength with a shooting percentage of 47.7%, slightly below the 48.3% mark their opponents have achieved this season.
Key Players
Key players include Jay Huff for the Pacers, who averages 8.3 points and 3.7 rebounds, while Siakam has been a standout recently, with an average score of 21.8 points and 7.6 rebounds over his last ten games. For the Bulls, Nikola Vucevic is contributing 16.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game, alongside Coby White, who has been scoring 16.3 points on average in recent outings.
Recent Performance
In their last ten games, the Pacers have equalized their record at 5-5, averaging 108.2 points per game with 44.7 rebounds and 29.2 assists, shooting at 44.8% from the field. They have allowed their opponents to score around 114 points on average.
Meanwhile, the Bulls have posted a better record of 6-4 in their last ten games, averaging 118.2 points per game while shooting 49.3% from the floor. However, they have still faced competition averaging 113.9 points against them.
Injury Reports
Injury reports indicate significant absences for both teams: for Indiana, Obi Toppin is out with a foot injury, and Tyrese Haliburton will miss the remainder of the season due to an Achilles injury. The Bulls are also facing obstacles with Noa Essengue out for the season, along with Zach Collins and Tre Jones missing this game due to toe and hamstring injuries, respectively.
