Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks to Renew Playoff Rivalry.
1. Introduction
The Miami Heat secured the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs after defeating the Chicago Bulls in a play-in game. The Heat will face the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, while the Bulls' season comes to an end.
The Heat Turned Up The Temperature When It Mattered Most
2. Heat Clinch No. 8 Seed in the Eastern Conference
Despite leading by 14 points in the first quarter and having a double-digit lead in the third, the Heat found themselves tied with the Bulls with five minutes remaining. However, their experience in clutch games helped them secure a victory, as they won 32 of their league-high 54 clutch games this season. The Bulls, on the other hand, won the fewest clutch games of any of the 20 teams to make the postseason.
3. Heat's Dominant Stretch Run
Jimmy Butler and Max Strus both scored 31 points, leading the Heat to victory over the Bulls. Bam Adebayo struggled on the offensive end but was a key contributor to the Heat's defense, especially down the stretch. Chicago shot poorly when contested by Adebayo, including in the fourth quarter.
4. Heat to Face Bucks in First Round of Playoffs
With their win, the Heat play advance to face the Milwaukee Bucks, who hold the NBA's top overall seed. This will be the fourth time the Heat and Bucks meet in the playoffs, with the Bucks winning the championship in 2021 after defeating the Heat in the first round.
5. Bulls' Season Ends on the Brink of Playoffs
The Bulls had a strong second half of the season, going 14-9 to secure the East's No. 10 seed. They trailed by 19 points in the third quarter in their play-in game against the Toronto Raptors but managed to rally back and extend their season. However, they couldn't replicate that comeback against the Heat.
6. Conclusion
The Heat's victory means they will face the Bucks game in the first round of the playoffs, while the Bulls game season ends on the brink of the playoffs. Zach LaVine scored 15 points and DeMar DeRozan finished with 26 points for the Bulls.
