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 That was the end result of Thursday's game in which Dwyane Wade
scored 21 points to lead Miami to a 106-98 win over Chicago at
AmericanAirlines Arena.
Two Heat players had double-doubles -- point guard Goran Dragic and
center Hassan Whiteside each had 16 rebounds and 12 rebounds.
Whiteside sparked the defense. It was his block of a Derrick Rose
layup with 3:50 left in the game that protected Miami's 87-86 lead
and led to a Wade 3-point play on the other end.
"Hassan, that's his gift," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He has
the ability to protect the rim.
"With dynamic wing scorers like (Chicago's Jimmy) Butler and Rose,
you have to have somebody back there who is going to clean up
mistakes."
Whiteside leads the NBA in blocked shots and defensive rating, but
Spoelstra clearly wants more.
"He's getting better on his pick-and-roll defense," Spoelstra said
of Whiteside. "We are still pushing Hassan to get to another level."
The Heat (46-32), as a team, is trying to do the same thing. Miami
started the night in fifth place in the Eastern Conference but with
the win tied the idle Boston Celtics for fourth.
Chicago (39-40), which has three games left in its season, fell 3.5
games behind the Indiana Pacers in the battle for the final playoff
spot in the East. The Pacers can clinch a playoff berth by winning
any one of their final four games or with one Bulls loss.
If Chicago falls short, this would be the first time since 2008 that
the Bulls will miss the playoffs.
Miami swept its four-game season series against Chicago for the
first time since 2003-2004.
The Bulls were powered by Pau Gasol, who had 21 points and 12
rebounds, Jimmy Butler (25 points) and Derrick Rose (17 points).
Chicago led early, never trailing in the first quarter and taking a
22-21 lead into the second. The Bulls extended their lead to 46-40
at halftime as Gasol went into the break with 13 points and eight
rebounds.
"We had good looks in the first half," Dragic said. "We just
couldn't make shots."
After struggling in the first half (39.5 percent shooting and five
turnovers), the Heat had an efficient third quarter, shooting 66.7
percent with no turnovers.
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That allowed Miami to surge ahead 75-69 after three quarters. The
key sequence came when the score was tied 69-69, and Whiteside had a
four-point possession. He was flagrant-fouled by Doug McDermott and
made both free throws. The Heat, who also got the ball after the
foul shots, then went back to Whiteside, who made a layup.
"I wasn't mad or anything," said Whiteside, who has had a history of
getting upset and ejected in those types of situations. "I was going
to dunk if he didn't foul me."
In the final minutes of the fourth quarter, Miami went on a 14-4 run
to clinch the game.
"The second half really got us," Rose said. "The third quarter they
scored (35) points, and that changed the game. We played nonchalant.
We gave them a lot of confidence, especially their bench players."
Gasol said defense has been the Bulls' problem.
"We haven't given it enough importance on a game-to-game basis," he
said. "We haven't been able to put together the intensity and effort
required on the defensive end."
NOTES: Heat SG Tyler Johnson, who had rotator cuff surgery on his
left shoulder Feb. 3, said he's "70-percent" likely to return in
time for the start of the playoffs. He hasn't played since Jan. 26.
... Heat G Josh Richardson leads all NBA rookies this season in
three-point shooting, at 50 percent entering Thursday. TNT's
Shaquille O'Neal this week gave Richardson a new nickname. He called
him BRA, which stands for Baby Ray Allen. ... Chicago hasn't had a
winning month since December, when it went 8-7. ... Chicago has used
22 different starting lineups this season, and 15 different players
have earned starts. ... Bulls SG Jimmy Butler is one of just three
NBA players this season to get at least 25 points, 15 rebounds and
10 assists in a game. The other players are Houston G James Harden
Warriors F Draymond Green.
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