Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat Spread, Line, Odds, Predictions, Picks, and Betting Preview for NBA Basketball Game
Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat Game Information
Chicago Bulls (25-34) vs. Miami Heat (31-29)
Date: 4/24/21
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Venue: American Airlines Arena
TV Coverage: NBA League Pass, NBC Sports Chicago, Bally Sports Sun
Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat Moneyline, Spread, Total, and Odds
Moneyline: (Open: Bulls +170 / Heat-213) (Current: Bulls +164 / Heat-196)
Spread: (Open: Heat-5) (Current: Heat-4.5)
Total: (Open: 208) (Current: 206)
NBA Championship Odds: Bulls +25000 / Heat+3600
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Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat News and Notes
Chicago lists three players on the injury report: Patrick Williams (foot) will be a game-time decision while Zach LaVine (COVID-19 protocols) and Troy Brown Jr. (ankle) have both been ruled out.
Miami lists only Victor Oladipo (knee) on the injury report. He has been ruled out for the game.
Notable Trends
- The total is 8-3 to the under in Chicago’s last 11 games following an ATS cover.
- The total is 5-1 to the under in their last six meetings in Miami.
- The total is 15-7 to the under in their last 22 meetings.
Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat Predictions and Picks
The Chicago Bulls are 3-2 since All-Star Zach LaVine went into the COVID-19 health and safety protocols list. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been good enough to hold onto a spot for the NBA’s playoff play-in tournament. The Washington Wizards have displaced the Bulls from the 10th and final spot thanks to their seven-game winning streak. The Bulls are also in danger of getting passed by the Raptors, who have now tied them for the 11th place in the Eastern Conference with a four-game winning streak of their own.
One thing that’s been clear in LaVine’s absence is that Chicago doesn’t know where their points are coming from. LaVine was essentially a crutch for them as he was more than willing to hoist up almost 20 shots per game.
Think about this for a second. Had the Bulls not acquired Nikola Vučević, Coby White would be second on the team with the most field goal attempts per game (12.7). That’s a pretty big drop-off from LaVine’s 19.4 attempts per game. In fact, Lauri Markkanen is the only other player on their roster in double-digit field goal attempts per game (10.9).
Chicago has gone from averaging 103.1 possessions per game to 98.5 in their last three games. Not only is that a concerted effort to slow down the game, but it also screams confusion about what they’re doing on offense to get players open looks. We know this to be true because, during that span, their efficiency (1.066 points per possession) is also compared to their season average (1.084 points per possession).
We’ve got some strong under trends in this matchup, particularly when the game is played in Miami. Both teams are a combined five games under the total this season.
I think there’s a decent chance at least one of these teams won’t crack 100 points in this game, and that’s why I like this game to come in under the total.
The Pick: Under 206