Chicago started the Play-In Tournament on a positive note and sent the Raptors home in their bid to claim the final Eastern Conference eight seed. This time, they match up against the Miami Heat, who recently lost the seventh seed to Atlanta in the first batch of Play-In games. The Bulls prepare for another testing road game as they try to outpace Erik Spoelstra’s crew.

Meanwhile, the hosts need to pick up the pace after an upset defeat to the Hawks. That said, basketball fans and bettors are in for another treat in this is a now-or-never clash for the last ticket to the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Nitrobetting is ready to dish out key assists and lob passes with betting tips and news coverage throughout the 2023 NBA Playoffs. This time, let’s break down the upcoming Play-In showdown between the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat.

Bulls vs. Heat 2023 NBA Play-in Tournament Game Information

Do or die Friday night, see you there #HEATNation!

https://t.co/jwzMHuKy04 pic.twitter.com/ywaXJ8p5Ry

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) April 12, 2023

• When: Friday, April 14, 2023, 7:00 PM ET
• Where: Kaseya Center, Miami, FL
• TV: TNT
• Radio: 670 The Score (Bulls) // 560 The Joe WQAM (Heat)
• Live Stream: NBA League Pass
• NBA Betting Odds: Bulls (+5.5) // Heat (-5.5)

READ MORE: Thunder vs. Timberwolves 2023 NBA Play-in Tournament Odds and Preview – April 14th

Why Bet on the Chicago Bulls?

After a dismal first half of the season, the Bulls are now on track for a playoff appearance. But, they’re not out of the woods yet. The final hurdle comes in the form of a Miami Heat unit led by Jimmy Butler. This will be another testing night for the now-ninth seed team, but rest assured Billy Donovan has the necessary pieces to get things done.

Chicago is a tough team to beat once they start firing on all cylinders. In their most recent game versus the Raptors, the Bulls stayed efficient for the most part. The roster hit 81.8% of its shots from the line and 48.8% from the field. Although the Central Division team had difficulty hitting threes as they went seven of 26 from deep, they did get plenty of stops along the way. The Bulls led the game in blocks and steals by the final buzzer. They also gave up fewer turnovers against the Raptors.

Throughout the regular season, Chicago recorded 113.1 points per game on a third-best shooting percentage of 49.0%. They remain a solid free-throw shooting team at 80.9% from the line. Conversely, the Bulls document quality defensive stats at 111.8 opponent points per game on 46.8% shooting, both of which are top-eight figures.

Why Bet on the Miami Heat?

Atlanta stunned the Heat on the first day of Play-In games. Hawks head coach Quin Snyder put together a strategy that left the Heat trailing for nearly 48 minutes. The visitors eventually claimed the seventh seed and booked a date with the Boston Celtics in the first round.

Miami needs to recover from its off night. They shot significantly worse from the field and hit only 42.9% of their shots, missing 11 of 34 attempts from deep. The Heat was also significantly better from the line at 80%. However, what put the team in this situation was poor rebounding. They were out-rebounded by the Hawks, 63 to 39 total rebounds. It reflected their season’s 26th-ranked average of 48.5 total boards per game.

We did not see the Heat’s gritty defense that night. If they want to keep the Bulls at bay, this team has to hit its defensive peak. Defensively, the hosts hold the second-best opponent points record at 109.9 per game. The team also limits opponent points in the paint to 46.3. These two figures are well within the league’s top three and should reflect if the Southeast Division winners want to keep their postseason hopes alive.

Bulls vs. Heat Betting Trends

• The Bulls won three of its last five road games (3-2 ATS).
• The Bulls are 3-2 in the last five meetings versus the Heat (3-2 ATS).
• The totals went over in three of the Bulls’ last five road contests.
• The Heat are 4-2 in its last six games at Kaseya Center (3-3 ATS).
• The Heat are 2-3 in the last five home games versus the Bulls (2-3 ATS).
• The totals went under in three of the Heat’s last five contests against the Bulls.

Bulls vs. Heat Expert Betting Prediction

Miami gets the title of the favorite in this one. Given that they are the higher-seeded team and hold the home advantage, it’s only fitting that the hosts take the upper hand on paper. Spoelstra’s starting five looks healthy with the support of a complete bench lineup. Needless to say, it’s not enough to write off the challengers. We’ve seen the Bulls step up against the Raptors and log favorable results. Covering the spread should be doable for the visitors. A win is not out of the question as well. Chicago steps inside the Kaseya Center in full force, ready to deliver edge-of-your-seat action on Friday night.

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This is just one of the many sports betting guides that you can read here at Nitrobetting news. Stay tuned for more 2022-23 NBA season previews and articles and don’t forget to check out the latest basketball betting odds on our online BTC sportsbook.

*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.