Bulls Collapse Against Lowly Pacers in Stunning Loss

Chicago blows 14-point fourth quarter lead to Eastern Conference's worst team

Jan. 28, 2026 at 10:31pm

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The Chicago Bulls suffered a stunning collapse, blowing a 14-point fourth quarter lead to lose 113-110 against the lowly Indiana Pacers, the worst team in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls defense melted down in the final minutes, allowing the Pacers to score 28 points in the last 7:30 of the game and complete the comeback. This loss highlighted the Bulls' struggles against inferior opponents, as they are now 3-9 against lower-ranked teams in the East.

Why it matters

The Bulls' inability to put away weaker teams has been a recurring issue this season, as they have now lost three times to the Pacers, who have just 12 wins on the year. This collapse raises questions about the team's focus and killer instinct when facing beatable competition, a weakness that could haunt them in the playoff race.

The details

The Bulls held a 14-point lead with under 8 minutes remaining, but their defense collapsed down the stretch. They failed to stop drives to the rim, lost track of assignments, and allowed the Pacers to rain down 3-pointers to complete the comeback. Coach Billy Donovan tried to shore up the defense by subbing in Jalen Smith, but it wasn't enough to fend off Indiana's late surge.

  • The Bulls held a 14-point lead with just under 8 minutes remaining in the game.
  • The Pacers scored 28 points over the final 7 minutes and 30 seconds of the game.

The players

Billy Donovan

Head coach of the Chicago Bulls.

Coby White

Guard for the Chicago Bulls.

Aaron Nesmith

Guard for the Indiana Pacers who made the game-winning play.

Josh Giddey

Guard for the Chicago Bulls who returned to the starting lineup after missing time with a hamstring injury.

Jalen Smith

Forward for the Chicago Bulls who was subbed in late to provide more rim protection.

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What they’re saying

“When you up by double digits in the fourth, you've got to put teams away.”

— Coby White, Guard (Chicago Tribune)

“I don't look at a team's record. We don't have those kinds of margins to look at it that way. We're a team that's striving and fighting to earn whatever it is we can earn. We don't have the luxury to look at anybody and just sit there and say, 'OK, we're gonna just go out there and win.' I don't believe that. To me, there's a level of entitlement there where we can't have that kind of approach or attitude. We've got to be hungry. We've got to realize that on any given night, we can beat anybody and on any given night, anybody can beat us.”

— Billy Donovan, Head Coach (Chicago Tribune)

What’s next

The Bulls will look to bounce back quickly as they face the Indiana Pacers again on Thursday and then take on the Miami Heat on Friday, in a stretch of 4 games in 5 days.

The takeaway

This collapse against the lowly Pacers highlights a recurring issue for the Bulls - their inability to put away inferior opponents. This weakness could prove costly in the playoff race if the team doesn't develop a killer instinct and learn to consistently beat the teams they are expected to handle.