Tyrese Haliburton scored 29 points, including a 3-pointer from 30 feet out with 2.7 seconds remaining, and the visiting Indiana Pacers withstood a late charge by the Chicago Bulls to win 125-122 on Sunday.
Haliburton had 11 assists and shot 6-of-9 from 3-point range for Indiana, which won the season series against Chicago 3-1 after Nikola Vucevic missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Bennedict Mathurin scored 17 points, Myles Turner added 16 and Chris Duarte had 15 for Indiana. Oshae Brissett and Jordan Nwora scored 10 apiece and T.J. McConnell had nine points and six assists.
Chicago lost despite a stellar effort by Zach LaVine, who made five 3-pointers and finished with 42 points. DeMar DeRozan scored 23 points, Patrick Williams added 14, Vucevic had 12 points and nine rebounds and Alex Caruso scored 10.
Indiana overcame an impressive shooting performance by the Bulls, who shot 60.8 percent from the field and 10-of-22 (45.5 percent) from 3-point range.
The Pacers, who moved into a tie with Chicago for 11th place in the Eastern Conference, led 119-118 on Mathurin’s dunk before the Bulls regained the lead on LaVine’s jumper with 49 seconds left.
After Buddy Hield hit a 3-pointer to put Indiana ahead by two, LaVine converted two of three free throws to tie the game at 122. Haliburton, who had missed Indiana’s previous game with tightness in his right calf, drained his long 3-pointer to seal the victory.
LaVine had 15 points in the opening quarter for Chicago, which led 35-30 after shooting 65 percent from the field. Haliburton had 16 points for Indiana in the period.
Indiana took its first lead of the game at 47-44 on Duarte’s 3-pointer with 7:01 left in the second quarter.
Brissett’s 3-pointer with two seconds left in the quarter gave the Pacers a 67-60 lead at the break. Indiana outscored the Bulls 37-25 in the second quarter.
LaVine had 24 points in the first half for Chicago, which trailed despite shooting 63.9 percent from the field. Indiana shot 54.3 percent from the field for the half and 10-of-20 (50 percent) from 3-point range.
–Field Level Media
