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In Game 1 of the opening round of the NBA Playoffs, the Miami Heat will take on the Chicago Bulls.
The Heat are only a 1.5-point favorite when they and the Bulls hit the court in a game projected to be a close matchup. The game’s over/under is set at 206.
Heat vs. Bulls Odds
Point Spread for Heat vs. Bulls
The spread for this matchup is set at 1.5 points, with sportsbooks listing the Heat as the favorite.
Miami vs. Chicago Moneyline
As for the moneyline, Miami has -125 odds to win the game, while Chicago is listed at +105 to claim victory.
Over/Under
Finally, the total for the game is set at 206 points.
Game Time and How to Watch
- When: Friday, April 19, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET
- Where: FTX Arena in Miami, Florida
- TV: ESPN
Heat vs. Bulls Betting Trends
The Heat have gone 40-39-3 against the spread this season. Miami has won 35, or 74.5%, of the 47 games it has played as the favorite this season. Heat games have finished with a final combined score above the over/under 35 times this season.
The Bulls have covered the spread 41 times in 82 games with a set spread. Chicago has won in 19, or 39.6%, of the 48 contests it has been named as the odds-on underdog this year. Bulls games have finished with a final combined score above the over/under 45 times this year.
Heat vs. Bulls Key Players to Watch
Heat
Bam Adebayo averages 19.3 points, 10.4 boards and 3.9 assists per contest. At the other end, he averages 1.1 steals and 0.9 blocks. Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s numbers on the season are 11.9 points, 2.6 assists and 3.8 boards per contest. Duncan Robinson averages 12.9 points, 2.6 boards and 2.8 assists per contest. At the other end, he averages 0.7 steals and 0.2 blocks. Tyler Herro’s numbers on the season are 20.8 points, 4.5 assists and 5.3 boards per contest.
Bulls
DeMar DeRozan averages 24.0 points, 4.3 boards and 5.3 assists, making 48.0% of his shots from the field. Nikola Vucevic contributes with 18.0 points per game, plus 10.5 boards and 3.3 assists. Coby White gets the Bulls 19.1 points, 4.5 boards and 5.1 assists per contest, plus 0.7 steals and 0.2 blocks. The Bulls get 8.4 points, 9.0 boards and 0.5 assists per game from Andre Drummond.
What you need to know about the Heat
Although the Heat are putting up just 110.1 points per game (fifth-worst in NBA), their defense has been playing really well, as they rank third-best in the league by ceding 108.4 points per game. The Heat are pulling down 42.3 rebounds per game (25th-ranked in league). They are giving up 42.8 rebounds per contest (11th-ranked). The Heat are averaging 25.8 dimes per game, which ranks them 18th in the NBA in 2023-24.
When playing at home, Miami is posting 4.0 more points per game (112.1) than it is away from home (108.1). With 12.5 threes per game, Miami ranks 18th in the NBA. It owns a 37.0% shooting percentage from three-point land, which ranks 12th in the league. Miami is allowing 13.0 threes per game this year (16th-ranked in NBA), and it is allowing a 35.3% three-point percentage (fifth-best).
The Heat are 6-3-1 against the spread and 7-3 overall over their past 10 games. Nine of Miami’s last 10 contests have hit the over. The Heat have seen an increase in scoring lately, putting up 116.1 points per game in their last 10 contests, 6.0 points more than the 110.1 they’ve scored this year. Miami’s defense has been tougher as of late, as the team has allowed 104.6 points per game over its last 10 compared to the 108.4 points per game its opponents average on the season.
What you need to know about the Bulls
With 112.3 points scored per game and 113.7 points conceded, the Bulls are 22nd in the NBA offensively and 16th on defense. On the glass, Chicago is 14th in the NBA in rebounds (43.8 per game). It is 15th in rebounds allowed (43.4 per game). The Bulls are 23rd in the league in assists (25.0 per game) in 2023-24.
At home the Bulls are scoring 111.5 points per game, 1.5 fewer points than they are averaging on the road (113.0). Beyond the arc, the Bulls are fifth-worst in the NBA in 3-pointers made per game (11.5). They are ranked 20th in 3-point percentage at 35.8%. In 2023-24, Chicago is second-worst in the league in 3-pointers allowed (14.6 per game) and 19th in defensive 3-point percentage (37.0%).
The Bulls have a 6-4 record against the spread while going 5-5 overall over their last 10 contests. Five of Chicago’s past 10 games have hit the over. In its previous 10 games, Chicago is averaging 114.1 points per game, 1.8 more than its season average (112.3). Over their previous 10 games, the Bulls are allowing 113.1 points per game, compared to their season average of 113.7 points allowed.
Heat vs. Bulls Prediction & Pick
Our pick to win this game is Heat, and we predict that Heat will cover the spread (Heat -1.5). Finally, we see the scoring in this one going over the posted total of 206 points.
How to bet Heat vs. Bulls
You can bet on Miami vs. Chicago at every legal online sportsbook. For more college basketball odds, including moneylines, spreads, over/under totals, check out the latest NCAA lines as well as our guide to the best college basketball betting sites.
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