bulls vs heat nba betting prediction
PublishedDecember 14, 2023,            Posted By: Maria Uebelhor
Last updated:December 14, 2023 , ,

NBA: Chicago Bulls vsHeat Prediction 12/14/2023

The Chicago Bulls (9-16) travel to face off against the Miami Heat (14-10) on Thursday, December 14th. This game will be played at Kaseya Center. The Heat are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Bulls are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Hornets. Tip-off is set for 7:30 ET.

Bulls vs Heat

The Bulls Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

In their most recent game, the Bulls tell to the Nuggets by a score of 114-106. Alonside their straight-up loss, the Bulls failed to cover the spread as +6.5 point underdogs. The game finished with a push on the over/under with the line going into the game being set at 220 points.

Ahead of their matchup vs. the Heat, the Bulls are 9-16 on the season and are hoping to get back to .500. In the Eastern Conference, the Bulls are 12th and are 4th in the Central Division.

Chicago currently has an ATS record below .500, sitting at 11-14 at this point. The Bulls maintain an ATS record of 4-7 on the road, while they have a 7-7 record vs. the spread when playing at home.

The Heat Are Coming Off A Win

Most recently, the Heat bested the Hornets with a score of 115-104. In addition to their straight-up win, the Heat also covered the spread as -8-point favorites. Concerning the over/under, the total of 219 points remained below the established over/under line of 222.5.

As we get ready for today’s game, the Heat are looking to extend their two game win streak and bring their overall record to 14-10. In their 24 games, the Heat have gone 11-9 against Eastern Conference opponents and are 3-1 in non-conference matchups.

So far, Miami’s ATS record is below .500 at 11-12. Miami has gone 6-7 against the spread this season when they are the favorites, and they are 5-5 when playing as underdogs.

Bulls Offense Breakdown

This season, the Chicago offense is ranked 27th in the NBA in scoring at 109.1 points per game. Coming into today’s game, the Bulls will be looking to improve their 3-point shooting numbers, as they are averaging just 12.1 made 3’s per game. If the Chicago offense is going to improve, they must continue to do a good job avoiding turnovers. Currently, the unit is 2nd in fewest turnovers per game.

Heat Offense Breakdown

Through 24 games the Heat are averaging 112.7 points per contest, placing them 22nd in the NBA. When looking at the team’s pace of play, the Heat are currently below the league average in possessions per game, averaging just 96.9 per contest. Even though the Heat are one of the more efficient 3-point shooting teams in the NBA at 39%, their slower-style of play may be holding back the team’s offense from fully taking off.

Bulls Team Defense

Currently, the Bulls’ defense holds the 16th rank in the NBA, allowing 113.4 points per game.

In the terms of takeaways, Bulls are causing 11.6 turnovers per game, ranking 2nd in the league. They also enter the matchup ranked 21st in rejections, averaging 4.7 blocked shots each game.

Heat Team Defense

In the current season, the Heat defense has excelled, sitting 9th in the NBA by allowing 111.3 points per game.

In their previous matchup vs. the Hornets, the Heat’s defense struggled, giving up a field goal percentage of 53% leading to 104 points.

Key Players For The Bulls And Heat

In today’s game, our projections have DeMar DeRozan leading the Bulls with 20 points on 7/14 shooting from the field. This season, he is averaging 22.3 points per game along with 3.5 boards.

As for Miami, Bam Adebayo is projected to be the primary scorer for the Heat. Our forecast has him finishing the game with 15, and adding 7 rebounds. For the season, he has a field goal percentage of 52.2% and is averaging 22.2 points per contest.

Bulls vs Heat Trends

  • Although Chicago has a straight up record of 2-8 in their last ten road games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 4-6. The team averaged 109 points per game in these games.
  • Across their three previous home games, Miami has an ATS mark of 1-2. Their straight up record in these matchups was 2-1 while averaging 108 points per game.
  • Spanning across their last three games as the betting underdog, the Bulls have gone 2-1 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-2.
  • Through their last three matchups as the betting favorite, the Heat have a good straight up record, but their ATS mark is just 1-2.

Bulls vs Heat Prediction

For a point-spread wager in this Heat vs. Heat game, we suggest taking the Bulls at +5.5. Even though our predictions have the Heat winning 114-110, we see the Bulls as the better choice on the point-spread.

As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 217 and our model has the Bulls and Heat finishing with a combined 224 points. Our pick is to take the over.

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.