Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat

April 19, 2024

The injury-depleted Miami Heat get set to take on the Chicago Bulls NBA Play-In, Eastern Conference 8^th-seed game Friday night inside Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. They tip it off at 7:00pmand the winner gets the challenge of playing the top-seeded Boston Celtics.

Bookmaker has installed the Heat as a very slim—1.5 point home favorite in a must-win game for both teams.

Miami Heat Betting Preview

The Heat put themselves in this situation because they could not close out the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night. To add insult to injury, they also lost star veteran shooting guard Jimmy Butler, who went down with a rough MCL injury to his right knee. He injured it on the final play of the first quarter of the Heat's 105-104 loss to the 76ers.

The team fears he might be out for weeks and will not be available on Friday night, which is a massive loss to their offense. In his absence, look for the Heat to turn the ball over to Tyler Herro and allow him to create his shot either off the dribble or off screens.

Without the veteran presence of Butler, Miami would have to do a much better job in transition, and they would have to win the battle on the boards. Herro is a confident player; look for him to get the guards to push the pace and tempo. He enters this game averaging around 20 points per contest, while center Bam Adebayo has to step up and give them at least 18 points and 16-17 rebounds in this one for them to have a chance. Adebayo can be a solid rim protector if called upon.

Chicago Bulls Betting Preview

The Bulls defeated the Atlanta Hawks to set up a meeting against the Heat. Chicago got a great career-defining performance from Coby White, who scored a career-high 42 points in the 131-116 triumph over the Hawks.

If the Bulls get that same type of effort and output, then the Heat are in big trouble in this game. For the season, White is averaging just 19 points per game, so for him to have this type of explosion, it has to make the team feel really good.

Chicago is banged up as well, and they are not sure if guard Alex Caruso can go, as he is dealing with a left ankle injury. He is a solid player, adds depth, and has stepped up as one of the floor generals. The Bulls will look to open it up and be aggressive from beyond the arc, where they are connecting on a solid 36% from beyond the arc.

Game Odds, Series Trends, and Free Picks

The Heat are 3-2 in their last five games and 3-2 in their previous five games against the spread. They are also 24-14 in their road games against the number. The totals have gone over in four out of their last five games, and the totals have gone over in 21 out of their last 41 games at home. The Bulls are 2-3 in their previous five games and 3-2 in their last five games against the spread. They are a solid 22-18 in their road games against the spread.

Pick: Chicago Bulls + 1.5

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