Pascal Siakam delivered the decisive jumper with one second left, lifting the Indiana Pacers to a 103-101 win over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Indiana improved to 4-16 after holding off a late Chicago charge, while the Bulls dropped to 9-10 despite a strong fourth-quarter surge.
Siakam finished with 24 points and nine rebounds, anchoring an offense that relied on balanced scoring and timely defensive plays.
Bennedict Mathurin added 19 points, including three made threes, and Andrew Nembhard scored 14 in his return from a bruised right quadriceps.
Isaiah Jackson provided critical support off the bench with 14 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks, fueling Indiana’s interior defense during key stretches.
Chicago received 17 points and 11 rebounds from Josh Giddey, who also collected seven assists while initiating most of their late-game offense.
Tre Jones matched Giddey with 17 points, and Nikola Vucevic delivered 16 points and eight boards while handling the bulk of Chicago’s half-court touches.
The Bulls opened the fourth quarter with a 15-2 run, turning an 86-80 deficit into a 95-88 lead by attacking the paint and pushing in transition.
Indiana responded by tightening its coverage on the perimeter and stringing together an 8-0 run capped by T.J. McConnell’s pull-up jumper with 2:19 to play.
After Vucevic briefly put Chicago ahead 99-98 with two free throws, the Pacers regained momentum when officials overturned a goaltending call on Jay Huff.
Siakam scored on the next possession, and Nembhard split a pair at the line to make it 101-99 with 10.7 seconds left.
Jones tied the game by driving into traffic and drawing a goaltending ruling against Indiana with 7.5 seconds remaining.
On the final play, Siakam created space near the right elbow and hit the deciding 14-footer, sealing Indiana’s fourth win of the season.
The Pacers’ early boost came from Huff, who scored their first 14 points while hitting all five of his attempts, keeping Indiana steady before the offense settled.
He finished with eight rebounds and four blocks, giving the Pacers important rim protection against Chicago’s drivers.
Indiana shot 49 percent in the first half and built a 61-54 advantage behind improved ball movement and consistent mid-range scoring.
Chicago tied the game quickly to open the third, but the Pacers reestablished control late in the quarter before the contest swung back-and-forth in the final minutes.
The Bulls played without Coby White due to a right calf strain, with head coach Billy Donovan confirming it was the final night of his management restrictions.
Chicago shot 45 percent from the field and went 14-for-34 from deep, while Indiana finished at 46 percent overall and won despite hitting only 32 percent from three.
Up next, Chicago travels to Orlando on Monday, while Indiana returns home to face Cleveland on the same night.
