Chicago Bulls vs Indiana Pacers
Bulls top Pacers in 2011 first round.
The Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers have faced each other in the NBA playoffs. In the 2010–11 season, the Bulls defeated the Pacers in five games in the First Round.
- Era of Peak Intensity
- Late 1990s (1995–1998)
- Defining Playoff Series
- 1997 and 1998 Eastern Conference Semifinals/Finals
- Key Bulls Figures
- Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman
- Key Pacers Figures
- Reggie Miller, Rik Smits, Jalen Rose, Larry Bird (Coach)
- Series Outcome Trend
- Bulls won both 1997 and 1998 series to reach the Finals
Lore & Background
The Bulls and Pacers have a playoff history. In 2011, the Bulls eliminated the Pacers in the first round, five games to one.
In Their Own Story
Market Square Arena wasn't just a venue; it was a cauldron of noise and vitriol whenever the Bulls visited. Reggie Miller didn't need to score to intimidate—he thrived on the reaction he provoked from Chicago's legends. In the playoffs, silence was rare. When Jordan drove the lane, Davis or Smits would meet him with elbows; when Miller posted up, Pippen’s defense turned personal. The air wasn't just thick with sweat; it crackled with the threat of violence. Every free throw by Indiana felt like a provocation, and every defensive stop by Chicago was a declaration of war. It wasn't about who made the prettiest shot, but who could endure the punishment to survive until Game 7.
Reader's Guide
The Bulls' 2010–11 playoff run included a first-round victory over the Pacers in five games.
Did You Know?
- The Bulls defeated the Pacers in five games in the 2011 First Round.
- The Bulls finished the 2010–11 regular season with a 62–20 record, the best in the NBA.
More in Great Rivalries
Elsewhere in the Chicago Bulls universe
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