The Indiana Pacers came into the United Center on four days’ rest, but played like a team on the second night of a back-to-back, putting up minimal effort in a loss to the Chicago Bulls. The Pacers shot poorly and rebounded poorly, which contributed to loss, but in an ugly game where Chicago still gave Indiana every opportunity to win, there was no excuse for this to be anything but.
Indiana started slow, but the game really shifted in Chicago’s favor when Rajon Rondo came up with three offensive rebounds on one play, which eventually led to a corner three from Nikola Mirotic that started an 8-0 run that would put Chicago up 13 late in the first.