INDIANAPOLIS -- NBA Central Division rivals will square off Saturday night as the Chicago Bulls visit the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.The Pacers are 2/3 to start the season but have won both games theyve played at home.Indiana has struggled on the defensive end in the early going. Through five games, the Pacers have the second-to-worst defensive efficiency in the league.Weve yet to be a strong defensive team, Pacers guard Paul George said. We havent shown that dominance on that side of the ball. Im concerned by it. Weve got the guys to do it. We just havent done it.That defense will be put to the test on Saturday against the Bulls, who have averaged 109 points per game.Forward C.J. Miles echoed Paul George with his comments: I cant say were not playing hard, but were just not playing the way we should be playing as a group.Miles knows the combination of Wade and Rondo can provide a tough matchup for anybody. Theyre playing like Wade and Rondo. Theyre smart. Theyre veteran guys. They know how to play the game.The teams met last Saturday, with the Bulls defeating the Pacers 118-101 at the United Center. That matchup was the second night of a back-to-back for Indiana. This time around, it will be Chicago playing their second game in as many nights.Doug McDermott came off the bench to score 23 points in their first game against the Pacers. He returned to action against the Knicks on Friday after missing time with a concussion earlier this week.Michael Carter-Williams will still be out for the Bulls (left knee bone bruise), and Rodney Stuckey will be out for the Pacers (right hamstring strain.)The Bulls won their first three games of the season, but have dropped their last two. Like the Pacers, theyve faced some defensive struggles of their own lately, giving up 107 points to Boston and 117 points to the Knicks.After Fridays game, Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg was not pleased with the effort. We didnt get back on defense, Hoiberg said. Inexcusable things. No real urgency coming out of the gate.In recent years, the Bulls and Pacers engaged in low-scoring games. But at least in the early part of this season, the teams have now become more offensive-minded.Both teams rank among the best in the NBA in 3-point shooting to start the season. Dwyane Wade has found his stroke from behind the arc. He already has made more 3-pointers this year in five games than he made all of last season in Miami. He was 5 of 7 from 3-pointer against the Knicks on Friday on the way to 35 points.Paul George and Jimmy Butler are a few of the best two-way players in the game and they always provide an interesting matchup when these teams gsvr off.Butler gave props to his former teammates on Friday. I wish D-Rose and Noah all the best, he said. They played well against us. We just want to bounce back on Saturday against Indiana. Houston Texans Duke Ejiofor Jersey . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. Wholesale Houston Texans Jerseys 2019 . One game after a miserable showing in Oklahoma City, Gay tied a career high with 41 points and the Sacramento Kings cruised to a 114-97 victory at the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. http://www.cheaptexansjerseys.us/ . The injury bothered Bledsoe in the Suns victory over the Clippers on Monday and he sat out the teams home loss to Memphis on Thursday night. Houston Texans Keke Coutee Jersey . The Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Rays, and Texas Rangers all won on Sunday meaning the Rangers will host the Rays in a play-in game on Monday. Texans Jerseys China . Luis Suarezs double powered Liverpool to a 4-0 victory over Fulham, and Southampton easily overcame Hull 4-1 to continue the south coast clubs impressive start to the season. Liverpool and Southampton sent Chelsea down to fourth place as the west London club was held to 2-2 at home. DENVER -- Washington ace Max Scherzer never did find his groove Monday night.Not a problem, though -- the bullpen took care of this one.Five relievers combined for five scoreless innings and Bryce Harper doubled in the go-ahead run in the seventh as the Nationals beat the skidding Colorado Rockies 5-4.Sammy Solis (2-3) got the win and Colorado-native Mark Melancon needed only four pitches in the ninth to earn his 34th save in 37 chances. The NL East leaders have won three straight and four of five.Our bullpen came in and bailed each other out, manager Dusty Baker said. Its hard to shut these guys out for the last four or five innings of a ballgame.Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos homered for Washington.Werth hit a two-run homer estimated at 444 feet in the third inning off Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa and reached safely three times to extend his on-base streak to a career-best 43 games.The stretch is the longest in the majors this season and it ties Werth with Ryan Zimmerman for the Nationals record.Its a product of my approach, Werth said. My focus has always been to get on base. If you get on base, good things can happen.DJ LeMahieu had the fourth four-hit game of his career and Charlie Blackmon hit his sixth home run in four games for Colorado. Blackmon was selected the NL player of the week after leading the majors with seven home runs last week.Still, the Rockies have lost eight of nine.We are dealing with multiple challenges at the same time right now, but the bottom line is you have to win games, Colorado manager Walt Weiss said. We are fighting, but we are coming up short.Jordan Lyles (3-4) took the loss.Scherzer allowed seven hits and four runs in four innings.Colorado scored three in a 35-pitch first inning. David Dahl hit a two-run double with the bases loaded and Daniel Descalso added a sacrifice fly.Blackmon made it 4-2 with his homer in the fourth.The Nationals bullpen pen shut down the Rockies from there as Matt Belisle aand Solis combined for 2 1/3 innings.dddddddddddd Blake Treinen needed just one pitch to induce Nolan Arenado into an inning-ending double play in the seventh, and Shawn Kelley struck out two in a hitless eighth.I just didnt pitch efficiently, Scherzer said. I just didnt do a lot of things right tonight. I just couldnt get in a groove.Im just glad I got picked up by the bullpen and the offense.Daniel Murphy hit an RBI single in the fifth, Ramos connected for a tying home run in the sixth and Harper hit his second double of the night in the seventh to give Washington a 5-4 lead.Harper played for the second straight day after missing five games with a neck injury.WITH HONORSBlackmon also led the majors with a .563 batting average and 42 total bases last week. In seven games, he topped the NL with nine RBI and a .600 on-base percentage.Chuck is having a great year, Weiss said. He is one of those guys who just continues to get better and I think that is directly related to his work ethic.TRAINERS ROOMNationals: Zimmerman (wrist) and C Jose Lobaton (elbow) began rehab assignments with Triple-A Syracuse. ... INF Stephen Drew (vertigo-like symptoms) has increased his participation in baseball activities. ... RHP Joe Ross (shoulder) will throw a bullpen at some point during the three-game series.Rockies: RHP Tyler Chatwood (back spasms) could skip his next start or be placed on the 15-day disabled list, Weiss said. ... 1B Mark Reynolds (hand) had surgery to remove a fractured hook of the hamate bone in his left hand.UP NEXTNationals: LHP Gio Gonzalez (8-9, 4.24 ERA) is 2-0 with a 3.75 ERA in two August starts. He has struck out 12 and walked two in 12 innings.Rockies: RHP Chad Bettis (10-6, 5.27) hasnt lost a start since July 2. In his last one, he gave up five runs over five innings in 100-plus-degree heat in Texas. Wholesale Jerseys 2020 Cheap NFL Jerseys Throwback Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Hoodies Wholesale Black NFL Jerseys Discount Jerseys ' ' '