Bulls vs Heat Odds Preview: Bulls Make History at the Fading Heat’s Expense

Odds Side With Heat Despite Recent Results

The final playoff spot in the East comes down to the Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls. The former is favored by 5.5 points (-210 on the moneyline) as the home team per the Bulls vs Heat odds. However, Miami looked disinterested in its loss to the Hawks while Chicago rallied to upset the Raptors in Toronto. If their recent forms are anything to go by, the Bulls may once again pull off an upset.

Miami Lacks Heat: Changes Could Be Coming

Miami’s loss to Atlanta showed a list of issues with the team. The first and most First and most alarming is the team’s “compete level”. The Miami Heat, who have developed a reputation as a tough team to play against, “didn’t have it” against the Hawks. Miami got outrebounded 63-39. The Hawks grabbed 22 offensive rebounds and scored 26 second-chance points.

Next is the team’s poor shooting. The Heat shot just 42.9 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from three. Kyle Lowry and Tyler Herro were the only two players to shoot better than 42 percent as they combined for 59 points. The rest of the team shot 12-for-52 (23.1 percent).

Defensively, Miami still played decently enough to limit the Hawks to just 24.4 percent from 3-point range. But if this team cannot solve its two glaring issues, it will get upset again per the Bulls vs Heat odds. Coach Erik Spoelstra will need to rally the team as their season is on the line.

Miami has underperformed this season. The team is not only the worst on the NBA spread (37.5 percent cover rate) but its 53.7 percent winning percentage is its lowest in the Jimmy Butler era. He shot just 31.6 percent and was -10 against Atlanta. The Heat managed to go far into the postseason in two of the last three years mainly because of his heroics.

If Butler appears human against Chicago as he did against Atlanta, the Heat will need others to step up. Max Strus scored just three points in nearly 24 minutes while Bam Adebayo had a quiet 12-point nine-rebound night. Other notable veterans like Victor Oladipo and Kevin Love barely played.

The Heat, as a whole, need to get back to playing playoff basketball. But win or lose, Miami clearly needs a bit of restructuring from all levels.

Bulls Showing Toughness and Grit

The Bulls, on the other hand, did not lack any form of energy. This team has been in playoff mode since the NBA Trade Deadline. Maybe it is Patrick Beverley. But the Bulls became the first 10th seed to win a Play-In game as it rallied from a 19-point deficit by outscoring Toronto 62-47 after halftime.

“Nobody panicked,” Bulls guard DeMar DeRozan said. “We could do what we had to do. We put ourselves in the hole and we understood what we had to do to get ourselves out.”

Chicago put the clamps on Toronto in the second half, holding the team to 17-of-42 shooting while forcing nine turnovers versus just 10 assists. The Bulls’ renewed dedication to defense, which is the second-best defensive rating since the Trade Deadline, is why the total for this game is just 209 points per the Bulls vs Heat odds. Six of their last eight conference games have still gone under their totals.

In its last nine wins, Chicago held its opponents to 112 points or fewer. Four of them were held to under 100 points including the Heat who they last played on March 18. Chicago won 113-99 as a 2.5-point underdog. DeRozan scored 24 points and added 10 assists with zero turnovers while hitting 10-of-15 of his shots.

Miami shot just 10-of-37 from deep while Chicago hit 17-of-34. The score would be more of a blowout if the Heat did not score 19 off the free throw line thanks to 24 attempts.

Chicago may be 40-42 in the NBA standings, but this team would be top five in the East after the All-Star break. Now, it can complete its late season comeback by upsetting Miami and returning to the playoffs.

Can’t get enough? Here’s more!

• Timberwolves vs Thunder Odds: Minnesota Look to Respond at Home
• LA Clippers vs Phoenix Suns Odds: KD Ready to Lead the Way
• Knicks vs Cavaliers Odds Preview: Is New York Being Overlooked?
• 76ers vs Nets Odds: Philadelphia Expected to Roll in Opening Round
• Golden State Warriors vs Sacramento Kings Odds: Defending Champs Open as Favorites