Welcome back to another HotHotHoops Roundtable. Today, we ask one question and one question only — who wins tonight between the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls and why?
Who wins between the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat, and why?
Surya Fernandez: I was convinced the Heat would not even be in this situation but instead we’re left to wonder which team will actually show up tonight. Is it the Heat that so thoroughly thrashed the 76ers recently or will it be the lethargic, poor-shooting version we saw against the Hawks?
Ultimately I do think playoff Jimmy will come through and get enough support from Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry and Bam Adebayo to pull through against the Bulls. I can’t imagine them coming out flat again at home with the stakes this high.
Well, I actually CAN envision this year’s Heat team actually doing that but if I had to choose a side I think the Heat is the more talented, playoff-tested team but how that translates on the court with effort and drive is another story. A tentative vote for Miami, but I don’t feel great about it.
Dan Riccio: For starters, it’s a shame that Miami is in this position at this point in the season. Yes, they have struggled to find consistency all year long, but lots of Heat fans knew this team was much better than their record showed. They had their chances for both the No. 5 and 6 seeds. Instead, their season now has come down to a win-or-go-home play-In game for the No. 8 seed.
It’s easy to say that this season could be over tonight following the goose egg laid by Miami the other night vs Atlanta. Considering the Bulls have beaten Miami every single time they’ve played each other this season and by double digits, nonetheless. They also do match up well against this Heat team.
However, the Heat has more playoff experience and truthfully they have the best (playoff) player on the floor in Jimmy Butler. I’m going with the Heat for this matchup. With the way Butler struggled with his shooting efficiency against the Hawks, I see him bouncing back strong tonight.
He shot a career-high 54 percent from the field this season and has had his best season in a Miami uniform, I don’t see him letting it go down like this on the Heat’s home court. It all stems from Butler, if he is able to lead this team and set the tone early everything else could fall into place both offensively and defensively.
Matt Hanifan: The Heat has been an incredibly frustrating team all season. That lent itself true again Tuesday. All season long, the disposition and body language from game-to-game has been a tick or two off, in my view.
I’m not in the locker room nor am I in the building, so I might be naive, but a small part of me believes some — from fans, coaches, executives, players, etc. — just want this season to be over.
The Bulls, on the other hand, have the league’s best defense since the All-Star break and have won 12 of their last 18 games, including eight of their last 10 on the road. While the regular season doesn’t directly translate to the postseason, in a one-game playoff scenario, no team is more confident than the Bulls against this Heat team right now. Chicago’s had their number all season.
At 7 p.m. on a Friday in a do-or-die game: Energy, body language, disposition and collective team make up all matter.
Sue me, tell me to eat dirt or “#GRABYOURGUTS™”, but that’s why I think Chicago ultimately squeaks this one out.
Do I think Miami will be more competitive than it was against Atlanta? Yes. Do I think both Butler and Adebayo play better? Also yes. But Miami will have to come out fast and lock in early if they want to win this game, or they might be getting sent home against a feisty Bulls squad.
