CHICAGO – A 40-point second quarter from the Chicago Bulls was the difference in the game between the Bulls and Indiana Pacers on Monday night. Chicago outscored the Pacers 40-21 in the frame – Indiana was the better team on the scoreboard across the other three periods.
But that 12-minute stretch was all Bulls, and it cost the Pacers a winnable game. It also exposed a problem the blue and gold have been having of late. Their strong defense from earlier this calendar year is fading away, and the team is having trouble winning as a result.
“The second quarter killed us. We’re inconsistent,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlise said after the game. “The second quarter… that’s not acceptable. We’ve got to do better. Our main guys [have] got to do better. I’ve got to do better.”
What went wrong for the Pacers in Chicago?
Indiana’s main issue in Chicago was their points in the paint allowed. The Bulls finished the game with 68 points near the rim, the fourth-most that the Pacers have given up in a game this season. The blue and gold are 2-9 when they give up more than 60 points in the paint this season.
The Bulls got to the rim at will. Coby White and Josh Giddey combined to make 17 two-point shots. That was more than Indiana’s entire starting five all together. The issue for the Pacers isn’t just stopping post players or big men – it’s keeping ball handlers away from the rim on top of that.
Their ability to identify cutters has been off, too. They haven’t looked as connected of late, something Carlisle pointed out. It led to an awful defensive night in Chicago and a third-straight loss for the Pacers.
MORE FOR YOU
FBI Warning—Delete These Texts On Your iPhone, Android Phone
One Of TV’s Best Mystery Shows Returns With A 100% Perfect Critic Score
Google’s Android Decision—Bad News For All Samsung, Pixel Users
It also continues a concerning trend for the blue and gold. Four of their worst five games when it comes to allowing points in the paint have come in the last calendar month. Their defense is trending in the wrong direction with the stretch run looming.
Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) moves the ball during the second half of an NBA basketball ... [+] game against the Indiana Pacers, Saturday, March 8, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik Rank)Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Myles Turner, one of the Pacers defensive leaders, didn’t like the notion that the Pacers have taken a step back defensively recently. He thinks it’s been more about the opponents they’ve played and the style of those squads. But he did acknowledge some needed growth from his team.
“I think we definitely have some more work to do. I think that we definitely can be better in some areas,” he said. “But I don’t think this team’s taken a step back.”
For the season, the Pacers rank 17th in the NBA with a 114.2 defensive rating. But from the end of the NBA Cup through the end of January, the blue and gold sat sixth in defense, allowing just 111.1 points per 100 possessions. That stretch of play turned their season around. The entire roster was connected and locked in on the less glamorous end of the floor.
Since then? Indiana has conceded 115.2 points per 100 trips, over their season average. It’s only been slightly worse than their usual level, but it is certainly a step back from their borderline top-five defensive level last month.
“It’s not easy to defend full shot clocks,” Pacers wing Johnny Furphy said of defense on Monday night. “I think just having each other’s backs and just giving 100% effort no matter what,” he added of the keys on that end of the floor. He was perhaps the Pacers best competitor in Chicago.
Indiana has to improve on defense, especially as they navigate life with an injured Tyrese Haliburton. It’s one of the clearest methods to get back to their winning ways. As they try to keep pace in the race for a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference, getting back to a healthy defensive level would go a long way.
Since the start of February, the Pacers have given up 120+ points in a game to the Atlanta Hawks (three times), Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Washington Wizards, Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, and the Bulls. That group of teams has a wide range of typical offensive potency, but they all scored with relative ease against the Pacers. Indiana went 2-7 in those games. They are 7-1 in all other games since the start of last month.
As the blue and gold look for ways to be more consistent and show off their chemistry, they must improve on the defensive end. Otherwise, they may struggle to build on their record and push for home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
“Not too sure right now, honestly. The compete level, the focus is always a big thing we talked about,” Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard said of his team’s defensive issues of late after thinking about it for a second. “I think the coverages are good. I think it’s more about just getting it done.”
The Pacers play a few talented offensive teams in the coming weeks. They need to be better on the defensive end of the floor by the time those outings arrive.