2 weeks Ago
The Miami Heat announced that Pelle Larsson is available for tonight's win-or-go-home Play-In game against the Chicago Bulls, while Nikola Jovic and Kevin Love remain out. Bulls' star Josh Giddey, averaging 26 points, ten rebounds and ten assists against the Heat this season, is also available. Jovic and Larsson both were partial practice participants and upgraded to questionable yesterday .
Two-way player Isaiah Stevens and Dru Smith were the only players who did not practice. Larsson, the Heat's 2024 second round pick, last played on April 7 and ended up spraining his ankle while lifting weights ahead of their game against the Chicago Bulls two days later. Larsson averaged 10.
5 points, four rebounds, three assists and 2.2 steals as a starter in his last six games played, while Andrew Wiggins was out with injury. Here's the rest of the injury report and game preview: HEAT Pelle Larsson: Available - Ankle Nikola Jovic: Out - Hand Kevin Love: Out - Personal Reasons Dru Smith: Out - Achilles Isaiah Stevens: Out - Foot BULLS Josh Giddey: Available - Forearm Dalen Terry: Available - Calf Tre Jones: Out - Foot Lonzo Ball: Out - Wrist Ayo Dosunmu: Out - Shoulder How To Watch Miami Heat-Chicago Bulls, Lineups, Injury Report, Betting Line Game time: 7:30 p.
m., United Center, Chicago Betting line: Heat +2, DraftKings VITALS : The Miami Heat (10th seed) are lining up against the ninth-seeded Chicago Bulls in this game, as part of the Play-In Tournament. The winner of this game will then go on to play against the winner of the game between the Orlando Magic and the Atlanta Hawks to advance to the Playoffs and play the first-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Heat and Bulls matched up three times this season. The Bulls won all three matchups, (133-124 on Feb. 4, 114-109 on March 8 and 119-111 on April 9).
The Heat won three of four matchups against the Bulls last season. The Heat are 64-68 all-time versus the Bulls during the regular season, including 37-29 in home games and 27-39 in road games. PROJECTED STARTERS HEAT G Tyler Herro G Alec Burks C Kel'el Ware F Andrew Wiggins F Bam Adebayo BULLS G Josh Giddey G Coby White C Nikola Vucevic F Kevin Huerter F Matas Buzelis QUOTABLE Heat coach Erik Spoelstra: "It makes you feel alive, that's for damn sure.
Anything that just raises the stakes. Again, you know, I've mentioned it, our locker room doesn't feel this way but, certainly on the outside you think 'oh this is the nine playing the 10, what does that mean?' Well it means a lot. We have an opportunity.
Get a win, get us closer to another game to ideally get another win to get in this party. But it's going to be competitive, that's what I'm looking forward to see: to see if it can bring out a higher level and that's what I expect." Alexander Toledo is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI and producer/co-host of the Five on the Floor podcast, covering the Heat and NBA.
He can be reached at [email protected]. Twitter: @tropicalblanket.
