Game Recap: Bulls fall to Pacers again as season continues to spiral

David Banks - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese · Senior Writer · 8 hours ago

CHICAGO - At some point, the Chicago Bulls (9-13) front office is going to have to look in the mirror and make some tough organizational decisions. Whether that means moving on from Billy Donovan, trading players, or axing the entire front office, something needs to change. Things are just not working anymore, and it has started to carry over to the players themselves, as you are beginning to get the impression that they have quit on their coach.

Looking to snap a five-game losing streak, the Bulls welcomed in the Indiana Pacers (5-18) to the United Center for what looked to be another winnable game. On paper, that should've been the case, but Indiana beat the Bulls less than two weeks ago and did it in relatively easy fashion. Friday was more of the same, as the Bulls' lack of effort on the defensive end continues to be an issue, as the Pacers come into town and hand the Bulls a 120-105 defeat. That now makes it six straight for the Bulls, as their 6-1 start is a distant memory.

This was one of those games where the Bulls knew they needed to get off to a hot start, and Coby White (21 points) and Matas Buzelis (19 points, 12 boards) provided it, accounting for all but three of the Bulls' first 12 points. Buzelis continued to flex his muscles as part of a 10-point first quarter as the Bulls pushed their lead to 16-9 in the early going.

At some point, you knew the Pacers would start to find their groove, and that they did as Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker started to heat up from distance to pull the Pacers to within 24-23. Behind a Zach Collins bucket as he made his season debut with eight points off the bench, was back up by six only to see their lead cut to 33-30 after one. It was in the second quarter, and really the next two quarters, when the game flipped as the Pacers started punching the Bulls in the mouth, and the Bulls were unable to mount a comeback.

A quick flurry of points from Pascal Siakam (36 points, 10 boards), and just like that, it was the Pacers coming out strong to take the lead on a 9-2 run. Chicago managed to retake the lead on the Emmanuel Miller jumper, followed by a Julian Phillips triple, but it was the Pacers turning it on again with Ethan Thompson connecting on a triple to cap off what was a 13-4 Indiana run, and had the Bulls trailing by eight. Thompson added another triple late in the half, as did Siakam, as the Pacers took a 62-57 lead into the break.

Had it not been for the Josh Giddey triple late in the half, the Bulls would've been facing a near double-digit lead at the break, but that was about all the excitement from Giddey, who had an off night shooting the ball with nine points. In desperate need of a massive second half to get the win, it was the Bulls laying an egg as Mathurin and Siakam took over in the third, using a 15-2 run to make it 77-59, a game the Bulls were searching for answers.

It's this type of play that is making most fans furious, as the Bulls are far more talented than the way they are playing at the moment. Facing an 18-point deficit, Chicago started to chip away at the Pacers' lead with White and Patrick Williams leading the charge to pull the Bulls back within single digits. As tough as things have been for Williams this season, he was trusted with a starting spot to begin the second half and finished the game with nine points.

A late Javon Carter triple as part of his 14 points off the bench had Chicago within five points late in the third, only to see the Pacers push their lead to nine with 12 minutes to play. For the Bulls to have any chance of a comeback, they couldn't afford to let the Pacers go on another run, as that would be the final nail in the Bulls' coffin. Even with Phillips and Giddey doing their best to keep the Bulls in it, Indiana had the answers as a pair of triples from Garrison Matthews and Mathurin saw Indiana stretch their lead back out to 12.

It only got worse from there as Chicago was unable to get any closer than seven points in the final frame before falling 120-105. With the loss, Chicago has not only lost six straight, but also dropped two games against a Pacers team they should beat. With losses against the four worst teams in the league during this stretch, things are getting ugly in Chicago, and a new voice in charge could be needed to salvage the season.

MOTOR CITY CRUISE PAST WINDY CITY

HOFFMAN ESTATES - The Windy City Bulls (5-4) were also in action on Friday, hosting the Motor City Cruise (4-7) for the first of two games at the NOW Arena this weekend. With arguably three of their best players suiting up for the Chicago Bulls, this was going to be a struggle as the Cruise made quick work of Windy City 129-118.

Mac McClung and Kevin Knox continue to lead the way for this offense as McClung led all scorers with 23 points while Knox added 20 points and four boards. Windy City also saw RJ Nembhard (20 Points) and Mouhamadou Gueye (21 points) off the bench post 20-point efforts for Windy City, as scoring wasn't the problem in the loss.

Motor City was led by Isaac Jones, whose 26 points and 10 rebounds led all scorers. Wendell Moore Jr chipped in with 20 points while Tolu Smith added 21 points and 16 boards in what was a massive showing for him. These same teams will meet on Saturday, where the Bulls will look for the Weekend split.