The Chicago Bulls (39-43) will face the Miami Heat (37-45) in a play-in game on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. EDT. The winner will advance to compete for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Bulls, with a record of 28-24 against Eastern Conference opponents, excel in 3-point shooting, averaging 15.4 made 3-pointers per game. Leading scorer Coby White shoots 37.0% from beyond the arc. On the other hand, the Heat, at 24-28 in Eastern Conference play, focus on defensive rebounds, averaging 33.7 per game led by Bam Adebayo with 7.2 rebounds.
Chicago averages 117.8 points per game, outscoring the Heat's defense allowing 110.0 points. Miami, with an average of 13.7 made 3-pointers per game, slightly edges out the Bulls in long-range shooting. Key players to watch include Nikola Vucevic for the Bulls, averaging 18.5 points and 10.1 rebounds, and Andrew Wiggins for the Heat, scoring 18.0 points per game. In their last 10 games, the Bulls have a 7-3 record, scoring 121.4 points on average, while the Heat are 6-4, averaging 120.6 points.
Injuries affect both teams, with players like Lonzo Ball and Andrew Wiggins listed as day-to-day. The game promises an intense matchup as both teams vie for a chance to progress in the playoffs.