The Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers went head to head on Saturday night in a preseason game at the United Center. Dwyane Wade was the star of the night as he scored a total of 22 points, leading Bulls to a 121-105 win - its first preseason victory.
Wade showcased his skills as he added eight assists and shot 8-of-14 from the floor, including 3-of-4 on 3-pointers. Taj Gibson also had an electrifying performance with a total of 20 points on 9-of-9 shooting and five rebounds. Other key players who impressed during the game include Niko Mirotic with 18 points and Jimmy Butler with 15 points. Meanwhile, Rajon Rondo sat out of the said game along with Pacer's Paul George.
In the first quarter, the team kicked off to a sluggish start as it recorded a 13-4 to the Pacers in the first four minutes. Fortunately, Bulls' forced the Pacers into a slow-paced offense and went on an 8-0 run, dropping the opponent's lead to one before the first timeout. The first quarter ended with Pacers ' 30-26 lead.
On the second quarter, Pacers had a quick start with almost 60 percent in the first half. Mirotic also opened the quarter with a three for the Bulls, followed by Wade's no-look dime for an open layup. In the second half of the quarter, Bulls picked up defensively and later forced two straight turnovers, resulting to five straight points. During the last three minutes, Wade was on fire as he sent home two straight three-pointers, alongside a fast break and layup. The halftime ended with 64-69 in favor of Bulls.
The third quarter was not that much of an action. Pacers started to put on an 8-2 run, all thanks to Jeff Teague's offense. Bulls, on the other hand, had turnovers on consecutive possessions, ending the quarter with 88-77, still in their favor.
During the last quarter, Gibson unleashed the monster in him as he finished the night with 9-for-9 shooting with a total of 20 points and five rebounds. Wade recorded 22 points alongside 8 assists in a span of 26 minutes. The game ended with 121-105, a sweet revenge for Bulls' 1-2 preseason record.
