Miami Set to Double Up Bulls
Butler, Heat Look to Improve Home Mark
Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat will look to double up on Zach LaVine and the Chicago Bulls on Monday night when the two meet for the second straight game. Miami (32-29) is sitting in seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings, just ahead of lurking Charlotte, Indiana and surging Washington. Chicago (25-35) is in 11th place in the East standings, 6½ games behind Miami.
The Heat will look to improve on their modest 18-13 home mark at AmericanAirlines Arena. Miami is a solid six-point home favorite. The NBA Odds for this Eastern Conference clash are live in the BetUS Online Sportsbook right now.
Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat
When: Monday, April 26, 2021, at 8:00 p.m. ET
Where: AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, FL
TV: Bally Sports Sun, NBC Sports Chicago
Radio: WAXY 790 AM / S: WRT, WBBM 780 AM
NBA Odds
Chicago +6
Miami -6
Total: 206
Bulls Look Dangerous
The Bulls look fairly dangerous despite falling to Miami 106-101 on Saturday. Coby White scored a team-high 31 points and Nikola Vucevic had a double-double with 26 points and 14 rebounds for Chicago. The Bulls outscored the Heat 60-45 in the second half, but wound up losing for the seventh time in their last 10 games.
“I think the guys fought and battled,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said.
Zach LaVine remains in Chicago while dealing with the NBA’s health and safety protocols related to the coronavirus and the Bulls aren’t sure when he’ll be back.
“He’s basically by himself,” said Bulls coach Billy Donovan. “The isolation part of this is really challenging for anybody.”
The Bulls average 111.6 points per game (18th) on 47.9% shooting from the field (eighth) and 36.8% from three-point distance (15th). Defensively, Chicago allows 112.8 points per game (19th) on 47.6% shooting from the field (25th) and 35.6% from three-point distance (sixth).
Butler, Adebayo Lead Way in South Beach
Butler and Bam Adebayo both scored 20 points to lead Miami over Chicago on Saturday. Duncan Robinson scored a team-high 23 points and Kendrick Nunn added 22 points. Miami built a 24-point lead in the first half but had to fight off the Bulls to hold on for the win.
”That’s as much of a must-win as we’ve had this year,” Robinson said.
Miami averages 106.4 points per game (27th) on 46.1% shooting from the field (19th) and 35.0% from beyond the arc (23rd). Defensively, the Heat limit the opposition to 107.1 points per game (third) on 45.1% shooting from the field (3rd) and 36.2% from three-point distance (ninth).
Back Heat to Get It Done – Again
While Miami doesn’t look nearly as daunting as it did a year ago en route to the Eastern Conference crown, the Heat should be focused on extending their winning ways while avoiding a letdown.
Miami has won three straight and six of the last seven meetings against the Bulls. I know Chicago has gone a robust 15-7 against the spread in their last 22 games as a road underdog, but the Bulls are also just 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games and 1-5 ATS in their last six road games.
Miami is 5-0 ATS in its last five home games vs. a team with a losing road record, 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall and 5-2 ATS in the last seven games at AmericanAirlines Arena. Miami is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings against Chicago and 5-1 ATS in the last six home dates against the Bulls.
More importantly, the six-point spread here looks just manageable enough for Miami to cover it. Back Butler and company to take care of business as the home favorite on Monday night.
Pick: Miami Heat -6
