Heat vs Bulls NBA Handicapping
Larry Bird, who knows a thing or two about NBA playoff basketball, used to tell anyone who would listen that the key to winning a series is to get the job done in Game 4.
Eastern Conference
Miami Heat (2-1) at Chicago Bulls (1-2)
Monday, May 13
United Center, Chicago
7 p.m. EST
Spread – Heat -7.5 at Bovada
O/U – 186.5
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You can, of course, finish a sweep or take 3-1 control with a win in Game 4. In the case of the Chicago Bulls tonight, a Game 4 win would breathe new life into a team that is hurting both physically and emotionally. A loss tonight and we can start to shovel dirt on the Bulls as they would need to beat the Heat three straight times – twice in Miami.
So this is basically it for the Bulls, who once again will have a shortened roster.
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It’s apparent that Luol Deng will need divine intervention to play after spending several days in a hospital. Deng isn’t exactly sure what’s wrong, but it includes headaches, a spinal tap and coughing up blood. The news isn’t much better for Kirk Hinrich, who has a more standard ailment – a bruised left calf that won’t seem to heal.
Both are officially game-time decisions, but if either suits up it will be a bonus. If the Bulls are going to pull even and give themselves a fighting chance, they’ll have to get above-the-water-line efforts again from Carlos Boozer and Nate Robinson. The Bulls get max effort every night from Joakim Noah, so there’s not a lot extra Chicago can expect there.
The Bulls will no doubt be working on keeping their cool after a Game 3 loss in which they weren’t very successful at staying under control. Nazr Mohammed’s ejection didn’t help, and Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau threw kerosene on the fire by spending his post-game interview whining about LeBron James flopping and being protected by the refs. [ad-6571516]
The Heat, meanwhile, keep on keepin’ on, that Game 1 loss in Miami just a distant memory.
As if the Bulls don’t have enough to worry about, Chris Bosh is now out of the box after a 20-point, 19-rrebound Game 3. Bosh can turtle in big games as James and Dwyane Wade hog the spotlight, but if the big guy comes close to holding his own against Noah, it’s hard to see any other position where Chicago would have anything close to resembling an edge.
Perhaps at the point, if Robinson can go nuts again.
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The last two games have gone over, but that should end tonight. When the Bulls need to control tempo at home, they can usually do it, and they desperately need a half-court game tonight.
They need to chew up large chunks of the 24-second clock and hope that they can shoot over 50 percent.
Easier said than done, of course, but any other scenario sends them back to Miami in a 1-3 set of handcuffs. An under play is in order.
