NBA: Pacers storm back in fourth quarter to top Bulls

Pascal Siakam scored 13 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, and the Indiana Pacers closed the game on a 26-9 run to defeat the Chicago Bulls 113-110 on Wednesday in Indianapolis.

Andrew Nembhard added 18 points, nine assists, and six rebounds for Indiana, which trailed 101-87 with 7:14 remaining in the fourth quarter before tying the game at 105 with two minutes to go.

After the teams exchanged baskets, Nembhard’s jumper with 39.7 seconds left gave the Pacers their first lead since 10-8 early in the first quarter. Chicago’s Nikola Vucevic responded with a 3-pointer following a timeout, but Indiana regained the lead at 111-110 on Aaron Nesmith’s layup with 13.9 seconds left.

Coby White’s layup attempt was blocked by Nesmith, and Johnny Furphy’s two free throws sealed the win, marking just the second time this season the Pacers have won when trailing after three quarters.

Jarace Walker contributed 16 points, Bennedict Mathurin added 15, Nesmith had 14, and Jay Huff chipped in 10 points for Indiana, which has won each of its first three meetings against Chicago this season.

For the Bulls, Vucevic led with 25 points and nine rebounds. Matas Buzelis added 20 points and eight boards, Ayo Dosunmu scored 19 points, Coby White contributed 14, and Jalen Smith recorded his eighth double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds off the bench against his former team. Josh Giddey also had 10 points and seven assists. Chicago suffered its second consecutive loss following a four-game winning streak.

The Bulls jumped to an early lead, outscoring Indiana by as many as 12 in the first quarter and holding a 33-24 advantage after the period. Vucevic’s jumper put Chicago ahead 49-40 with 3:03 left in the second quarter, but the Pacers cut the deficit to 53-49 by halftime. Buzelis scored 15 points in the first half, while Walker and Nembhard each had 10 for Indiana.

In the third quarter, Mathurin tied the game at 64 with two free throws, but Vucevic and Isaac Okoro sparked a 10-3 Bulls run with back-to-back 3-pointers. Smith’s 3-pointer at the end of the quarter gave Chicago an 85-76 lead, setting the stage for Indiana’s dramatic fourth-quarter comeback.

—Field Level Media/Reuters