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Heat-Bulls Preview

Mar 24, 2010 - 5:28 PM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Miami (37-34) at Chicago (33-37), 8:00 p.m. EDT

Two wins over likely lottery-bound teams since the return of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah showed the Chicago Bulls are far from out of the postseason race. Beating a team they're chasing for a playoff berth would further prove they can stay in it.

That's what the Bulls could do Thursday night, looking to knock off the visiting Miami Heat to pull closer to their fellow contenders for one of the Eastern Conference's final playoff spots.

Chicago (33-37) seemed like a lock for its second consecutive postseason appearance a month ago, when it was in sixth place and climbing in the East.

But lingering plantar fasciitis kept Noah out of 10 straight games from Feb. 27-March 19, and Rose's sprained left wrist sidelined him for the final four contests of that stretch as the Bulls went 0-10 to fall to ninth.

Noah has played limited minutes the past two games while Rose has returned at full throttle as Chicago tries to rescue its playoff chances. Rose had 23 points in a 98-84 win at Philadelphia on Saturday and scored 27 in a 98-88 victory over visiting Houston on Monday, the Bulls' first consecutive wins since Feb. 24-26.

"There's enough basketball to be played," coach Vinny Del Negro told the Bulls' official Web site. "We play Charlotte (twice), Milwaukee, at Toronto. We have to go one at a time. Miami (on) Thursday is a big game."

The Heat, Bobcats and Raptors are all closely clustered in the sixth through eighth spots, but Chicago only needs to catch one of them.

"I think we should look at every night as an opportunity to possibly get a game," said guard Kirk Hinrich, who scored 17 points in each of the last two wins. "The other teams kind of hold the cards now. ... I can't say I like being in this position. It is what it is and we have to try to take care of business."

The Heat (37-34) have won two of three in the season series - both at home - meaning Thursday's finale against Chicago could also give them the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Miami has taken advantage of a home-heavy schedule in March to win eight of 11 but is coming off its first road win in more than a month, 99-89 at New Jersey on Monday.

Dwyane Wade had 10 of his game-high 27 points in the decisive third quarter, when the Heat outscored the Nets 27-14.

"We want to get in the playoffs and we have to go to battle every night," Wade told the NBA's official Web site. "This week is very important for us."

The Chicago native hasn't exactly had the best of luck in his hometown, however. Wade has averaged 17.7 points in 12 games as the United Center, his lowest average in any arena.

He had 20 points on 7-of-21 shooting in a 95-91 loss there Feb. 6. Rose scored 24 to lead the Bulls.

If Wade again struggles in Chicago, perhaps Jermaine O'Neal - averaging 17.9 points in his last seven games - can step up. O'Neal has averaged 24.5 points and 11.0 rebounds in his last two games against the Bulls.

Chicago big men Brad Miller (thumb) and Taj Gibson (plantar fasciitis) are expected to play.