In a game that had all the makings of a gritty comeback thriller, Aaron Nesmith delivered in the biggest moments to lift the Indiana Pacers to a 113-110 win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. With the game hanging in the balance, Nesmith stepped up - first with a go-ahead reverse layup with just 13.9 seconds left, then with a clutch block on Coby White’s drive to the rim with 2.9 seconds remaining. It was a sequence that perfectly captured the Pacers’ fight, resilience, and growing maturity.
Indiana entered the fourth quarter trailing by nine and had been down by as many as 14 earlier in the second half. But with the game slipping away, the Pacers found another gear, unleashing an 18-4 run over the final seven minutes that completely flipped the script.
Andrew Nembhard sparked the surge with a tough step-back jumper that gave Indiana a 109-107 lead with 40 seconds to go. Nikola Vucevic briefly gave the Bulls the edge back with a three-pointer, but Nesmith answered with the reverse layup that proved to be the game-winner.
And the job wasn’t done. After Nesmith’s block on White’s layup attempt, Johnny Furphy secured the rebound and calmly knocked down two free throws to seal the win. Nembhard capped the night with a key steal to help Indiana hang on - a fitting end to a game where the Pacers’ young core showed poise beyond their years.
Nesmith’s stat line reflected his all-around impact: 14 points, four rebounds, four assists, a steal, and a game-saving block in 34 minutes of action. But it was his timing - stepping up when it mattered most - that told the real story.
Pascal Siakam led the way for Indiana with 20 points, including a scorching 13-point fourth quarter where he hit 4-of-7 from the field and 5-of-6 from the line. He was the engine of the comeback, using his versatility and veteran presence to steady the Pacers when they needed it most.
Nembhard was outstanding as well, finishing with 18 points, nine assists, and six boards. The second-year guard continues to show growth as a playmaker and shot creator, and his confidence in crunch time is becoming a real asset for this team.
Rookie forward Jarace Walker added 16 points on an efficient 6-of-8 shooting night, showing off his scoring touch and ability to pick his spots. Bennedict Mathurin chipped in 15 points, hitting 3-of-5 from deep and going a perfect 4-for-4 from the stripe, while also grabbing eight rebounds.
Jay Huff rounded out the scoring punch with 10 points and seven boards. All told, Indiana’s young players accounted for 31 of the team’s 113 points - a sign of just how much this team is leaning into its youth movement, and how well that movement is responding.
On the other side, Nikola Vucevic led all scorers with 25 points for Chicago, while rookie Matas Buzelis added 20 in a strong showing. Jalen Smith notched a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Josh Giddey dished out seven assists - enough to push him past the 2,000-assist mark for his career. At just 23 years old, Giddey became the 15th player in NBA history to hit that milestone before or at that age, a testament to his court vision and consistency as a distributor.
Indiana’s offense got off to a rocky start, especially inside the arc. The Pacers shot just 2-of-14 on two-point attempts in the first quarter - a paltry 14.2 percent - but managed to stay afloat by hitting 6-of-13 from beyond the arc. To counter Chicago’s size, Indiana rotated through several bigs: Huff logged over 23 minutes, Micah Potter played nearly 17, Isaiah Jackson saw a brief 2:33 of floor time, and Siakam even spent nearly five minutes at the five.
The win bumps Indiana to 12-36 on the season, pulling them out of the NBA basement for now. Meanwhile, Chicago slips to 23-24, hovering just below the .500 mark in the Eastern Conference standings. The Pacers have now taken all three matchups against the Bulls this season - a small but meaningful sign of progress for a team still finding its identity.
Next up, Indiana will look to build on this momentum when they host the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night. If Wednesday’s performance is any indication, this young Pacers squad isn’t just learning how to compete - they’re starting to learn how to close.