Pacers first road win headlined by star and two-way play coming in new ways

CHICAGO – Finally, the Indiana Pacers have a road win. They were the last NBA team to earn one during the 2025-26 campaign, and they did so in dominant fashion. After a back-and-forth first frame, the Pacers outscored the Chicago Bulls 90-72 across the second, third, and fourth quarters en route to a 120-105 victory in the United Center.

The big story was the convergence of the Pacers top talents. Andrew Nembhard (15 points and seven assists), Bennedict Mathurin (28 points and five rebounds), and Pascal Siakam (season-high 36 points plus 10 rebounds) were all terrific, and each of the trio provided their game-changing offensive production at different times and in different ways.

"Did a lot of good things on offense... did a very good job [with] transition, getting back," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said postgame. "Siakam was great. Mathurin was great. Nembhard got us off to a great start defensively and made big baskets down the stretch."

Circle City Spin

The Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever, up close

Circle City SpinTony East

Nembhard set the tone early and Siakam stole the show. But Mathurin deserves first mention here because I can't remember many games like this one from him. The young guard made six three-point shots for just the fourth time in his career, alone an impressive feat.

But what made this game special for Mathurin was the spread out nature of his scoring. This was his fifth game with 25+ points this season, that's not new. This was, however, the first time he reached that total without a concentrated scoring surge at one point in the game. His points were scattered.

Mathurin had nine points in the first quarter, five in the second, six in the third, and eight in the fourth. A few jumpers here, a few drives there, and Chicago struggled to contain any of it. Everyone has seen Mathurin look like that before.

Yet in every over big scoring night from Mathurin this season, he exploded for a big chunk of his points during one stretch of time. When he had 36 points on opening night, 15 came in the fourth quarter. During his 26-point outing in Memphis, 12 were in the third frame. He scored 11 of his 24 against Charlotte in the second quarter and 14 of his 25 in Detroit in the fourth.

Points count no matter when they're scored. Neither method is inherently better. But this was different – it was a slower drip of buckets from Mathurin. Four here. Six there. In the end, it was Mathurin's second-best scoring night of the season.

The dominant stretches were reserved for Siakam on this night. His 36 points were a season high and just shy of his regular season best with the Pacers. When the star forward sees the Bulls as his opponent, he levels up.

In the second quarter, Siakam took over the game. He played all 12 minutes of the period because of first-quarter foul trouble, but he took advantage of it with 10 shot attempts leading to 14 points and four rebounds. He exposed what the Bulls had already shown this season: Chicago can't guard Pascal Siakam.

The Bulls have some forwards with size, but they are young and inexperienced. Putting them on a crafty veteran is asking for some poor stretches. Chicago's better or more experienced defenders aren't the right size to put on Siakam. He always had an edge, and he turned it into easy points.

"For me, just a regular day. Trying to make the right play, shoot open shots," Siakam said, confidently, of his high-scoring night. It was his fifth game over 30 points this season, and he carried the Pacers for long stretches in both the second and fourth quarters.

Nembhard did his damage early. He started off the game pushing the pace and getting the Pacers moving – he scored or assisted all of the team's first eight baskets. In between, he generated a few steals to get the blue and gold into the open floor.

His tempo was excellent. That terrific start didn't end with a statistically-imposing night – "just" 15 points, seven assists, and three steals – but he carried the Pacers early during their only somewhat-challenging stretch of the game.

"I think we were a little more organized. I think we were more opportunistic in transition," Nembhard said of the Pacers offensive success. "I think everybody was just moving the ball well, playing with each other."

Those three combined for 79 points, nearly two-thirds of the Pacers total. The Bulls simply couldn't stop them. At least one of the trio was always rolling – it was Nembhard early, Siakam in the second quarter plus late in the action (nine points in a 2:10 stretch of the fourth quarter), and Mathurin everywhere else in between.

Altogether, they guided the Pacers to a strong offensive night. It led to win number five, which was win number one outside of Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Other keys and notes from a Pacers win

Ethan Thompson with a career game

In many seasons, this would have been the story of the game. The layers to Ethan Thompson's night in Chicago all make his outing more impressive.

Thompson had been on the Pacers for six days. He hadn't played outside of garbage time in an NBA game, ever. Before December, he literally hadn't played in the NBA period. He's never suited up in a road game. Thompson's experience was entirely G League and preseason reps. Nobody had relied on him before.

Then, Ben Sheppard suffered a calf strain. He wasn't available in Chicago and didn't make the trip. Someone else needed to step up, and Carlisle believed that he should turn to Thompson. Early in the morning, Thompson was scrimmaging with another Pacers two-way contract player and some basketball interns when Carlisle called in to stop the game and pull Thompson off the floor. They needed him for the game coming up that night.

"That may have been the most important phone call of the day, of the week," Carlisle said. "Happy for the kid." He talked to JJ Barea, among others, to get background on Thompson ahead of the signing and was happy with the information. "[Barea] said that we would really like him. [Thompson] really came through for us."

The head coach told Thompson to be ready in the morning. It's a common message for a player who hasn't played in a while, nonetheless ever. In this case, Thompson could be forgiven for being ready but jittery or ahead of his skis. It was his first real NBA minutes. Surely, a lot was going through his mind.

Instead, a combination of Sheppard's injury, Garrison Mathews foul trouble, and overall solid play put Thompson on the floor often, and he turned it into an excellent night. He played all but 10 seconds across the final 18 minutes of the first half, and those chances weren't handed to him. They were earned.

Thompson jogged off the floor at halftime with nine points, one rebound, two assists, and one steal. All of those numbers eclipsed his career totals to that point. Carlisle then started Thompson in the second half, and his strong play continued. He was on the hardwood for nearly 26 consecutive minutes of basketball – though halftime broke it up.

"Guys have been doing a good job of keeping me on track so I could make this transition as smooth as possible," Thomopson said while describing his excited emotions after Carlisle's morning phone call. It's clear his professionalism and performance have already rubbed off on his teammates – Jay Huff strolled over to join Thompson's postgame media session and asked a question while pretending his water bottle was a microphone.

Thompson spent a lot of time watching film of the Pacers to learn the system and figure out how he can fit with his teammates. It's helped him so far and made him more confident for serious opportunities. But what really settled him in was his first made shot – which he said calmed his nerves – and another important play early in the game.

"I think it was the assist to [Siakam] in transition," Thompson said, referring to a moment that came with about 10 minutes left in the second quarter. "I think seeing him hit that shot off of my pass, I think that's something that settled me for sure."

In the end, Thompson combined his preparation and repose to pitch in 11 points, two rebounds, three assists, a steal, and two blocks. He was flat-out great. Thompson was a team-high +25 and was second on the team in minutes played.

"Looked like he played the whole season or something. He looked comfortable, he looked fearless," Nembhard said.

"He just plays the game the right way," Siakam added. "On defense, he's moving his feet. I was impressed. He's got a lot to learn... But I love that he was just out there without thinking too much."

Thompson then took part in the postgame interview with the radio broadcast team, something reserved for one of the top performers in a game. He deserved it. Then, he left the hardwood with friends yelling "Ethan!" and Pacers fans shouting "Mr. Thompson!"

"This is something that I've worked for for a long time. When an opportunity comes, just surrender the moment to God and let him do that rest," Thompson said. "It's a great feeling... a situation that I've been working towards."

Quenton Jackson, back soon?

The two-way player that Thompson was working with in the morning? It was Quenton Jackson, who hasn't played since November 3 with a right hamstring strain. Carlisle shared postgame that he, too, was scrimmaging with the basketball interns on Friday morning and is making progress toward a return. Jackson, Obi Toppin, and Tyrese Haliburton were all in Chicago for the game.

Carlisle shared more on Jackson's status postgame. "He's doing better. I don't think Monday's in the cards. Maybe at the end of next week, maybe the game Friday he could be ready," Carlisle said. The Pacers are in Philadelphia on December 12. "We'll have some practice time between now and then, so we'll see what's what. But he is doing better and progressing."

Jackson will give the Pacers another dynamic element. On a two-way contract, he doesn't contribute to a hardship exception, so the Pacers haven't been able to add another player due to Jackson's absence. That's tough for the team, because he is a productive player despite not being on a standard deal. Thompson proved Friday what two-way players can do on Friday, and Jackson has done something similar many times.

If he returns soon, the Pacers will be better for it. They've been better of late, too, winning three of their last five games and finally getting one on the road. One game left before needed time off for the NBA Cup.

Thank you for reading. The Pacers are about to have many more practices thanks to the NBA Cup break. That will be a good time for more zoomed-out/in, non-game stories. Subscribe so you don't miss them.