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Two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference are set to face off Saturday night. The Miami Heat host the Chicago Bulls. It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Bulls-Heat prediction and pick based on Bulls Heat odds.
The Chicago Bulls are 17-9 which puts them in second place in the East. The Heat aren't too far behind at 15-11 and are fourth in the East. This is a high-level matchup between two really good teams. DeMar DeRozan ranks fourth in the NBA in scoring at 26.4 a game and is on a tear this season. The Bulls have a ton of talented players and it seems DeRozan's play and leadership is benefiting them quickly. He won't be available Saturday night, however, so the Bulls will need to try and win without him and a few others to the Covid-19 protocols.
The Heat won the last time these two teams met a few weeks ago. They are fresh off a win over the Milwaukee Bucks and are putting themselves in a good position to compete again this season. They did lose star Bam Adebayo for 4-6 weeks after he recently had surgery on his thumb. Miami could also be without Jimmy Butler again Saturday night as he deals with a tailbone injury. If he is out, the Heat will need to rely on Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry to take over.
Here is how FanDuel set the lines for Saturday night.
NBA Odds: Bulls-Heat Odds
Chicago Bulls: -1 (-108)
Miami Heat: +1 (-112)
Over: 209.5 (-110)
Under: 209.5 (-110)
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Why The Bulls Could Cover The Spread
The Bulls are coming off a 115-92 loss to the surprisingly good Cleveland Cavaliers. The team is missing some crucial role players because of Covid-19 so they are needing to rely on the starters for a majority of the game. They can still cover this spread because the Heat are missing some crucial players as well. This matchup won't be as highly anticipated with arguably the three best players on the court not available. Nikola Vucevic will need to step up and play well because the Heat don't have a good matchup for him. The defense priority will need to force turnovers because Zach Lavine is very good in transition. Chicago is 17-9 against the spread this year because of how well they play on both sides of the court.
Why The Heat Could Cover The Spread
Without some of their best players, the Heat will need to see everyone step up. Lowry will need to control the offense and lead the team in assists. Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson are shooting well lately and that will be a huge factor in them covering the spread. Herro is shooting 44% from the field and is averaging 20.8 points per game this year off the bench. Miami is just 4-6 in their last 10 games and has given up 108 points per game during that span. Without Adebayo, it's going to be tough to stop Vucevic if he's on his game. If the Heat can contain him then they will have a good chance of covering. They are 15-11 against the spread this year.
Final Bulls-Heat Prediction & Pick
This is a tough one to choose. The Bulls won four of their last five games and the Heat have lost three of their last five. Because of that, I think the Bulls are playing a little better right now besides their last game. It's just a one-point spread so this could really go either way. Without much of the star power, I would assume the under at 209.5 is the likely outcome as well. But both teams' defenses are giving up more than 107 points per game over the last 10 games. Because of that, I'm taking the over in this game also.
Final Bulls-Heat Prediction & Pick: Bulls -1 (-108) & Over: 209.5 (-110)
