The Miami Heat defeated the Chicago Bulls, 102-91, at Kaseya Center on Friday in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament.

The Heat lost to the Atlanta Hawks in the game for the seventh seed and needed to bounce back quickly, as this game against the Bulls was a win-or-go-home matchup for both teams. After all, Chicago defeated the Toronto Raptors and was only 48 minutes away from reaching the postseason. The Heat looked better in the early going and raced out to a 29-21 lead following the first quarter. However, the Bulls never gave up and responded with a 23-20 score in the second quarter, making it a five-point contest. The Bulls kept the momentum going and outscored the Heat by six points in the third quarter (24-18), securing a one-point lead entering the fourth quarter. Chicago had to hold on to its advantage but were unable to do so. Instead, the Heat played at their best when it mattered the most. The Heat won the final quarter by a 35-23 score, securing the win and a spot in the Eastern Conference Playoffs as the eighth seed. They will face the Milwaukee Bucks in that round.

Jimmy Butler and Max Strus both led the way for the Heat with 31 points. Butler also added five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Meanwhile, Strus also had six rebounds and shot 7-for-12 from three-point range. Tyler Herro ended with 12 points but also added eight rebounds and seven assists. Bam Adebayo scored eight points, but he grabbed 17 rebounds and added four assists.

DeMar DeRozan was the leading scorer for the Bulls with 26 points, but he also added nine assists and four rebounds. Zach LaVine finished with 15 points while shooting 6-for-21 from the field. He also added four rebounds and two assists. Alex Caruso had 16 points, four assists and three rebounds. Nikola Vucevic finished with 12 points and nine rebounds. Coby White chipped in with 12 points off the bench.