Aaron Nesmith makes a clutch save against the Bulls

Wednesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, back-forward Aaron Nesmith came to the clutch by hitting a go-ahead reverse layup with 13.9 seconds left and later blocking Kobe White’s attempt near the rim with 2.9 seconds left, leading Indiana Pacers to a 113-110 comeback win against the Chicago Bulls.

Trailing by nine and as many as 14 points entering the fourth quarter, Indiana went on an 18-4 run over the final seven minutes to overcome the deficit. Andrew Nembhardt started the rally with a step-back jumper, giving the Pacers a 109-107 lead with 40 seconds left, before Nikola Vucevic hit a 3-pointer to give Chicago the lead. The 26-year-old’s reverse layup restored Indiana’s lead, and forward Johnny Furfee grabbed a rebound after Nesmith made a defensive stop, converting two free throws to bring home a 113-110 victory. Nembhard also grabbed a key steal to help the Pacers hang on.

Nesmith finished the night with 14 points, four rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block in 34 minutes. Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 20 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, making 4-of-7 field goals and 5-of-6 free throws in the crucial period. Nembhard scored 18 points, nine assists and six rebounds. Jerras Walker added 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting and Benedict Maturin had 15 points, going 3-of-5 from three-point range and 4-of-4 at the line, along with eight rebounds. Jay Huff recorded 10 points and seven rebounds. The Pacers’ young core was responsible for 31 of the team’s 113 points.

Vucevic from Chicago led the scorers with 25 points, while Matas Bouzelis had 20. Jaylen Smith had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Josh Giddy recorded seven assists, surpassing 2,000 career assists at age 23, becoming the 15th player in NBA history to reach the milestone at or before that age.

Indiana’s offense was out of sync early in the game, shooting just 14.2 percent on two-point attempts in the first quarter (2 of 14), though they made up for it by shooting 6 of 13 from three. The Pacers also used multiple centers to match the Bulls’ size, with Huff playing 23:27 minutes, Micah Potter 16:55, Isaiah Jackson 2:33, and Siakam spending 4:51 on the floor. fifth place.

The win improved Indiana’s record to 12-36, moving them out of last place in the NBA, while Chicago fell to 23-24, sitting just under .500 in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers have now beaten the Bulls three times this season and will next host the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night.