Bulls sit atop the Eastern Conference after beating Pacers

With a single, one-legged three-pointer with time expiring DeMar DeRozan lofted the Chicago Bulls (23-10) to the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings. Their 108-106 victory over the Indiana Pacers (14-22) gives them an identical record as the Brooklyn Nets who were idle on Sunday.

However, a 111-107 triumph over Kevin Durant’s squad earlier this month gives the Bulls the edge.

It almost wasn’t meant to be but DeRozan continued to show why the narrative about him with the Toronto Raptors wasn’t warranted. Or, at the very least, it certainly doesn’t apply any longer.

The Chicago Bulls are first in the East after a great team win on New Year’s Eve

All season long the discussion has been about how well this team – that many said wouldn’t work – has not only jelled so quickly but has thrived. This win, albeit against a wounded and woeful Pacers squad missing Malcolm Brogdon and rookie Chris Duarte, showcased that very quality perfectly.

At one point, the Bulls had gotten up by nine but quickly found themselves down by as many as six points late in the fourth quarter.

DeRozan and Zach LaVine shot a combined 15-of-41 (36.5 percent) and were 1-of-6 from downtown. But they were 7-of-13 overall and 1-of-1 from deep in the fourth quarter en route to 19 total points.

Indiana was 9-of-15 in the paint in the final frame but went 1-of-8 outside of that including 1-for-6 on threes. The Bulls were just 2-of-5 on their fourth-quarter triples and 3-of-8 in the paint going against Domantas Sabonis (24 points, 14 rebounds, six assists) and Myles Turner (10 points, six rebounds) but managed to get the one that mattered most.

The Bulls dynamic wing duo both rank in the top-15 in clutch scoring this season, delivering on a theme we explored back in the summer when DeRozan was acquired.

With White (15.5 points, 37.9% 3P last four games) and Nikola Vucevic (18.7 points, 17.3 rebounds, 2.3 blocks last three games) both finding their way amid the surge from the wings, this group is still getting better.

They didn’t even have the services of Lonzo Ball (health and safety) or Alex Caruso (foot), their best defenders, for this one and still found a way to win a game that they probably shouldn’t have.

No one is giving it back though.

And, with a less-than daunting slate of games in their immediate future, they have a chance to keep it rolling well into the new year.