The Miami Heat will be facing an injury-plagued Chicago Bulls team for their important road contest on Saturday night, with four Bulls listed as out for the game.
Bulls' injury report for Saturday vs. visiting Heat:
Lonzo Ball, Out, Left Knee; Meniscus Tear
Tyler Cook, Out, G League
Malcolm Hill, Out, G League
Zach LaVine, Probable, Left Knee; Soreness
Marki Simonovic, Out, G League— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) April 1, 2022
With just five games left in the regular season, the Heat are clinging to a precarious one-half game lead for the best record in the Eastern Conference. By the time they take the court on Saturday, the Heat could be tied since the Bucks are hosting the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.
Two consecutive wins for the Heat, including an important 106-98 road victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night, have helped at least temporarily get them back on track.
Prior to those two victories, the Heat dropped four games in a row and were in danger of falling from the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Maintaining that number one position would give them home-court advantage through the conference finals if they reach that point.
Despite their lineup concerns, the Bulls are also trying to close out the regular season with a strong effort. They’ve won three of their last four games, including an overtime victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night.
In the overtime win, DeMar DeRozan scored 50 points. The Heat undoubtedly took note of the veteran’s performance and will try to neutralize him during the course of the game.
That game against the Bulls begins a rigorous four-day period for the Heat. After that contest, the Heat have a road clash against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, followed by a home game against the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday.
