MIAMI – With the Miami Heat looking to make NBA Play-In Tournament history by being the first tenth seed to make the playoffs, the team first has to get past the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. As the Heat face the Bulls in a win-or-go-home contest, star Bam Adebayo compares the feeling to that of March Madness.
Compared to a seven-game series in the playoffs, the play-in tourney is a tad different, especially at the tenth seed like Miami where they don't get a second chance like the seventh or eighth spot if they lose. In that regard, it does compare to the NCAA National Tournament or March Madness where losing one game in the tournament ends your season.
“It’s like March Madness, win or go home,” Adebayo said. “I can really compare it to March Madness. I mean, we’ve played them three times in the regular season. It’s one of those things where it feels like March Madness, you know what’s at stake, you know what you have to do, just go out there and handle business.”
Heat's Tyler Herro on the stakes of the play-in tourney game vs. Bulls
While fans are locking in their predictions for the Heat's play-in tournament game against the Bulls, some could be putting their picks on what history has shown. Besides the improbability of a tenth seed not getting through the tourney, Miami has also struggled against Chicago this season, losing all three of their matchups in frustrating fashion.
Despite being swept, that narrative against the Heat will be long forgotten if they leave Chicago winners as there's no doubt a sense of urgency heading into Wednesday.
“I feel like March and April, around this time of the year, this is what you work for as a competitor,” Herro said. “You know, as a professional athlete, this is what you work for in the summer, extra hours, and it's a great time to be alive and feel like I gotta lean and lean on the work I put in. Everything matters, every possession matters, every shot matters. Everything matters.”
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Heat looks to slow down the Bulls' fast pace
Herro and Adebayo will lead the Heat against Josh Giddey and the Chicago Bulls as the key focus will be in slowing them down as their opponents are one of the fastest teams in the NBA. Specifically, the Bulls are the second-fastest in pace at 103.6 possessions per 48 minutes while the Heat are on the other end of the spectrum at the fourth-slowest at 97.1 possessions per 48 minutes.
Chicago's style of play was a prime reason for the three wins as Miami couldn't keep up while also being unable to slow the game down and play more methodical and in the mud. The Heat want to show they've learned from their mistakes, but that doesn't mean being conservative in how they play the Bulls as said by head coach Erik Spoelstra.
“We don’t want to play a prevent offense or prevent type game,” Spoelstra said. “We want to attack this game. You can dance with the fire, but you’ve got to be smart with it. We don’t want to play at just a snail’s pace to slow them down. They’ll still score and find a way to score.”
At any rate, Miami looks to keep their season alive Wednesday as they travel to Chicago and if they win, the Atlanta Hawks will be their next matchup since the Orlando Magic beat them Tuesday night.
