Two close duels, two narrow victories: In the NBA preseason, the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers each played nerve-wracking games. While Chicago won narrowly in Cleveland, the Pacers prevailed against Minnesota after overtime, despite squandering a 24-point lead.
The Chicago Bulls kicked off the preseason with a 118-117 win at the Cleveland Cavaliers, with Matas Buzelis taking center stage. The 20-year-old led Chicago with 19 points and eight rebounds, impressing especially in the first half with 13 points on a strong shooting percentage (5/7 FG). Support came from Zach Collins (16) and Ayo Dosunmu (12), while Jevon Carter shone in the closing stages with important steals and a decisive layup. Cleveland got off to the better start, leading by double digits after the first quarter, but increasingly lost control as Chicago picked up the pace. The Bulls dominated the paint (58 points) and outscored Cleveland 28-17 on fast breaks. De’Andre Hunter and Craig Porter Jr. each scored 17 points for the Cavs, but were unable to counter Carter’s layup with 37 seconds remaining.
NBA: Pacers defy slump and win in overtime
The Indiana Pacers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 135-134 in overtime, despite squandering a 24-point lead in the final quarter. Pascal Siakam scored 14 points and was accurate early on (3/5 3P), while two-way guard RayJ Dennis was the top scorer with 16 points (4/6 3P). Jarace Walker (13) and Aaron Nesmith (12) also impressed, and Jalen Slawson made the difference with six points in overtime.
Indiana played aggressive defense from the start, forcing 21 turnovers by the Timberwolves. The Pacers scored 30 points off those turnovers and dominated the fast breaks (28:4). While the starters around Siakam, Nembhard, and Mathurin used their minutes efficiently and were rested early on, the second unit held on to the win. Despite Minnesota’s late comeback led by Johnny Juzang (20 points) and Anthony Edwards (17), Indiana remained ice-cold from the three-point line, hitting 20 of 46 long-range shots.
