The Miami Heat eliminated the Chicago Bulls with a commanding 109-90 victory to progress in the NBA play-in tournament.
Tyler Herro led the charge, scoring an impressive 38 points to help set up Miami’s next game against the Atlanta Hawks.
The winner of that matchup will earn the right to face top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference play-offs.
The Heat’s triumph marked a turnaround against a team that had beaten them three times in the regular season.
Reflecting on those previous encounters, Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said, “Chicago humbled us this year. They have a unique style of play with that pace and scoring ability. Our guys really respected how much they could score.”
If Miami defeats the Hawks, they will set a franchise record by reaching the play-offs for a sixth consecutive season.
In the Western Conference, the Dallas Mavericks secured a 120-106 victory over the Sacramento Kings to earn a play-in tie against the Memphis Grizzlies. Klay Thompson led Dallas with 23 points, 16 of which came during a blistering second quarter.
The winner of the Mavericks-Grizzlies clash will face top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the opening round of the play-offs.
The play-in tournament, involving teams finishing seventh to 10th in both conferences, continues to deliver high stakes drama.
However, the NBA faced backlash over officiating errors during the Golden State Warriors’ controversial win over the Memphis Grizzlies in their first play-in tie.
According to the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report, the Grizzlies should have been awarded possession with 7.6 seconds remaining after Stephen Curry’s last contact on an out-of-bounds play.
Instead, Curry capitalized with two free throws to secure the Warriors’ play-off berth, leaving Memphis to fight for survival against Dallas in a “second chance” game.
