MIAMI — The crowd in Miami started chanting in the fourth quarter, repeatedly expressing their desire to face Boston.
The fans' wish came true. A rematch of the last two Eastern Conference finals is set for Round 1 this year.
Even with Jimmy Butler out due to a knee injury, Miami secured their spot in the playoffs by defeating the Chicago Bulls 112-91 in a play-in tournament elimination game on Friday night. Tyler Herro scored 24 points and came close to a triple-double with assists, while rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. contributed 21 points.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra expressed his appreciation for the things that cannot be bought but must be earned, emphasizing the collective effort required to secure a spot in the playoffs.
Kevin Love scored 16 points and Bam Adebayo added 13 for Miami. The Heat, now the No. 8 seed, are anticipated to be significant underdogs against the Celtics, the favorite to win the NBA title.
Jaquez emphasized the need to embody the Miami Heat culture and toughness in the upcoming games against the Celtics, stressing the importance of setting the tone early and imposing their physicality.
The Heat dominated the Bulls with a 19-0 run in the first quarter, and a 14-0 run in the second half secured their victory. Herro's impressive performance included 10 rebounds and nine assists, leading the Heat to eliminate the Bulls in the last East play-in game for the second consecutive year.
DeMar DeRozan scored 22 points for the Bulls, with Nikola Vucevic contributing 16 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists. Coby White scored 13 for Chicago, which aimed to secure a playoff spot after spending the season below the .500 mark for all games.
Chicago only shot 38%, with the Heat's defense playing a crucial role in the game.
Bulls coach Billy Donovan recognized the challenging nature of the games, acknowledging that they are tough and often require a grind-out approach.
The 19-0 run put the Heat in the lead, turning an 11-6 deficit into a 25-11 lead. This significant run in the first quarter ultimately contributed to Miami's lead and solidified their advantage in the second quarter.
It was a rare stretch of good offense on a night that required grit and determination.
Despite only scoring 13 points in the second quarter, the Heat entered halftime with a 47-37 lead as the Bulls also struggled to score. Chicago's shooting percentage dropped significantly after a strong start, while the Heat's shooting also saw a decline towards the end of the first half.
The situation was so bad that in one period, Chicago only made 1 out of 15 shots, while Miami went 0 for 8 and 0 for 6 at different times. However, the Heat had two significant runs and have now returned as the No. 8 seed, the position they held all the way to the NBA Finals last season.
This time, it will be much harder as they will be facing a Boston team that won an NBA-best 64 games this season and is likely still upset about losing a Game 7 of last year’s East finals to the Heat at home.
Spoelstra expressed his gratitude for being in the playoffs, saying he appreciates the opportunity and the support of his team in the locker room.
