Never say never with the Heat but if the defending Eastern Conference champs are going to make another extended run, they'll do so against even longer odds.
Miami's chances took a serious blow in its loss to the 76ers in the 7-8 Play-In Tournament matchup on Wednesday when Jimmy Butler suffered an MCL injury. Although Butler played through the injury, Miami announced on Thursday morning that the gritty six-time All-Star is ruled out for Friday and is expected to miss several weeks should the Heat advance.
Without Butler, the onus falls on Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo in particular to pick up the scoring slack. Herro led the team in scoring on Wednesday but finished just 9-of-27 from the field. Adebayo meanwhile scored just 10 points, far below his season average of 19.3 points per game.
Meanwhile, the Bulls — who dominated the Hawks in the 9-10 Play-In matchup — suffered a significant loss of their own Wednesday after defensive stalwart Alex Caruso injured his ankle in a collision with teammate Andre Drummond. Already without Zach LaVine, who is out for the year with a right foot injury, Caruso's absence could mean Chicago is left to fight for its playoff life without its best perimeter defender.
Regardless of whether or not Caruso plays, the Bulls' hopes rest largely in the hands of Coby White and DeMar DeRozan. A leading candidate for Most Improved Player, White played like an All-Star against the Hawks' fearsome backcourt of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, pouring in a career-high 42 points to go along with nine rebounds, six assists and no turnovers. DeRozan chipped in 22 points and nine assists while logging a team-high 44 minutes.
The winner will advance as the 8-seed in the Eastern Conference and get a date with the 64-win Boston Celtics. It's a tight turnaround as that series begins on Sunday with Game 1 at 1:00 p.m. ET in Boston.
Looking to tune in for some Friday night Play-In Tournament hoops? Here is everything that you need to know about Heat vs. Bulls.
What channel is Heat vs. Bulls on?
- TV channel: ESPN
- Live stream: Sling
Heat vs. Bulls will air nationally on ESPN. Ryan Ruocco is on play-by-play duties and will be joined by analyst Richard Jefferson and sideline reporter Cassidy Hubbarth.
Viewers can also stream the game on Sling. Sling is the home for the avid sports fans, offering a range of sports channels so you can always cheer for your favorite teams with channels like ESPN, TBS, TNT, NFL Network, and more.
If Heat vs. Bulls is not available to watch live in your location or if you're traveling abroad, you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs provide a secure and private online connection, allowing you to bypass geographical restrictions to access your favorite streaming services from any device in the world.
What time is Heat vs. Bulls?
- Date: Friday, April 19
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Location: Kaseya Center in Miami, FL
Heat vs. Bulls will tip off around 7 p.m. ET on Friday, April 19. The game will be played at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
Heat-Bulls will determine the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. ESPN will be your exclusive home for the Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals this year along with select games throughout the first two rounds of the playoffs.
Heat vs. Bulls tickets
- Tickets: StubHub
Tickets for the Heat-Bulls — and the rest of the NBA playoffs — are available on StubHub. For full rundowns on seats and prices, use the link below.
NBA Play-In Tournament schedule, results
Tuesday, April 16
| Game | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Lakers def. Pelicans, 110-106 | 7:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Game 2 | Kings def. Warriors, 118-94 | 10 p.m. | TNT |
Wednesday, April 17
| Game | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game 3 | 76ers def. Heat, 105-104 | 7 p.m. | ESPN |
| Game 4 | Bulls def. Hawks, 131-116 | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN |
Friday, April 19
| Game | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game 5 | Bulls at Heat | 7 p.m. | ESPN |
| Game 6 | Kings at Pelicans | 9:30 p.m. | TNT |
NBA playoff bracket 2024
Eastern Conference
(1) Celtics vs. (8) Heat/Bulls
(2) Knicks vs. (7) 76ers
(3) Bucks vs. (6) Pacers
(4) Cavaliers vs. (5) Magic
Western Conference
(1) Thunder vs. (8) Pelicans/Kings
(2) Nuggets vs. (7) Lakers
(3) Timberwolves vs. (6) Suns
(4) Clippers vs. (5) Mavericks
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