Heat vs Bulls NBA Handicapping
Step right up, Chicago Bulls. You’re next. Twenty-seven straight and counting for the Miami Heat, who publically claim that they are not all that interested in breaking the NBA record of 33 (set by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers).
Miami Heat (56-14) at Chicago Bulls (38-31)
Wednesday, March 27
United Center, Chicago
8 p.m. EST
Odds: Miami -5.5 at BetOnline
O/U: Open 185.5 Now 186
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You, me and the lamp post know that privately they are thinking (and maybe saying) something entirely different.
If the streak was not all that important to the Heat players and coaches, it would have ended in Boston, when the Celtics roared out to a 17-point halftime lead. Or in Cleveland, where the Cavs led by 27 in the third quarter before the Heat came storming back.
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Or in any other game in which the Heat could have thrown in the towel and rested their key personnel.
No, the streak is important to these guys. Make no mistake about that. And right now it looks like they’ll get to at least 34 in a row. No. 33 should come a week from Saturday at home against Philadelphia, and the record-breaker a few nights later in Miami against the Bucks.
Then Heat coach Erik Spoelstra can think about monitoring starters’ minutes as he gets things in order for the playoffs.
Tonight the Heat go after No. 28, and ordinarily the Bulls would present a major roadblock. But these are not the Bulls of the recent past, and not even the Bulls of the future. [ad-6571516]
Chicago’s chances of putting an end to Miami’s run will take a huge hit if center Joakim Noah misses his third straight game with a foot injury. The Bulls have won twice (Indiana, Minnesota) without Noah, but taking on the Heat without their hyperactive big would make things very uncomfortable.
As if the expected absence of Noah isn’t bad enough, Marco Belinelli (abdominal injury) will be a game-time decision.
And still . . . no word from Derrick Rose.
With a dozen games remaining after tonight’s, the Bulls are in a battle with Atlanta for the No. 5 seed in the playoffs, which would probably get them a date with Brooklyn in the first round.
The Heat, meanwhile, casually file their nails as they wait for the rest of the Eastern Conference lambs to get in order for sacrifice.
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One of these nights someone will cash big on a money line wager on a Heat opponent, but it doesn’t look like tonight. Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau just has too many issues to sort through to get the team ready for the playoffs. Miami has its own injury problem as Dwyane Wade has missed a few games (has anyone even noticed?).
Wade is a game-time decision after an MRI showed no structural damage.
MIAMI 93, CHICAGO 84.
