Heat Finish Off Bulls, NBA Scores

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Published on April 8 2016 6:36 am
Last Updated on April 8 2016 6:36 am

Dwyane Wade wanted Miami to view Thursday night as a close-out opportunity, a chance for the Heat to essentially finish off a Chicago team desperate to keep its season alive.

In short, a dress rehearsal for any series-clinching scenarios that might await in the playoffs. It went exactly to Wade's liking.

Wade scored 21 points, Joe Johnson added 17 and the Heat beat the Bulls 106-98, putting up 66 points in the second half and making big defensive plays to pull away down the stretch.

"At this time of year, you have to use certain situations to try to prepare us because we've never been there together as a team," Wade said. "This was one of those situations."

Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside each had 16 points and 12 rebounds for Miami, which has 14 consecutive games of scoring 100 or more at home -- the second-longest such streak in franchise history.

Luol Deng scored 13, Josh Richardson had 11 and Amare Stoudemire added 10 for the Heat (46-32), who remained fifth in the Eastern Conference.

Jimmy Butler scored 25 points for the Bulls (39-40), who now need a series of miracles to get into the postseason. Pau Gasol finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds, and Derrick Rose scored 17 for Chicago, which could be officially eliminated as early as Friday.


Thursday, April 7 Scoreboard
    
Atlanta 95, Toronto 87
    
Miami 106, Chicago 98

Phoenix 124, Houston 115

Minnesota 105, Sacramento 97
    
Golden State 112, San Antonio 101


Friday, April 8 Schedule (All Times Central)

Brooklyn at Charlotte, 5 p.m.

Miami at Orlando, 5 p.m.

New York at Philadelphia, 5 p.m.

Milwaukee at Boston, 5:30 p.m.

Washington at Detroit, 5:30 p.m.

Indiana at Toronto, 5:30 p.m.

Los Angeles at New Orleans, 6 p.m.

Memphis at Dallas, 6:30 p.m.

San Antonio at Denver, 7 p.m.

Los Angeles at Utah, 7 p.m.


Saturday, April 9 Schedule (All Times Central)

Phoenix at New Orleans, 5 p.m.

Boston at Atlanta, 5:30 p.m.

Golden State at Memphis, 6 p.m.

Cleveland at Chicago, 6:30 p.m.

Minnesota at Portland, 8:30 p.m.

Oklahoma City at Sacramento, 8:30 p.m.


Sunday, April 10 Schedule (All Times Central)

Charlotte at Washington, 10 a.m.

Los Angeles at Houston, 1:30 p.m.

Dallas at Los Angeles, 1:30 p.m.

Milwaukee at Philadelphia, 3 p.m.

Utah at Denver, 3 p.m.

Brooklyn at Indiana, 4 p.m.

Orlando at Miami, 4 p.m.

Golden State at San Antonio, 5 p.m.

Toronto at New York, 5:30 p.m.