Heat Survive & Advance: Miami Topples Bulls to Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

Content for everyone

The Miami Heat secured a much-needed 109-90 play-in victory over the Chicago Bulls in a high-octane, thrilling match-up on April 16 at the United Center in Chicago. With the win, the Heat gets one step closer to their playoff dream alive while eliminating the Bulls on their home ground. Several Heat stars stepped up for the crucial battle, including Tyler Herro, who scored a stunning 38 points.

The Miami Heat secured a much-needed victory over the Chicago Bulls

After the Detroit Pistons, the Chicago Bulls faced elimination in the NBA play-in tournament. The Miami Heat gave their ultimate boost to secure the victory with Tyler Herro making a strong case for the team’s playoff dream.

Tyler Herro put on an offensive clinic, leading all scorers with 38 points on an impressive 13-of-19 shooting. He knocked down 3-of-7 from deep and went 9-for-10 at the free-throw line. Herro also added 5 rebounds and 4 assists, although he turned the ball over 7 times. Regardless, his presence was a major offensive force throughout his 37 minutes on the floor.
“I feel good. Anytime you can win in the postseason, it feels good. We got one more to go just crack into the playoffs, so long way to go but we’re excited for it,” Herro said in a video shared by the Heat’s official handle on X with a caption that read, “Long way to go, excited for what’s ahead.”

Andrew Wiggins contributed 20 points, hitting 8 of his 20 shots and 4-of-9 from beyond the arc. Wiggins also pulled down 9 rebounds and picked up 2 steals.
Davion Mitchell was a standout in his own right, finishing with 15 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting, including two made threes. He filled up the stat sheet with 8 assists, 2 rebounds, and a steal in 33 minutes. Bam Adebayo had a double-double performance, finishing with 15 points and 12 rebounds, along with 3 assists and 2 steals, though he shot just 37.5% from the floor.
The team as a whole shot 49.4% (41-of-83) from the field and 37.1% (13-of-35) from three. While their free-throw shooting was a weak spot at 63.6% (14-of-22), they made up for it with 57 total rebounds and 29 assists.
On the other side, Josh Giddey led the charge with 25 points, shooting 9-of-21 from the field. He also chipped in 10 rebounds and 4 assists, showing his usual versatility. Coby White followed with 17 points but had a rough night from the field.
Nikola Vučević delivered a steady double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds while adding 2 blocks and a steal on defense. Kevin Huerter added 10 points on 3-of-7 shooting, with a perfect 3-of-3 from the stripe, while also notching 2 steals and a block in his 32 minutes.
Also Read: Magic Johnson shares heartfelt birthday message for his long-time Los Angeles Lakers teammates
Matas Buzelis and Talen Horton-Tucker each gave solid contributions off the bench. Buzelis scored 9 points with 6 rebounds, while Horton-Tucker went 4-for-6 from the field, scoring 9 as well. Zach Collins and Dalen Terry also added a bucket each, with Collins shooting a perfect 1-of-1 in limited minutes.
Still, the Bulls were far from clinching the win from the Heat.