Bulls vs. Heat play-in game: Schedule, broadcast info, odds
Bulls vs. Heat play-in game: Schedule, broadcast info, odds
It's nearly time for Game 84 of the Chicago Bulls' season.
They head south to face the Miami Heat in a play-in tournament matchup that will determine the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. A victory there would send the Bulls to the NBA Playoffs for a best-of-seven series against the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks.
The Bulls, on Wednesday, became the first No. 10 seed to upset the No. 9 seed in the play-in after erasing a 19-point deficit during a 109-105 victory over the Toronto Raptors. Zach Lavine scored 30 of his 39 points in the second half to power the comeback victory.
That set the stage for a win-and-in game between the Bulls and the Heat, who entered the tournament as the No. 7 seed before losing 116-105 at home to the then No. 8 Atlanta Hawks. With the win, the Hawks secured the No. 7 seed in the playoffs and a first-round matchup with the No. 2 Boston Celtics.
Now the Bulls and Heat will meet for the final spot in the East.
“It’s going to be a desperate game,” Alex Caruso told reporters after Wednesday's win. “They didn’t play great the last game against Atlanta, who punched them in the mouth early. I think they’ll be a little bit more prepared to fight from the beginning. You know the competitive greatness of Jimmy and Kyle (Lowry). We know they’ll be ready to play. It’s the same mindset for us. Be locked in and do what we do well.”
Here's everything you need to know about how to watch the Bulls-Heat game...
When is the Bulls-Heat play-in game?
The Bulls will face the Heat in the play-in tournament on Friday at 6 p.m. CT.
What channel is the Bulls-Heat play-in game on?
The Bulls vs. Heat game will air on TNT. Pre-game coverage will begin on NBC Sports Chicago at 5:30 p.m. CT. NBC Sports' post-game coverage will start immediately following the game.
How to stream the Bulls-Heat play-in game
Stream the Bulls-Heat game live on the TNT app or at tntdrama.com/watchtnt.
Who won the season series between the Bulls and Heat?
The Heat might be the higher seed, but it's the Bulls who are looking to complete a season-series sweep.
Chicago won all three of the regular-season meetings with the Heat, two of which were in Miami. The Bulls led by as many as 15 and won the season opener on the road in Miami 116-108 behind DeMar DeRozan's 37 points. They built a 19-point advantage in South Beach on Dec. 20 en route to a 113-103 victory, with Nikola Vucevic scoring 29 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. They were up by as many as 27 points in a 113-99 home victory on March 18, as DeRozan led a balanced attack with 24 points and 10 assists.
Who is the favorite in the Bulls-Heat play-in game?
Despite the Bulls having dominated the season series, the Heat enter the play-in matchup as -5.5 favorites, according to PointsBet, the official betting partner of NBC Sports.
Editor's note: PointsBet is our Official Sports Betting Partner and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links.
