The Miami HEAT fell to the Chicago Bulls 98-95 Thursday night at AmericanAirlines Arena. Hassan Whiteside led the way for the HEAT with 20 points and 20 rebounds.
1. 20-20 for Whiteside
There’s just something about the Bulls. Regardless of personnel, Whiteside almost always has a solid outing against Chicago. Thursday night was no different, as Whiteside was an absolute beast on the glass for Miami. In fact, the 7-footer notched a double-double before halftime. In addition to his usual put-backs, Whiteside also did a nice job of rolling to the hoop and being ready for the catch in the post.
The center also wreaked havoc on the defensive end, especially in the fourth quarter. Whiteside swatted two shots in the final period, one of which resulted in a 3-pointer for Josh Richardson in transition.
In addition to his 20 points and 20 rebounds, Whiteside also had three blocks and a steal.
2. Winslow Finds the Range
From the very start, Winslow went right at Dwyane Wade and competed hard on both ends against his former mentor. While that was fun to watch, the more important development was Winslow’s outside shooting. The second-year forward knocked down his first three treys on the night thanks to some great ball movement from his teammates.
That said, one of the 20-year-old’s best plays came because of his defense. With 10:34 to play in the second quarter, Winslow swiped an errant pass from Doug McDermott intended for Wade and took it all the way for the two-handed flush.
As the game progressed, Winslow returned the favor and started to create for his teammates. After dishing out a fantastic assist to Richardson for a huge three, he converted a clutch layup to cut the deficit to one with 1:10 left in the game. To borrow a phrase from Coach Spo, Winslow made “winning plays” against the Bulls. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t enough this time around.
In all, Winslow tallied 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting and five boards. He also led the team with six assists and four steals.
3. HEAT Get Going from Distance
Despite the loss, Miami fared quite well from downtown and shot 13-of-29 from beyond the arc. Richardson led the charge with four treys, three of which came in the fourth quarter. In total, the young man out of Edmond, Oklahoma scored 16 points against Chicago.
Game Notes:
-Goran Dragić exited the game in the third quarter with a sprained left ankle and did not return. He finished with six points, four assists and two steals.
-Wayne Ellington (right thigh contusion) sat out.
Looking Ahead:
-The HEAT next’s contest will be at home against the Jazz on Saturday at 8:00 PM. Tickets for that game can be found here.