Heat close in on playoff spot with win over Bulls
The Miami Heat moved one step closer to a playoff spot Thursday with a 103-92 win over the visiting Chicago Bulls at AmericanAirlines Arena.
The Heat could have clinched a postseason berth with the victory and a Pistons loss, but Detroit defeated Washington.
With the win Miami maintained its hold onto the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference playoff standings, one-half game ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks, who beat Golden State later Thursday night.
Guard Josh Richardson led Miami with 22 points. Goran Dragic had 17 and Justise Winslow 13 as 11 players scored for the Heat, who have won five of their past seven and improved to 24-9 against clubs with losing records.
Miami also has won eight straight at home and 11 of the past 12 contests in South Florida.
David Nwaba and Noah Vonleh paced Chicago with 15 and 14 points, respectively. Robin Lopez, Justin Holiday and Bobby Portis each had 13.
Portis had a career-high-tying 16 rebounds and Vonleh grabbed 13 boards.
The Bulls played without three of their top four scorers: Zach LaVine (knee), Kris Dunn (toe) and Lauri Markkanen (elbow) were all out with injuries. Markkanen had just returned Tuesday after missing six games with a sore back.
In losing its third of the four games this season against Miami, Chicago dropped its seventh straight and fell to 9-29 on the road.
The losing streak is currently the longest in the Eastern Conference.
Dragic scored nine points as the Heat took the lead midway through the first quarter, while Nwaba had eight for the Bulls.
Miami used a 7-0 run over a 1:57 span to eventually take a 29-21 lead at the quarter's end.
Dragic's coast-to-coast layup ended a 6-0 run as the Heat stretched their lead to 45-34, the largest of the first half, before finishing the second quarter with a 51-46 edge.
Miami guard Tyler Johnson turned his right ankle making a layup in the quarter and did not return.
The Heat's defense helped extend the lead to 78-68 as Miami held Chicago to 34 percent shooting.
--Field Level Media
