Analysis of Heat vs Bulls Matchup: Odds, Picks & Predictions for Play-In Tournament

• The Chicago Bulls host the Miami Heat in a do-or-die 9-vs-10 Play-In Game in the Eastern Conference
• The winner visits Atlanta on Friday for the eighth and final seed in the East
• See the Heat vs Bulls odds, picks, and predictions on Wednesday, April 16

For the second straight season, the Miami Heat (37-45, 17-23 away, 38-43-1 ATS) and Chicago Bulls (39-43, 18-23 home, 43-37-2 ATS) will meet in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament but, this time around, the Bulls play host. Miami and Chicago tip-off from the United Center on Wednesday night at 7:40 pm ET.

The Heat vs Bulls odds opened with Chicago a one-point favorite last Sunday night when the regular season concluded and, three days later, the spread hasn’t budged.

Heat vs Bulls Odds

The Heat vs Bulls spread remains at Chicago -1.0, while the moneyline is almost a pick’em, with the Bulls at -120 and Heat at even-money. The one area where there has been significant odds movement is the game total; the O/U briefly opened at 224.5 before plummeting to 219.5.

Odds as of April 16 at Caesars. Check out SBD’s Caesars Sportsbook review to get the latest on bonuses and promo codes.

The Bulls were one of the better ATS bets in the league this year, going 43-37-2 against the spread. Of course, being a favorite is a rarity. The Bulls were only favored in 23 of their 82 games and 15 of their home games, where they went 7-8 ATS.

MIA vs CHI ATS Records

Miami didn’t exactly thrive as an underdog this year, going 18-18-1 ATS overall and an ugly 9-12-1 ATS as a road ‘dog. That was basically par for the course with their overall ATS performance, where they finished the year five games under .500 against the number.

The Heat had big struggles against the Bulls this year. The teams met three times during the regular season, Miami was favored in all three, and Chicago won all three straight-up.

Heat vs Bulls Regular-Season Meetings

Josh Giddey was an absolute monster against Miami, leading the Bulls in scoring in all three wins (24, 26, 28). In the most-recent meeting, the Aussie point guard had arguably the best game of his career, posting a monster 28-point, 16-rebound, 11-assist triple-double. All three Chicago victories over Miami came after leading scorer Zach LaVine was traded to Sacramento in a three-team deal that saw the Bulls pickup Kevin Huerter, Zach Collins, and Tre Jones (who’s injured)

Tyler Herro (23.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 5.5 APG) was Miami’s best performer against Chicago. He led the team with 23 points in the February meeting and 30 in the April meeting, while added 21 in the game in March.

Heat vs Bulls Picks & Prediction

• Bulls moneyline (-112) at DraftKings
• Giddey over 18.5 (-115) at bet365

The Heat are being overvalued in Wednesday’s NBA odds. The Chicago moneyline is just -112 at DraftKings with Miami at -108, giving the Bulls a 52.83% implied win probability and the Heat 51.92%.

The Bulls had a much different roster at this time last year, but it’s worth noting that they pounded the Hawks 131-116 at home in the 9-vs-10 game last season, and it was two players who are still on the roster who spurred the lopsided victory: Coby White (20.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 4.5 APG) dropped a game-high 42 points while Nikola Vucevic (18.5 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.5 APG) had a team-high 12 rebounds.

The Bulls just pipped the Heat for the #9 seed thanks to three straight wins to end the season (and six victories in their final seven games) while the Heat lost four of six, including that 119-111 setback at Chicago exactly a week ago, a game the Bulls led for the entire second half.

Chicago isn’t going to let it’s hard-earned home-court advantage go to waist tonight against a team they’ve dominated all season.

The highly anticipated matchup between the Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Play-In Tournament has fans and analysts buzzing with excitement. Both teams have had strong seasons and are looking to secure a spot in the playoffs, making this game a must-watch for basketball fans.

The Miami Heat, led by star players Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, have had a solid season, finishing with a record of 40-32. They have shown their ability to compete with some of the top teams in the league and are known for their tough defense and efficient offense. The Heat will be looking to continue their success in the Play-In Tournament and secure a spot in the playoffs.

On the other hand, the Chicago Bulls have had a resurgence this season, led by All-Star Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic. The Bulls finished the season with a record of 39-33 and have shown that they can compete with some of the best teams in the league. They will be looking to make a statement in the Play-In Tournament and secure a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

When it comes to odds, the Miami Heat are currently favored to win the matchup against the Chicago Bulls. However, the Bulls have shown that they are a resilient team that can compete with anyone, making this game a toss-up in terms of predictions.

In terms of picks, it will be important for both teams to come out strong and set the tone early in the game. The Heat will need to rely on their strong defense to contain LaVine and Vucevic, while also finding ways to score efficiently on offense. The Bulls will need to continue to play at a high level on both ends of the court and limit turnovers to give themselves the best chance at winning.

As for predictions, it is difficult to say which team will come out on top in this matchup. Both teams have shown that they are capable of competing at a high level, making this game a must-watch for basketball fans. Ultimately, it will come down to which team can execute their game plan and make key plays down the stretch to secure a victory and advance to the playoffs.

Overall, the Miami Heat vs Chicago Bulls matchup in the NBA Play-In Tournament is sure to be an exciting and competitive game that will have fans on the edge of their seats. With both teams hungry for a playoff spot, this game is sure to be one for the books.