Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat odds and best bet

Right now, these are the top two teams in Eastern Conference, even though the 76ers, Nets and Bucks are dominating the headlines.

Chicago is riding DeMar DeRozan's greatness this season. His ability to score efficiently has helped them keep winning, even though they have struggled with injuries to starters Lonzo Ball and Patrick Williams. The Bulls saw their six-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday against Memphis, and Chicago hits the road where they are just 15-13 this season. In the next four games, they will play Miami, Milwaukee and Philadelphia. With the standings super tight, they could drop from second to fifth in this span.

Miami's success is even more surprising than Chicago's because of their injury challenges, and unlike Chicago, they have not been able to jump on the back of a star player. Miami is on a "heater" right now having won three in a row and eight of nine. This is the toughest team in the NBA, and their level of physicality is hard to rise up to meet during the regular season. They are very tough to beat at home, they are 20-7 at the FTX. 

Miami has won and covered in both meetings with Chicago this season.

Game Info

Chicago Bulls (39-22) vs. Miami Heat (40-21)
Monday, February 28, 2022
7:30 p.m. ET
FTX Arena, Miami, Fla.
Bally Sports Sun

Betting Odds

Spread: Bulls +4 (-110), Heat -4 (-110)
Total: 225
Moneyline: Bulls +145, Heat -175

Best Bet:

Miami -4

I am still trying to figure out this Bulls team. They have won a lot of games, but within the group of teams at the top of the East, they are on the one I like the least.

In their recent loss to Memphis, the Grizzlies might have allowed 31 points to DeRozan, but he needed 29 shots to get there. That is the key, knocking his efficiency down, and the Heat have two players who can really get into him in Jimmy Butler and PJ Tucker, especially Tucker who is great about turning things into a battle and fits in well with the Heat because of it. 

Kyle Lowry is out again for personal reasons Monday, but Miami has proven they can win without him all season. Against a team like Chicago, it probably does not hurt to get someone a little bigger and quicker to play some defense against their good wing players anyways. 

This is a good spot for the Heat getting the Bulls off a loss and on the road. Miami is 17-7 as a home favorite, and with only a small number to cover, this looks like good value. Their two-way players are going to have success against a more one-dimensional Chicago team. 

Prop to Consider

DeMar DeRozan Under 30.5 points (-110)

DeRozan saw his historic stretch of 35+ point games end against Memphis, as he scored just 31. They were able to hound him all game lock and it took its toll. DeRozan played in just one of the previous games against Miami this season and scored 28 points. I am not expecting a massive dropoff from what we have seen throughout the season Monday, but he is as inflated as it is going to get right now. The 31 points Sunday helps us out a lot because even though it was his worst game in a while, he still had good production. Butler and Tucker are hard to have good games against.