DeMar DeRozan led the Chicago Bulls (35-38) to a comfortable 125-99 win over the Indiana Pacers (41-33) on Wednesday night, snapping a three-game losing streak for the Bulls.
DeRozan dropped game-high 27 points, while Nikola Vucevic contributed a double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds.
Coby White added 18 points for the Bulls as they secured the season series against the Pacers with a 3-1 record. Ayo Dosunmu contributed 17 points, while Alex Caruso notched 12 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, and Andre Drummond had a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Chicago’s stifling defense held the high-scoring Pacers to under 100 points for the first time this season.
Despite a spirited effort from Indiana, led by Andrew Nembhard’s 18 points, the Pacers struggled to find their rhythm. It was a quite game for Indiana’s leaders Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, who had 13 and 14 points respectively.
The Bulls took control of the game in the second quarter, outscoring the Pacers 22-6 in the final minutes to establish a commanding 64-43 halftime lead.
Although Indiana mounted a comeback in the second half, narrowing the deficit to single digits, Chicago prevented any significant threat to their lead.
Despite the loss, the Pacers maintain a one-game lead over the Miami Heat, which keeps them in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, the Bulls are eighth.
