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Bulls vs. Heat Final Score Prediction for Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament (Lay it with Miami)

NBA betting preview, prediction and best bet for Bulls-Heat. 

By Shelby Dermer

Apr 14, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) drives to the basket against Toronto.
Apr 14, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) drives to the basket against Toronto. / Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports
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One of these two teams will have their season end Friday night when the Chicago Bulls visit the Miami Heat. After squandering a double-digit second-half lead in the first round of the play-in tournament against Philadelphia, the Heat will now look to secure the No. 8 spot in the east without star forward Jimmy Butler.

Chicago extended its season by pulling away from the Atlanta Hawks in the play-in, but are facing injury concerns of their own with three players carrying questionable tags into the matchup. Miami is still a short home favorite at Kaseya Center. Can they pull away from Chicago? Here’s the betting preview of the matchup with a best bet. 

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Bulls vs. Heat Odds, Spread and Total

Bulls vs. Heat How To Watch

  • Date: Friday, April 19 
  • Game time: 7 p.m. EST
  • Venue: Kaseya Center 
  • How to watch (TV): ESPN
  • Bulls record: 39-43
  • Heat record: 46-36

Bulls vs. Heat Injury Report

Chicago Bulls

  • Alex Caruso (ankle sprain): questionable
  • Ayo Dosunmu (quad): questionable
  • Andre Drummond (ankle): questionable 

Miami Heat

  • Jimmy Butler (MCL sprain): out
  • Duncan Robinson (left facet): probable 

Bulls vs. Heat Key Players To Watch

Chicago Bulls

Coby White: The former first-round pick was at his best against an atrocious Atlanta defense in Wednesday’s play-in game. White finished with a game-high 42 points, shooting a blistering 15-of-21 from the field with only two misses from 2-point range. He added 9 rebounds and 6 assists. 

Miami Heat

Tyler Herro: Herro’s team-high 25 points look nice in the stat sheet but he’ll need to be more effective shooting the rock if Miami wants to snag the No. 8 seed in the east. Herro had 25, but shot just 9-of-27 from the field and 4-of-14 from beyond the arc. He did finish one assist shy of a double-double. 

Bulls vs. Heat Prediction and Pick

The two teams split a four-game regular season series and Butler played in all four contests. The good news for Miami? The Heat went 13-9 in the 22 games Butler missed during the regular season and were 5-1 overall against teams with a losing record. 

Chicago went 16-14 ATS as a home underdog during the regular season but it sure looks like the Bulls are being overvalued after blowing out the Hawks. Chicago shot 56.8% from the field and 42.3% from downtown against Atlanta. Those numbers should regress on the road against a Heat defense that is fifth in net rating. 

Both of these teams rebound well and rely more on shooting from inside the arc than beyond it. Give the edge to Miami, though, as the No. 3 defensive rebounding team in the NBA. The Heat can use its physical defense to get stops against a Chicago offense that is 21st in shooting from 2-point range. If the Bulls want to attack from the perimeter, Miami is an elite 3-point shooting defense, ranking No. 5 against triples on the year.

The Heat have been able to rally without Butler in the lineup this season, but the Bulls have further injury concerns with two starters and a key bench piece listed as questionable heading into the matchup. Lay the short number with Miami. 

Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.

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