National Basketball Association

Indiana Pacers at Chicago Bulls: Game Analysis

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The Bulls get it done again at home on Saturday night with a dominant win against the Indiana Pacers, their Central Division rivals.

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First Quarter

Scoring between both teams was back-and-forth for the latter part of the quarter. Taj Gibson showed how capable he can be as a starter, helping push the offense to a decent start. Robin Lopez got off to a great offensive start as well, making the presence known of the big men.

Midway through the quarter, the Bulls had already taken seven more shots than the Pacers. However, stopping Paul George early on seemed to be a problem, as he contributed nine points of the Pacers’ 20.

Rajon Rondo played the floor general role as usual with five assists in the opening quarter.

End of 1st: Bulls lead 24-20

Second Quarter

The Bulls jumped out to a 16-0 run in the early stages of the quarter. Fast break points off the Pacers’ missed shots contributed to a fast-paced game, which the Bulls adapted to quickly. The good guys jumped out to a double-digit lead.

The Bulls had just one turnover leading up to this point. The patience and carefulness with the basketball mirrored just how efficient the offense can be. The bench played incredibly well during this time frame.

The guys jumped out to another commanding 7-0 run thanks to a couple of field goals (and a thunderous dunk) by Gibson, and a 3-pointer by Isaiah Canaan. The Bulls led by 20 points at this point of the game.

Rondo tossed around 11 assists in the first half. Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade combined for 22 points.

Halftime: Bulls lead 62-41

Third Quarter

The Bulls picked up right where they left off, not giving their opponent any hope of a comeback. The team led by as much as 27 points. The bench continued to play well and as a cohesive unit overall.

End of 3rd: Bulls lead 92-67

Fourth Quarter

The bench maintained their composure for the final quarter. Denzel Valentine saw some action tonight after suffering an ankle sprain in the preseason opener.

Doug McDermott finished with 23 points off the bench on an efficient 9-for-14 shooting, leading all scorers of the game.

For the Pacers, Paul George finished with 20 points on 8-for-12 shooting.

Final Score: Bulls win 118-101 to improve to 2-0

Notable Team Stats

Bulls won the rebound battle 47-33, shot 19-for-21 from the free throw line, and scored 30 fast break points.

Player of the game: Rajon Rondo (6 points, 13 assists)

Jimmy Butler: 16 points, 5 rebounds

Dwyane Wade: 14 points, 5 rebounds

Next Game

Monday, October 31st, 6:30 pm CST at Brooklyn Nets (Barclays Center).

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