Heat vs Bulls – We Have Your Pick

Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls 7:00 ET

The Eastern Conference playoff picture will get a bit clearer heading into this weekend’s All-Star Break, and two teams jockeying for those final few spots in the second season will be on display in another fantastic sports betting affair on Thursday night. The first leg of tonight’s TNT Doubleheader will allow BetOnline customers to sink their teeth into all the NBA betting action when Dwayne Wade the Miami Heat (27-24, 23-26-2 ATS) invade the Windy City to do battle with Derrick Rose the Chicago Bulls (23-29, 25-26-1 ATS).

In the only meeting between these teams this year, the Heat came away with a 90-77 victory in South Beach. They are 2-0 SU and ATS in the L/2 contests, but the Bulls had covered and won the previous five.

BetOnline oddsmakers favor the Bulls by four-points in tonight’s contest, and have lined the ‘total’ at 196.5.

Though the Heat shouldn’t find it too difficult to make the playoffs in the weak Eastern Conference, they haven’t been anything to write home about of late. Tuesday’s 99-82 home loss to the Nuggets marked the fifth loss in their L/7 games both SU and against the closing basketball betting line. Miami will only challenge for its second NBA Championship as well as its superstar, G Dwayne Wade plays. Wade leads the NBA in scoring at 28.4 points per game, but also leads the Heat in assists per game (7.0) and steals per game (2.1). He has scored at least 20+ points in seven straight contests, and has reached that mark in 44 of Miami’s 51 games this year. The Bulls have historically given him fits though, as they have held Wade to just 19.2 points per game for his career; the best mark of any team in the NBA.

While the Heat have been sliding, the Bulls are headed into the All-Star Break on a tremendous high for their NBA bettors. They’ve won five out of their L/7 SU, and haven’t failed to cover a spread since January 23rd (7-0-1 ATS). Eight of the L/10 Chicago games have gone over the ‘total’. Six of the Baby Bulls average scoring in double figures, a very impressive stat considering the team is under .500. PG Derrick Rose has been fantastic in his rookie season. The Memphis product is averaging 16.9 points and 6.3 assists per game, and he’s also third on the team in shooting percentage. If there’s a bugaboo for Chicago bettors in this game, it’s that the Bulls have been miserable against the Southeast this season. They’re just 2-7 SU and ATS, and have averaged giving up 105.8 points per game in that stretch.

There are plenty of reasons to believe the Heat could prove to be live dogs tonight. Not only has Chicago struggled against the Southeast, but it is also just 3-8 ATS in its L/11 home games. Perhaps even more remarkable is the consistent letdown the Bulls have had lately. Following a SU win, Chicago is just 17-37-1 ATS in its L/55. Pair that with Miami’s 8-1 ATS mark rebounding from a double digit loss, a 5-1 ATS record in its L/6 against the Central Division, and a 6-2 ATS mark in its L/8 against teams with a losing record, and the choice is easy.

Rose’s Recommendation: 4* Miami Heat (+4)

(Grading Scale = 1*-5*)