For the third straight year, the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls appear headed for a clash in the NBA Play-In Tournament. But before potentially battling for a postseason berth, the two teams will face off one last time in the regular season. They’ll meet in Chicago on Wednesday night in a crucial matchup that could give one side a slight edge heading into the Play-In. Both teams have identical 36-43 records with three games remaining, holding the ninth and tenth spots in the Eastern Conference. So far this season, Chicago holds a 2-0 lead over Miami, giving them a potential tiebreaker advantage.
Although Chicago has had Miami’s number this season, the Play-In Tournament has been controlled by South Florida since 2023. The two teams have squared off in the last two Eastern Conference No. 8 seed games, with the Heat winning both matchups. The winner of Wednesday’s game will move within half a game of the eighth-seeded Atlanta Hawks, who currently sit at 37-42. If Miami loses, it will likely secure its spot as the No. 10 seed, especially since Chicago already holds the tiebreaker in the standings
However, Miami still has an opportunity to move up in the standings, regardless of what happens on Wednesday, thanks to their remaining schedule. After facing the Bulls, the Heat will play the New Orleans Pelicans and Washington Wizards in their final two regular season games. Both teams are among the worst in the league, with Washington (17-62) and New Orleans (21-58) holding two of the bottom five records.
Chicago also has a fairly favorable schedule to close out the regular season. The Bulls will host the Washington Wizards on Friday, followed by a road game against the Philadelphia 76ers (23-56) to wrap up the season. Wednesday’s matchup between Miami and Chicago is scheduled to tip off at 8:00 p.m. ET.
