The Miami Heat have another meeting against one of the Conference’s best teams on Saturday. Facing off against the Chicago Bulls for the second time in two weeks, with Saturday, November 27th being the last matchup, they’ll go into this one more banged up than usual.
Without Bam Adebayo in the lineup for sure, they’ll without their other top guy too. Recovering from his second fall on his tailbone against Memphis, originally sustained against these same Bulls a few weeks back, Jimmy Butler will miss the game as well.
As expected, Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Markieff Morris, Victor Oladipo all out for Saturday’s game against visiting Chicago. Duncan Robinson is probable with a bruised quadriceps.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) December 10, 2021
They aren’t alone though, as the Chicago Bulls also have their own issues to worry about. While the Miami Heat seem to be dealing with the typical unpredictability of the NBA season, injuries, the Bulls are dealing with a totally different volatile situation.
Having what seems to be a really tough time dealing with the coronavirus right now, an “outbreak” as described by some, they have several players in the NBA’s Health And Safety Protocols. Here is a look at who they’ll be missing on Saturday.
The Chicago Bulls are facing an outbreak of Covid forcing 5 of their players into Health and Safety protocols 🥴😬 pic.twitter.com/WyzE5mTLwJ
— The Association on FOX (@TheAssociation) December 9, 2021
On top of these and others they have been missing with other longer injury woes, such as Patrick Williams, they may be down another of their key guys. Though upgraded to questionable at this point, it isn’t certain if Alex Caruso will go on Saturday night against Miami.
Regardless of who’s playing for either side though, let’s look at some of the lines.
The Miami Heat face Chicago Saturday without their top two guys, but they’re banged up too. Miami has a leg up there, being here before, while they haven’t.
Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls Odds, Analysis, & Prediction
Odds And Information Courtesy Of WynnBET
Moneyline: Both -110
Spread: Pick Em (no points either way)
Total: 211
Analysis
What the bookmakers are screaming here is that these teams are even and that it should be a very competitive game. At least, that’s the way they’ll play their own favor.
Here’s what the read should be in actuality though. With or without Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, the Miami Heat have played like this for the last two weeks, several games, and have seen success doing it.
They beat, yes the fluttering pacers, Indiana in Indiana last Friday, while dismissing a Bucks team on Wednesday that was deeper and more fully-loaded than a Bucks team that had manhandled them the previous Saturday.
The point is this. Yes, this could be a very competitive game and it could end up going the Bulls’ way.
However, the Miami Heat also stand a chance to come out and easily win this game, as they have gotten accustomed to playing without their top guys and to a level good enough to defeat the reigning NBA Champions— the grandest point of them all.
The Bulls haven’t proved that yet without their depth and especially without DeMar DeRozan in the lineup, their best player this year. This should be a good one, but if you were going to lean one way, it should be towards the Heat.