The Miami Heat have a tremendous opportunity before them, as they head to Chicago to face the Bulls on Saturday night.
Sitting just a game or so off of both New York teams for the fifth and sixth place in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, the Heat will need to accrue all the wins that they can in the remaining games to secure the best playoff positioning possible, ultimately hoping to avoid the NBA Playoff play-in situation altogether.
And back-to-back games against two beatable opponents in the Chicago Bulls and the Detroit Pistons should give the Miami Heat just that opportunity. But not to get too far ahead of one’s self, the Bulls are first up on Saturday.
Coming off a double-overtime victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, the Bulls play the Heat on Saturday in the second game of a back-to-back set for them, while it is the first game of a back-to-back set for Miami. Putting the Heat in an immediate advantage there, you also look to the fact that they played two extra periods, again, all boding well for the Heat.
The Miami Heat have a good opportunity Saturday against a tired Bulls team. With a chance to add wins to their tally, they should be able to get it done.
Miami Heat vs Chicago Bulls Injury Report
When it comes to the Heat injury report in this one, they should be a pretty whole team. With five players listed as being “out”, only two regulars, sort of, are on that list.
Heat have ruled Kyle Lowry out for tonight's game in Chicago. It's the first game of a back-to-back, meaning he likely instead will play Sunday in Detroit. He is three games back from a month out due to knee pain.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) March 18, 2023
Cody Zeller remains out with the facial fracture suffered against Orlando recently, while Orlando Robinson, Nikola Jovic, and Jamal Cain remain in the G league. Kyle Lowry will sit in the first game of a pair as he continues to manage a knee issue that he is returning from, presumably taking just this game of the back-to-back set off.
Miami Heat vs Chicago Bulls Prediction
This one is pretty straightforward when it comes to what the prediction should be. The Miami Heat sit at the top of play-in territory, while the Bulls sit at the very bottom, six games below the Heat in the standings.
With Chicago also coming off of a double overtime game against the Timberwolves on Friday, the Heat should look to go in and handle their business against a potentially fatigued team, accruing another win in the process. And with the Heat’s offensive potency as of late as well, that should be just the case.
Miami Heat’s Next Game And Schedule
Miami will finish off the second leg of a back-to-back set on Sunday, heading to Detroit to face the Pistons, before a very crucial set of games in the following two after that. Facing off against the two teams directly ahead of them in the standings, the two New York teams in the Knicks and Nets, they’ll welcome them into their building on Wednesday and Saturday for pivotal matchups in the Eastern Conference race.