PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* TOTAL DOMINATION >> Went 5-2 Saturday!
(NBA) Miami vs. Chicago,
Total: 197.00 | -110.00 Under
Result: Loss
Total: 197.00 | -110.00 Under
Result: Loss
The set-up: The "new-look" Chicago Bulls have gone from bad to worse. The Bulls were competitive in losses at the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers to begin the team's four-game road trip but then lost 110-80 at Utah on Wednesday, before getting "run out of the gym" in Oakland 143-94 by the Warriors on Friday. Chicago now owns the NBA's worst overall record at 3-14, as the Bulls get set to play four of their next five at home. Chicago welcomes the 9-9 Miami Heat to the United Center on Sunday afternoon. The Heat pulled off their best win of the season by ending the Boston Celtics' 16-game winning streak on Wednesday and avoided a letdown by going into Minnesota and toppling the Timberwolves 109-97 on Friday. Miami already has one win over the Bulls this season, 97-91 at home back on Nov. 1..
Miami: The Heat's Goran Dragic, Justise Winslow and Wayne Ellington combined to go 13-of-19 from three-point range in Friday's win at Minnesota with Miami scoring 109 points. The Heat are averaging 100.9 PPG (26th) and shoot 36.1% on threes (14th), so that game was hardly typical. PG Dragic (18.9-4.3-4.7) and center Whiteside (15.5 & 12.9) have Miami's two main 'guns' this season but the Miami Herald reported on Saturday that Whiteside could miss this contest with a sore left knee (he will be a game-time decision).
Chicago: Rookie power forward Lauri Markkanen leads Chicago in scoring (14.6 points) but is shooting just 36.5 percent from the floor over the last 10 games and is 9-of-42 over the last three contests. "Defenses are keying on him," Hoiberg said of Markkanen, according to the Chicago Tribune. "A lot of teams are switching with him. We have to read those situations better. We're adding new things to our offense pretty much daily to try to get him in spots where he can be successful." Markkanen also is the team's top rebounder at 8.2 per game. Chicago is not scoring well (94.4 PPG ranks 29th) and not defending all that well either (107.3 PPG allowed ranks 22nd).
The pick: If Whiteside doesn't play, his rebounding and interior defense will be missed way more than his offense (expect Markkanen to break out of his shooting slump). Meanwhile, Chicago guard duo of Dragic (see above) and Waiters (15.9 PPG) have to love the idea of going up against Chicago's inexperienced perimeter rotation of Kris Dunn, Jerian Grant, Justin Holiday, Denzel Valentine, Antonio Blakeney. Make the Over a 10* play.
Miami: The Heat's Goran Dragic, Justise Winslow and Wayne Ellington combined to go 13-of-19 from three-point range in Friday's win at Minnesota with Miami scoring 109 points. The Heat are averaging 100.9 PPG (26th) and shoot 36.1% on threes (14th), so that game was hardly typical. PG Dragic (18.9-4.3-4.7) and center Whiteside (15.5 & 12.9) have Miami's two main 'guns' this season but the Miami Herald reported on Saturday that Whiteside could miss this contest with a sore left knee (he will be a game-time decision).
Chicago: Rookie power forward Lauri Markkanen leads Chicago in scoring (14.6 points) but is shooting just 36.5 percent from the floor over the last 10 games and is 9-of-42 over the last three contests. "Defenses are keying on him," Hoiberg said of Markkanen, according to the Chicago Tribune. "A lot of teams are switching with him. We have to read those situations better. We're adding new things to our offense pretty much daily to try to get him in spots where he can be successful." Markkanen also is the team's top rebounder at 8.2 per game. Chicago is not scoring well (94.4 PPG ranks 29th) and not defending all that well either (107.3 PPG allowed ranks 22nd).
The pick: If Whiteside doesn't play, his rebounding and interior defense will be missed way more than his offense (expect Markkanen to break out of his shooting slump). Meanwhile, Chicago guard duo of Dragic (see above) and Waiters (15.9 PPG) have to love the idea of going up against Chicago's inexperienced perimeter rotation of Kris Dunn, Jerian Grant, Justin Holiday, Denzel Valentine, Antonio Blakeney. Make the Over a 10* play.
