The Chicago Bulls will be on the road to start their Eastern conference semifinal round best of seven NBA playoff series with Game 1 in a pro basketball game against the Miami Heat on Monday night. Tip off time from Miami is scheduled for 7PM Eastern Time with national television coverage provided by TNT TV.
The pro basketball NBA playoff game one odds have the home team Miami Heat favored by -11 ½ points with an over under line of 186 points. Early money from the bettors has not moved these odds since the line were released a few hours ago.
The Heat and Bulls met four times during the regular season with each team winning and covering the point spread twice. One win and point spread cover came by each team came home and away.
The Bulls are 23-22 on the road this season. They qualified for the Eastern conference semifinals by defeating the Brooklyn Nets in seven games. Chicago is coming off a game seven 99-93 road victory on Saturday night against the Brooklyn Nets as a +7 point road underdog. The game finished at over 182 ½ points. It was a nice start by the Bulls as they go up 61-44 at the half in victory. They shot 48.8% from the field and canned 7 of 21 three pointers. Chicago got to the free throw line 13 times and made 12 shots. Marco Belinelli scored 24 points with six rebounds in the series clincher and hit on 8 of 14 from the floor. Joakim Noah chipped in with 24 points and 14 boards as he made 12 of his 17 shots. The Bulls defense gave up just 40.7% shooting and 8 of 25 from the three point line to the Nets in the deciding game. Chicago is a stout defensive team ranking in the top nine of the league in all three key areas which are points allowed, field goal and three point defending. With no Derrick Rose in the lineup the Bulls have struggled offensively. They are a bottom third team in the league in scoring offense, field goal and three point shooting. Chicago has several injury concerns. Derrick Rose is practicing with the team but is not ready to play. Kirk Hinrich is questionable with a calf injury. Luol Deng is questionable with a medical problem.
The Heat is 39-4 playing on their home court. The Heat enters the Eastern conference semifinals after sweeping the Milwaukee Bucks by a 4-0 margin in the opening round of the playoffs. The team is coming off the 88-77 road victory in game four against the Milwaukee Bucks as a -9 point road betting favorite way back on Sunday April 28th. The game landed under 195 points. Miami shot 46.6% from the floor in the series clincher with 7 of 26 three point accuracy. They pulled down five more rebounds than the Bucks. LeBron James led the Heat with 30 points and eight rebounds as he made 13 of 20 shots. Ray Allen came off the bench for 16 points along with seven boards on 5 of 10 makes from the floor.
