Tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET the Indiana Pacers (51-19) will face off with the scrappy Chicago Bulls (39-31) for the second time in four games, perhaps simulating a future clash in the playoffs. Live stream the game by clicking this link; Pacers fans can find the game on 1070 ESPN, while Bulls fans can find the radio broadcast on ESPN 1000.
The Bulls are a rough-and-tumble outfit that leaves their mark on any opponent, but Pacers coach Frank Vogel thinks playing them twice is a positive. "When you're playing in the playoffs, you play a team and you got to make adjustments two days later and that's what these two games are going to feel like," Vogel said. "From that standpoint, it'll be good for our guys to dial in to adjustments."
The Bulls are a tenacious bunch defensively though, and the Pacers are struggling to find their stroke after shooting just 36.5 percent vs. Memphis on Saturday. "We have to create opportunities for teammates to move the ball," Indiana's star swingman Paul George said.
"It's only so much ball movement you can do when you're not moving yourself. We got to do a better job of moving with the ball and do a better job of screening. We're screening poorly right now as a team."
George also must do a better job of being efficient offensively, like he was in the beginning of the season when he was challenging for the MVP award. In the month of March George's shooting has dipped to 37.5 percent from the field, and under 30 percent from 3-point land. For the season George has connected from deep at a 36 percent clip.
When these teams met last Friday, the Pacers stiffened on D and allowed Chicago just 79 points. "We could play better than we are playing now," Bulls center Joakim Noah said. "Indiana was a tough game for us. We wish we could have played better. We'll have a chance to see them again soon."
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