Pacers finish strong to beat Bulls, ready to host dynamic Rockets team

The Pacers found a way to slow down the Bulls in the second half to take care of a bounce-back win. Now face a Rockets team that took precautions to give Pacers their best shot.

The Pacers offense picked up where they left off in Miami, but so did the defense in the first half against the Bulls. But after the break, the defense found a way to slow down the Bulls and the Pacers secured a 127-112 win. After giving up an early lead, the Pacers were down 67-66 at the half, but rallied to hold the Bulls to just 45 second half points en route to the double digit win.

Midway through the third quarter, Aaron Nesmith hit three consecutive 3-balls to push a 2-point Pacers lead to 11 and the Pacers were able to make that lead stick for the rest of the game against a pesky Bulls squad. Nesmith made one of two free throws late in the game to push his game-high scoring total to 27 points which also improved his career-high by one point.

Andrew Nembhard built off of some improved offense in Miami to have a more impactful two way game which saw him make a couple of threes and provide some offense in the second half, while then bearing down defensively to help slow down Coby White for the Bulls. White was sizzling for a stretch in the first half and had 20 points at the break, but just six after as the Bulls had to look elsewhere for offense.

Nembhard also only had one turnover which has been a problem of late. Turnovers are not a problem for Tyrese Haliburton who also had just one to go along with 12 assists. With 69 assists and 6 turnovers over the past six games, Haliburton has moved from playing at an All-Star level to an All-NBA level since the start of 2025.

Haliburton’s struggles out of the gate in November seemed to set a narrative for his season, so actually changing hearts and minds about being All-NBA may be a lost cause but who cares. Much prefer to have Haliburton playing at this level at this point in the season than at the start of the year.

Kind of the opposite of last year, when he started strong and showed out during the In Season Tournament then rode that momentum to All-Star and All-NBA accolades. This year his focus is on playing well and winning at this time of the year which is all this team needs. While the shooting to start the season was bad, Haliburton’s play otherwise remained solid. That’s evident in the fact he’s the first player to reach 500 assists in a season before having 100 turnovers.

Rockets next at the Fieldhouse

The Pacers return to action on Tuesday night with a challenging matchup against the Rockets who are playing on a back-to-back. While the Rockets are on a vicious back-to-back, having lost in Oklahoma City on Monday night. However, it appears the Rockets were willing to split the two games and targeted the Pacers for their best effort. Four key rotation players sat out with ‘injuries’ in OKC with only Fred Van Vleet expected to miss the Pacers game. Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Dillon Brooks have all been starting of late and sat out in OKC, but are expected to be available in Indy.

The Rockets won the first meeting in Houston in mid-November, 130-111 but both teams are far different than when they met that night. Sengun had his way in the first game with 31 points and 10 rebounds and will likely be a factor the Pacers have to adjust for this time around. Also, Amen Thompson has emerged as a starting and one of the most dynamic players in the league with his speed and athleticism making him a lights out defender while he’s also improved on the offensive end. Reminds me of a more explosive Edmond Sumner whose speed always had me feeling like he was playing on a hoverboard (remember those).

For the Pacers, Bennedict Mathurin has been upgraded to doubtful which does not bode well for his availability. Jarace Walker should be a good rotation option against the length the Rockets have in the lineup. Walker played with the Mad Ants on Monday and delivered a triple-double. Rick Carlisle has been doing his best to publicly pump up Walker while his rotation minutes have been thin when the roster is healthy.

Both after the win on Sunday and again, on his Tuesday morning discussion with the morning show on 107.5FM, Carlisle gave indications that Walker’s preparation and work to remain ready has been a work in progress but also, it seems that part of his game as a pro has matured as a key point in his development. You can listen to the radio interview: HERE

Pacers vs. Rockets

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN

When: Tuesday, Mar. 4, 2025, 7:00 p.m. ET

TV: FanDuel Sports Network

Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan

Odds: Pacers -3.5

Projected Starters

Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner

Rockets: Jalen Green, Amen Thompson, Dillon Brooks, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun

Injuries

Pacers: Bennedict Mathurin (wrist) - out, Isaiah Jackson (Achilles) - out

Rockets: Steven Adams (ankle) - questionable, Dillon Brooks (knee) - questionable, Tari Eason (leg) - questionable, Alperen Sengun (lower back) - questionable, Amen Thompson (shoulder) - questionable Fred VanVleet (ankle)- out