The Chicago Bulls visit the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night with the final injury report now locked in, and it paints a clear picture of two teams moving in different lanes. Chicago sits at 23-23 and has won five of its last seven, while Indiana returns home from a five-game road swing at 11-36 and searching for rhythm. The Pacers took the first two meetings this season and have won five of the last six against the Bulls, but the health sheet adds real drama to this third matchup at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Here’s everything you need to know: who is playing, who is not, which trends matter most, and how we see it finishing.

Final Injury Report: Who’s In, Who’s Out

The headline on the Pacers side is as tough as it gets. All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton remains out with a right Achilles tendon tear and surgery, with an undetermined timeline for return. Indiana will also be without forward Obi Toppin (right foot stress fracture/hamstring). Those two absences have reshaped the Pacers’ attack and their spacing.

Rookie forward Jarace Walker is listed as questionable due to a right foot bruise. If he goes, his recent surge matters: 19.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 3.5 steals on 52.2% shooting and a blistering 50% from three across his last outings. Two-way guard Taelon Peter is doubtful, while two-way wing Ethan Thompson is probable.

For the Bulls, guard Tre Jones is out with a left hamstring strain and will miss a third straight game after going down on Jan. 22/23. As one report framed it, “Jones will miss an extended period due to a left hamstring strain, and there is no timetable for return.” Big man Zach Collins remains out with a right first toe sprain, sidelined since late December. Noa Essengue (left shoulder surgery) is done for the year after two appearances, while two-way players Emanuel Miller (hamstring) and Yuki Kawamura are also out.

• Pacers OUT: Tyrese Haliburton, Obi Toppin
• Pacers QUESTIONABLE: Jarace Walker
• Pacers DOUBTFUL: Taelon Peter (two-way)
• Pacers PROBABLE: Ethan Thompson (two-way)
• Bulls OUT: Tre Jones, Zach Collins, Noa Essengue, Emanuel Miller (two-way), Yuki Kawamura (two-way)

“No Haliburton, no Toppin… can Indy still win the pace battle?”

Expected Lineups and Rotation Questions

Projected starters set the tone for how both coaches may attack the night. Without Haliburton, the Pacers lean on Andrew Nembhard to steer the offense and on Pascal Siakam to anchor scoring and playmaking in the frontcourt.

• Pacers: PG Andrew Nembhard, SG Aaron Nesmith, SF Bennedict Mathurin, PF Johnny Furphy, C Pascal Siakam
• Bulls: PG Coby White, SG Josh Giddey, SF Isaac Okoro, PF Matas Buzelis, C Nikola Vucevic

Chicago’s injuries thin out its guard rotation and frontcourt depth, but they still bring balance. Coby White’s shot creation pairs with Josh Giddey’s passing, while Nikola Vucevic supplies steady interior offense and rebounding. If Walker is cleared, Indiana can toggle between small-ball speed and bigger looks next to Siakam, which they may need against Vucevic on the glass.

Form Guide: Recent Results and Advanced Numbers

The Bulls enter at .500 with a 115.8 offensive rating and 117.9 points per game. Even in a 118-129 loss to the Lakers last time out, the offense moved the ball and found pace. Defensively they will want better containment on the arc and cleaner first-shot rebounding, both of which have swung games for them lately.

Indiana has lost five of seven, and four of its last six, including a 116-132 defeat to the Hawks. The Pacers’ offensive rating sits at 106.3, and they have allowed over 118 points per game. Those numbers mirror the eye test: without Haliburton, there are fewer easy looks early in the clock, and their defense is spending too much time backpedaling.

History adds a wrinkle. The Pacers have already beaten the Bulls twice this season and have five wins in the last six head-to-heads. Still, across 213 all-time meetings, the Bulls hold a 107-103 edge. Chicago will see this as a chance to tilt both the season series and the long arc back in their favor.

“If Chicago owns the glass and the three, this swings fast.”

Players to Watch

Jarace Walker, Pacers (Q): If he plays, his recent burst of two-way play matters a lot. The steals (3.5 per game) show how active he is in passing lanes, and the shooting splits give Indy a needed floor spacer around Siakam drives and post touches. A healthy Walker could also take turns on White or Giddey at the point of attack.

Pascal Siakam, Pacers: With Haliburton out, Siakam is the hub. Expect post-ups, mid-post isolations, and kick-outs to Nesmith and Mathurin. His efficiency and foul-drawing can steady the offense.

Coby White, Bulls: He is Chicago’s pace-setter. With Tre Jones sidelined, more on-ball reps flow to White and Giddey. If White wins his minutes against Nembhard, Chicago gains control of tempo.

Nikola Vucevic, Bulls: Indy has struggled to finish possessions. Vucevic can punish single coverage, and his touches force defenses to collapse, opening corner threes for Okoro and Buzelis.

Depth notes: Jones (12.4 points, 5.8 assists, 1.3 steals in 38 games) and Collins (9.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 57.8% FG, 42.9% 3PT in 10 games) being out removes playmaking and stretch size from the Bulls’ second unit. Chicago will need clean minutes from reserves around their starters. For Indiana, contributions from Mathurin and Nesmith are crucial to balance Siakam’s load.

What Will Decide It

• Turnovers: The Pacers need live-ball stops to run. Without them, they’re in the half court more, where Chicago’s size is a problem.
• Defensive glass: One-and-done trips help Indiana’s pace. Vucevic crashing could tilt possessions toward the Bulls.
• Three-point variance: If Walker plays and keeps up 50% from deep in a small sample, that’s a swing piece. Otherwise, the Bulls’ floor spacing may carry the day.

“No timetable on Jones, but White’s leap can cover that gap tonight.”

Prediction: Bulls 120, Pacers 117

The Pacers have the season-series edge so far and they’ve enjoyed recent success in this rivalry. But the current injury slate is heavy for Indiana. With Haliburton and Toppin out, Siakam needs a big night and help from shooters to match Chicago’s steady pace and interior punch. If Walker is active, Indiana’s defense gains some bite and switchability, keeping this close deep into the fourth.

Chicago’s offensive rating (115.8) and scoring average (117.9) suggest they can clear 115 again here. The difference should be late-game execution and rebound control. Expect the Bulls to squeeze out second-chance points, keep turnovers manageable, and survive a late Pacers push in a one- or two-possession finish.

It should be tight, fun, and full of swings. The Pacers will play with energy in their first game back home. The Bulls, even short-handed, have the steadier half-court diet. The pick is Chicago by three.

One last note for the long view: despite the Pacers’ early-season edge head-to-head, the Bulls’ 107-103 all-time lead shows how thin the margin has been over the years. Tonight feels like another chapter in a series that rarely lacks drama.