Heat vs. Bulls Odds, Pick, Preview: Why Chicago Puts Value on Over/Under

Heat vs. Bulls Odds

The Miami Heat will travel to Chicago to square off against the Bulls in what will be the final game of a four-game road trip for the team.

Both the Heat and Bulls have made significant strides this season because of some offseason acquisitions, which has propelled both teams to the top of the Eastern Conference and has turned them into contenders.

However, Miami turns into a different team on the road and has played down to much of their competition while away from their home court. Will we see that trend continue, or can the Heat capitalize on Chicago playing for the second day in a row?

Heat Struggling on the Road

The Heat enter this matchup with an overall record of 12-7 and find themselves in second place in the Eastern Conference, but as was mentioned earlier they appear to be a much different team while on the road this season.

Six of Miami's seven losses have come on the road, and during their current road trip they are 1-2 overall while scoring an average of 100.33 points per game. As a team they are surrendering just 101.67 points per game while on this road trip, but the offense just hasn't been there consistently enough to back it up.

Although their level of play recently has not met their standards, the Heat are still one of the most well-built teams in the league. According to NBA Advanced Stats, Miami is seventh overall in Offensive Rating, scoring 110.6 points per 100 possessions, and fourth overall in Defensive Rating which further proves they are built to be a contender.

This is also a team that is allowing their opponents to shoot just 32.9% from behind the arc and 43.1% from the floor overall. No matter how you break it down, it is easy to tell that Miami prides themselves on defense, and they will likely need to continue their level of play on that end against a star-studded Bulls team.

Bulls on Second Leg of Back-to-Back

The beginning of the 2021-2022 season has been great for Chicago. They have struggled to finish the season with a record close to .500 for the last several years, but as of right now they are 13-7 overall and in a position to finish with close to 50 wins for the first time since 2015.

A large reason for their leap is the offseason acquisitions. Zach LaVine is still leading the charge, but now he has Demar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, and Nikola Vucevic beside him and it has proven to be exactly what this team needed.

Those additions have allowed Chicago to become a top five team in Defensive Rating, allowing just 104.4 points per 100 possessions this season. They have had a bit of an easy schedule recently, but they are still only surrendering an average of 105 points per game in their last five games, further proving that nothing comes easy against this squad.

Chicago has been just as impressive and efficient on the offensive end as well, shooting the ball at a 37.2% clip from behind the arc and 46.3% from the field overall.

However, the Bulls are ranked in the middle of the pack when it comes to Pace, and given that this is their second game in two days it is likely we see their pace of play slow down even more and their typical shooting percentages fall.

In their last back-to-back against the Pacers, Chicago scored just 77 points and shot 36% from the floor and 21% from behind the arc. Those percentages will likely increase, but a low scoring game has been the trend for the Bulls in these spots.

Heat vs. Bulls Pick

This is a game that is going to be full of star players that can score the ball at will, but the defense and the relatively slow pace of play we've seen from both teams this season will likely be the much larger stories in this one.

Chicago is only surrendering 102.8 points per game at home, and Miami is allowing just 102.1 points per game on the road. Combine that level of defense with the fact that this is the back end of a back-to-back for Chicago and it looks like we are in for a low scoring affair.

Pick: Total under 211.5 (-110)