Weakened Indiana Pacers still too good for Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls slipped to a 2-5 record after losing 108-95 to the Indiana Pacers.

For the Pacers, who had three starters sidelined by injury, it was a third straight win after opening the season with three consecutive losses.

TJ Warren scored a season-high 26 points for the Pacers as the Bulls failed to take advantage of Indiana’s makeshift team.

The Pacers have moved up to seventh on the Eastern Conference table, while the Bulls are third from bottom.

In New York, the Sacramento Kings beat the Knicks 113-92, with De’Aaron Fox (24) and Buddy Hield (22) top scoring for the visitors.

Harrison Barnes added 19 points for the Kings and Richaun Holmes finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds to make a fine start to a three-game road trip.

The win moves the Kings (2-5) up to 12th in the Western Conference, while the Knicks (1-6) remain rooted to the bottom of the Eastern.

In Miami, the Heat beat the Houston Rockets 129-100, fuelled by an astonishing first quarter which ended with the home side leading 46-14.

The only bigger leads after one quarter since the shot clock was started in 1954 were when the Los Angeles Lakers led the Kings 40-4 after one quarter on February 4, 1987, and the Baltimore Bullets leading the Kansas City-Omaha Kings 45-12 after one quarter on December 9, 1972.

The Heat’s third win in a row leaves them on 5-1 and second in the Eastern Conference, while the Rockets (3-3) are ninth in the Western.

Elsewhere, the Lakers won away to the San Antonio Spurs 103-96,
the Dallas Mavericks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 131-111, and the LA Clippers beat the Utah Jazz 105-94.