The Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat will conclude a rare three-game series on Sunday night after splitting the first two.
The Bulls lost the opener on Thursday, 116-113 in their home arena. The game had been rescheduled from Jan. 8, when a slippery court at the United Center forced a postponement. As a result, the Bulls and Heat will have played three games in four days by Sunday night.
The teams are in Miami for a scheduled weekend series, with the Bulls winning 125-118 on Saturday to snap a three-game losing streak. And given the number of injuries they were facing, the Bulls ran an up-tempo offense.
Chicago’s top scorer and assists leader, Josh Giddey (18.6 points and 8.8 assists, respectively), didn’t play Saturday because of a tight hamstring. Nikola Vucevic rested on order of the medical staff. Jalen Smith (calf) and Coby White (calf) also didn’t play.
Enter fifth-year guard Ayo Dosunmu, who scored a season-high 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range in 37 minutes. He also led the Bulls in rebounds (eight) and assists (nine).
“For (Dosunmu’s) career, he’s really come out of difficult moments a lot better,” coach Billy Donovan said. “Everything that he’s doing now that maybe he was unable to do his rookie year or his second year. You can see the work that he put in.”
Matas Buzelis added 21 points and eight rebounds. Isaac Okoro scored 20, Patrick Williams posted 15 points and Jevon Carter added 10 off the bench as the Bulls rebounded from an 11-point deficit in the third quarter.
The Sunday game will be the season finale between the teams. The Heat thumped the Bulls 143-107 on Nov. 21 in Chicago, and the Bulls undoubtedly would like to move their record to 2-2 against Miami for confidence.
It is the Heat who eliminated the Bulls from the NBA play-in round in each of the past three seasons, and the teams are on a potential play-in collision course again this season.
The Bulls played a smaller lineup on Saturday, resulting in fast play on the court. The Heat couldn’t keep up and likely will look to slow things down on Sunday.
“This was a frenetic pace,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “The pace felt more like a game where both teams would be in the 140s. We were just getting beat off the dribble or beat in the post.”
Miami also was without three starters — guards Tyler Herro (ribs), Davion Mitchell (left shoulder) and Norman Powell (personal) — and the Heat committed 19 turnovers. They shot 27.7% (13 of 47) from long distance.
Pelle Larsson led the Heat with 22 points, and Bam Adebayo contributed 21 points, despite 1-of-8 shooting from 3-point territory. Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 20 points, six rebounds and seven assists.
After the game, Adebayo was frustrated by the Heat’s effort and complimented the Bulls.
“It’s not about talent,” Adebayo said. “It’s about who wants to do the little things. You know, 50-50 balls, crashing the glass, getting the extra possessions, and then obviously live with that type of result. And I feel like they did the little things that got them the W tonight.”
According to multiple reports Saturday night, the Bulls are obtaining Sacramento Kings center/forward Dario Saric and two future second-round draft picks as they helped to facilitate a trade between the Kings and Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Kings are acquiring wing De’Andre Hunter from the Cavaliers for guards Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis, per reports.
